SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 251
WHEREAS, Many notable citizens of Lubbock are visiting
Austin on February 24, 2015, to pay tribute to their city's rich
heritage and to celebrate Lubbock Day at the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, A thriving region of the state, the Lubbock area
is one of the oldest inhabited places in Texas; archeologists
have discovered evidence of some 12,000 years of continuous
habitation at the Lubbock Lake Landmark site, a national historic
and state archeological preserve; and
WHEREAS, The City of Lubbock was incorporated on March 16,
1909, and railroads stimulated the city's growth as a trade
center; residents also wanted the benefits of an institution of
higher learning, and when legislation creating Texas
Technological College was passed in 1923, the site selection
committee, impressed by the enthusiasm and hospitality of local
citizens, chose Lubbock for its location; and
WHEREAS, Today a community of almost 240,000 people,
Lubbock is home to the Texas Tech University System and its
flagship campus as well as to two other universities and a
community college; together, they draw more than 53,000 students
to the city each year, making a significant impact on the local
economy; approximately 10,000 young Texans graduate in Lubbock
each year, and 30 percent of residents over the age of 25 hold at
least a bachelor's degree; and
WHEREAS, Fostering a dynamic business environment, Lubbock
has a regional labor force of more than 207,000, and the cost of
doing business continues to rank as one of the lowest in the
nation, due to affordable land, wage rates, electric and natural
gas utilities, property taxes, and living expenses; and
WHEREAS, Lubbock is consistently recognized by national
organizations for its business-friendly atmosphere; it was
ranked seventh in the 2014 Forbes list of "Opportunity Cities"
based on low cost of living, cultural offerings, and the strength
of the business community; in addition, it has been named a top
city for professional women and for young entrepreneurs seeking
to start a business; and
WHEREAS, Noted for its diverse economy, the city draws its
strength from agribusiness, manufacturing, and commerce, as well
as from educational facilities and medical infrastructure
considered the most extensive to be found between Dallas and
Phoenix; with the growth of cotton culture on the High Plains,
Lubbock has become one of the world's primary centers for the
processing of cottonseed and hybrid grain sorghum seed; and
WHEREAS, The economy is deeply rooted in cotton farming,
and Lubbock remains home to the world's largest contiguous cotton
patch; the area also features several major, award-winning
wineries and vineyards, which produce more than 70 percent of all
the state's wine grapes; and
WHEREAS, This vibrant city also offers a wealth of
recreational opportunities and cultural institutions, among them
the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, the Lubbock Civic Ballet, the
Museum and Planetarium of Texas Tech University, and the Silent
Wings Museum; plans are well advanced for a new, state-of-the-art
performing arts center to be named after local legend and Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Buddy Holly; and
WHEREAS, City leaders meticulously planned infrastructure
to create neighborhood parks and ensure the smooth flow of
traffic; located at the intersection of five major highways,
Lubbock is nicknamed the "Hub City," and it aims to continue that
vital transportation function through the eventual Interstate
Highway 27 expansion, a mayoral initiative that is expected to
relieve congestion on other Texas highways; and
WHEREAS, Those desiring a glimpse of the frontier can find
it in the restored structures at the Ranching Heritage Center, a
15-acre site that traces the evolution of ranch architecture and
the history of the cattle industry; the region's history is also
celebrated at the Bayer Museum of Agriculture; and
WHEREAS, A host of talented musicians have hailed from the
Lubbock area, among them Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, the Maines
family, Virgil Johnson and the Velvets, Waylon Jennings, Tanya
Tucker, Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Pat Green, and Butch
Hancock; their rich and diverse contributions have earned
Lubbock and West Texas the state designation as the official
"Music Crossroads of Texas"; and
WHEREAS, Lubbock's thriving business community is
represented by the largest business federation on the Texas South
Plains, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, which has promoted the
prosperity of the Lubbock area for more than a century; achieving
great success from its earliest days, it recruited out-of-state
farmers to till the fertile soils of the Llano Estacado, secured
railroad service, founded the South Plains Fair, and drafted and
delivered the application that would result in the establishment
of Texas Technological College, which today thrives as the heart
of the Texas Tech University System; and
WHEREAS, The chamber was also instrumental in establishing
Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport and Reese Air Force
Base, as well as the revolutionary market-driven Chamber
Employer Health Plan, which is now a national model; its efforts
have also been key in the development of outstanding
transportation infrastructure; committed to revitalizing the
community and its downtown, the chamber oversees the efforts of
Imagine Lubbock Together, a private-public partnership; it is
the nation's first and only chamber to be twice 5-Star Accredited
and twice named Chamber of the Year; and
WHEREAS, The delegation visiting the Capitol today
includes proud members of the chamber's 40th Leadership Lubbock
Class, who represent the future business and community leaders of
Lubbock; and
WHEREAS, Truly keeping faith with the founders of their
West Texas community, the citizens of Lubbock are renowned for
their friendliness and warmth as well as their hardiness and
determination, and they have helped to build a vital urban center
that serves not only a large part of West Texas but also eastern
New Mexico; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th
Legislature, hereby recognize February 24, 2015, as Lubbock Day
at the State Capitol and extend to the members of the visiting
delegation and all their fellow citizens sincere appreciation
for the bright luster they add to the Lone Star State.
Perry
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 24, 2015.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate