Tagged: local business

San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro is not finished jet-setting following the elections. He will now head to Great Britain to talk to politicians, business leaders and top government officials in hopes of strengthening business relationships.

As an invited guest of the British government, Castro’s main mission is economic development.

City Council passed an ordinance in 2005 seeking to regulate sexually-oriented businesses, but an injunction fell into place that prevented the city from enforcing the new rules. The injunction was lifted in 2010, but sexually-oriented businesses have continued to operate with very few regulations being enforced.

District 6 Councilman Ray Lopez is looking to change all that with his ordinance that strengthens the language as to what constitutes a sexually-oriented business.

The new year is only two months away and the city’s economic development leaders are thinking about what challenges and opportunities await in 2013. This week, the city’s Economic Development Foundation presented an action plan to the council committee that looks closely at economic progress in San Antonio.

"We want to be successful,” said the foundation’s president, Mario Hernandez. “What better way to be successful than to establish high goals for economic development?” he asked.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Texas fell to 6.8 percent in September, down more than one point from last year.

Andres Alcantar, chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission, said the Texas economy has been showing steady job growth for the past two years and seven major industries expanded in September.

"The highest growth came from the Professional and Business Services industry, which grew by 13,600 jobs in September. This industry has added 47,200 jobs over the past year," Alcantar said.

The statewide totals for the amount of sales tax returned to local communities was on the plus side of $551 million and showed an overall 11 percent increase over Sept. 2011.

Comptroller Susan Combs said continued strength in the manufacturing and oil and natural gas sectors led to the increase, but consumer spending was also up in restaurants and retail stores.