The Silver Lining
Albert W. Niemi Jr.
Cox’s Niemi contends that Texas’ fortunes will not diminish drastically, and when the national rebound begins, the state stands to prosper. He predicts that companies will leave high-tax states
and relocate to Texas. The flood of employers and job seekers could boost the state’s population by as much as 50 percent through 2030, he says. Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and California also will gain population. Two of those states, Florida and California, are major sources of SMU’s enrollment.
“You can’t separate higher education from the underlying strength of the economy,” he says. An influx of affluent, well-educated migrants ultimately could benefit SMU, he adds. “Think of the demand [for their children] to get into SMU. Think of the quality of our freshman classes. It’s a good time to
be in Dallas, Texas.”
– Patricia Ward