These graphics are from the front page of the Saturday morning edition of the Austin American Statesman. The story looks at Gonzales, Texas historically at the beginning of the war of Texans against Mexico and in the most impoverished areas of Texas that extend into the Valley to the Rio Grande. Like other communities in the oil rich areas with the boom that began about 2001, a bust started as oil plunged from 100 dollars a barrel. Jobs are disappearing from the oil patch and now as well as businesses like restaurants, hotels, general stores with the exception of pawn shops. Government service spending has risen as much of those revenues come from oil and gas taxation and the formerly booming retail activity. But those expenditures are more fixed and increased taxes loom.

The story is a quick read of the boom and bust nature of areas that rely on natural resources as the major source of wealth. Texas today as compared to the late 1980’s has developed other areas of wealth such as high technology, medical research, insurance, higher education, etc., but the “trickle down” effect of declining oil prices is yet to fully play out!