ARLINGTON, Texas — Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Michael Jacobson today signed on to a statement with leaders from the Metro Eight Chambers of Commerce in support of Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to gradually open the Texas economy:

“As leaders of the Texas business community, we applaud Gov. Abbott for focusing on the incremental steps necessary to reopen the Texas economy. We recognize this effort will need to balance public health considerations while restarting economic activity in a phased and gradual approach that guards against subsequent spikes in infections. While each of our communities is different, we recognize that businesses play a vital role in enacting specific measures to keep their workforce safe and thereby protecting the entire community. We are encouraged by the governor’s willingness to work collaboratively with the business community. While COVID-19 will have long-term impacts on our state, smart policy decisions made now can greatly accelerate our economic recovery. We appreciate the governor’s leadership on this issue and look forward to working with the task force.”

Jacobson also serves as the current Chair of the Metro 8 Chambers of Commerce. Separately, Jacobson noted:

“It’s imperative that we begin steps to reopen the economy. We look forward to working with many civic and business leaders in greater Arlington and Tarrant County to get our community back in business while keeping all residents and visitors safe.”

About the Metro Eight: The Chambers of Commerce representing the eight largest cities in Texas have banded together to form a coalition called the Metro Eight. The cities include Arlington, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. The coalition focuses on issues involving infrastructure, education and workforce, economic development, and healthcare.