As the drastic economic downturn driven by the coronavirus stresses state budgets, those with sizable gas and oil industries are dealing with the added pressure of the recent oil price crash.

The oil price crash that has hammered the US shale industry is now threatening to put the squeeze on one of America’s biggest university endowments.

It’s the largest producer of oil in the states. Dale Craymer, the president of the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, has estimated that the state loses $85 million a year for every

It’s the lowest price for a barrel of crude since at least the 1980s and another sign, experts say, of rough economic times ahead — especially for Texas’ energy sector.

The U.S. federal government can print its own currency, which also happens to be the world’s reserve currency. This is a handy setup for Uncle Sam in ordinary times. But it’s especially convenient in moments of economic crisis.