I interviewed Patrick Jankowski, Chief Economist for the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) [10] after a recent AGC Outlook Breakfast in which Jankowski labeled the current cycle as the “New Normal.” [11]  He stated that this cycle is different in that the past cycles have rocketed from Boom to Bust and back again; however, this time is a new cycle where the boom goes to long term stability.  He told us that a job creation rate of 70,000 or so per year would indeed keep the Houston-Galveston economy growing faster than most other metro areas in the United States.

I asked about some of the big issues that the GHP, the region’s largest business organization, was studying.  Those issues include transportation, education and healthcare.  He had an interesting response when I asked about the possibility of raising the gasoline tax.

You can hear his responses in the 2-minute video below.