UTMB was forced to close it’s hospital and much of the campus until storm-related repairs can be made. About 3,000 employees were laid off from the medical center.

“UTMB is the sole biggest employer on the island. It is important for them, and important for Southeast Texas,” Ritter said.

Immigration issues, and franchise taxes are also expected to be part of the 81st legislative session.

Burka, one of the state’s foremost political writers, started working for the magazine one year after it was founded.

In Beaumont Thursday, Burka praised the region’s economic climate.

“When I was here two years ago, people said there was going to be $3 billion to $5 billion in industrial expansions. It seems those numbers have quadrupled. The future is bright for this area, provided you can keep the storms away,” he said.

Though some of the area’s refineries are still down, Burka said Southeast Texas is the best economic climate in the state outside of the Houston and Dallas areas.

Burka said the past year has been a great time to be writing about politics. On a national level, it’s been the first time that no sitting president or vice-president is on the ballot.

He described president-elect Obama’s campaign as “phenomenal.”

“His campaign will be studied for years. It was flawless,” Burka said.

The campaign, he said, was on the cutting edge of technology, and reached out to a new constituency: the young, the secular, technologically-savvy and environmentalists.

On the state level, Burka said he expects an interesting session to write about.

skoonce@panews.com