Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price gave her third State of the City address Thursday. Technology was what she came back to again and again in her 20-minute speech.
"Technology is really changing the manufacturing landscape," Price said. "You're all reading about 3D printers and what they can do. But we have to think outside that box, beyond GE, beyond MOTO X, NGC. We have to start thinking about micro-manufacturing."
Speaking to a crowd of 1,200, she announced that a California-based financial services company, Penny Mac, will bring 600 new jobs to the city’s CentrePort Business Park. That's exciting news for Fort Worth City Council member Gyna Bivens, who represents that district.
"We're not talking low-wage jobs," Bivens said. "We're not talking a whole bunch of million dollar incomes either, but jobs that can be well suited in that part of Fort Worth, where some new homes are being built right now. It's a perfect match."
PennyMac’s Patrick Benton says tax incentives played a role in the move. Geography, too.
"The time zone was a big advantage for us [because] we're based in California today," Benton said. "So the ability to move two more hours helps us manage, and deal with our customers kind of on the East Coast easier than from California."
