By Matt Kelly and Tyler Worthington The dramatic increase in federal government regulation has been well documented by economists and journalists, as has its detrimental effects on economic growth. The DeVoe Moore Center has constructed assorted measures of state and local regulatory restrictiveness. This article focused on revenues collected per business on the local level … Continue reading The Per Business Regulatory Burden: Ranking Florida’s Local Governments
Community Redevelopment Agencies
By Casey Barr Local governments face the perennial dilemma of obtaining money to fund community redevelopment projects. Requesting state or federal funds can be an arduous bureaucratic process, and these funds are often awarded to larger, more prominent cities, ignoring smaller towns where need is arguably greater. Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs) allow local governments to … Continue reading Community Redevelopment Agencies
Gender Wage Gap in Florida
By Tyler Worthington, Tian Ma, and Igor Lukashevich One of the hottest topics in the 2016 presidential race is income inequality. Income inequality between the genders has been of particular interest. According to the White House, full-time working women are paid 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man. However, the labor market in … Continue reading Gender Wage Gap in Florida
Tourism tax may soon be used for public services
By Erick Winterkamp Officials in Okaloosa County recently diverted $2.5 million of Tourism Development Tax (TDT) revenues to pay for beach patrol and lifeguards, a move that Florida’s powerful tourism lobby contested. Tourism industry interest groups like the Florida Association of Destination Marketing Organizations and the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association claimed this was … Continue reading Tourism tax may soon be used for public services
Solar Farm Proposed In Tallahassee
By Logan Shewmaker City of Tallahassee Utilities officials recently received proposals from solar contractors to build a solar farm, which could produce up to 10 megawatts of electricity (1% of Tallahassee’s energy needs). The project is expected to occupy 100 acres of land, and cost roughly $30 million. David Byrne, manager of electric system integrated … Continue reading Solar Farm Proposed In Tallahassee
The Current State of Pensions in Florida
By Matt Kelly With their swampy humidity and world famous theme parks, Florida’s cities seem a world away from the frigid cold and automotive factories of Detroit, Michigan. Yet the two states have at least one commonality: underfunded pension liabilities. Such liabilities can potentially put a state or municipality into budgetary crisis, even bankruptcy. Reforming … Continue reading The Current State of Pensions in Florida
Do UberX Driveres Really Earn Three Times More than Taxi Drivers?
Original post date: September 16, 2014 Article by: Ben Douglas In May, Uber revealed annual median incomes for UberX drivers in New York and San Francisco of $90,766 and $74,191, respectively. In contrast, 2013 median annual taxi driver incomes in New York and San Francisco are $29,910 and $28,060 according to the Bureau of Labor … Continue reading Do UberX Driveres Really Earn Three Times More than Taxi Drivers?