The Texas 2036 story

“What do we want Texas to be like for our third century?”

That was the question Tom Luce, a Dallas attorney, asked in 2016. With the state’s bicentennial year of 2036 on the horizon, he sees not just the opportunity for a celebration of the past but an inflection point to bring Texans together to set a better path for the future.

For Tom, it’s about young people. He wants to make sure they have the same opportunities that he once had growing up. It’s about ensuring Texas is the best place to live, to do business and to raise a family.

Tom’s decades of experience leading on issues of law, business, and policy, have helped shape his approach to Texas 2036, crafting a prosperous future for all Texans.

Tom’s Bio

Where did we start?

The first thing we did was accumulate over 300 public data sets.

Tom wants business leaders, executives and key stakeholders to come together, review the data and evaluate where we stand on issues that affect all Texans: education and workforce, health care, infrastructure, natural resources, justice and safety, and government performance.

Why? Because Tom wants to project a future based upon data.

If we lead the nation in job growth today, where would we be in 2036, for example? If you invest in water infrastructure now, what would our water supply look like? In other words, are we creating the state that what we want Texas to be? These are the questions that need data-driven solutions.

“Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.”

A Texas Promise

For Tom, the future of Texas is personal. He sees his successes as a testament to the opportunities that Texas provides, akin to riding a wave created by past Texans. With Texas 2036, he is able to amplify that wave for future generations, including his beloved grandchildren.

“Texas 2036 represents a promise to use data to bring Texans together around the issues that matter most.”

“At the end of the day, if you advocate in silos, you don’t get the connections.”

A Comprehensive View of Policy

That’s why Texas 2036 takes a non-siloed holistic approach to its agenda, working over the long run to address the core functions of state government through six policy pillars:

Education and Workforce
Health Care
Infrastructure
Natural Resources
Justice and Safety
Government Performance

Why it matters? These functions aren’t just quality of life indicators; they’re the parameters that current and future Texans evaluate when planting their roots in the state, out of which future enterprises will grow.

A Long-Term Approach

We’re committed to the long-term approach, to look beyond the immediate siren call of fiscal quarters and electoral cycles.

It’s a recognition that strategic, data-informed planning will safeguard Texas’ position as an economic powerhouse, attracting not just national but international investments.

Texas 2036’s singular focus is on state policy as the lever for change, ensuring that state policy (grasstops) harmonizes with regional and local efforts (grassroots).

Responsibility and Action

Tom is not a man trying to steer the ship alone; he is a Texan calling on his fellow Texans to recognize the power of proactive change.

In his eyes, the Texas story tells of a collective journey. Tom envisions a Texas that beckons to the best and brightest around the country and globe, driving them to add their talents to the shared effort.