By Jordan Greer With Frenchtown development becoming one of the spotlight issues in the city of Tallahassee's future economic redevelopment plans, a look at the social and economic context for this marginalized area of the city might be useful. On July 4th 1825, the federal government granted $200,000 worth of northern Florida territory to Marquis … Continue reading A Brief History of Frenchtown
Tallahassee’s Local Permitting Process Reviewed
By Benjamin Peterson, Colin Cook, and Scott Williams One of the core issues of the DeVoe Moore Center (DMC) is regulatory streamlining and reform. Previous reports on local permitting have considered particular development types, including shopping centers and telecommunications towers. The DMC’s Data Analytics Group continues to examine the permitting process and most recently began … Continue reading Tallahassee’s Local Permitting Process Reviewed
Study Finds Growth Management Laws Reduce Housing Affordability
by Matt Kelly A new study by Cato Institute Senior Fellow Randal O’Toole explores the history and effects of growth management in the United States. Growth-management laws, according to O’Toole, “restrict rural development in order to force most growth into the cities.” In “The New Feudalism: Why States Must Repeal Growth-Management Laws” O’Toole finds these … Continue reading Study Finds Growth Management Laws Reduce Housing Affordability
Preparing Florida’s Government Policy for The Next Big Hurricane
by Chad Thomas Political and economic conditions in New Orleans before 2005 left the city unprepared for Hurricane Katrina. The government bureaucracies responsible for levee maintenance were mismanaged and corrupt officials diverted needed funds. Weak economic performance before Katrina also set up affected areas for slow recovery afterward. New Orleans’ experience shows how government can … Continue reading Preparing Florida’s Government Policy for The Next Big Hurricane
Fix the FRS Before It Breaks
By Randall G. Holcombe, Ph.D. In a recent blog post I argued in favor of shifting the Florida Retirement System (FRS) that provides pensions for retired state workers to a defined contribution system, and privatizing the system. Governor Scott and many legislators favor the shift to a defined contribution system, and because many private companies … Continue reading Fix the FRS Before It Breaks
Business Incubator Helps Spur Student Entrepreneurs
By Joanna Douglas Florida State University students with a passion for social change are benefiting from partnerships beyond the campus to inspire their ideas for start-ups that address pressing social issues. The Tallahassee-based business incubator Domi Station continued its support of the university’s Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Initiative with a special opportunity for students to … Continue reading Business Incubator Helps Spur Student Entrepreneurs
FSU Students Learn about Emerging Sharing Economy
By Katie Dawson Last month, the DeVoe L. Moore Center had the opportunity to co-sponsor a one-day conference with the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) at Florida State University. FEE is an organization dedicated to educating individuals on free-markets and economics in a way that is both easily digestible and interesting. On February 28, their … Continue reading FSU Students Learn about Emerging Sharing Economy
Florida’s Pensions Could Be Reformed Locally
By Matt Kelly On January 27th, the managers of 19 Florida pension funds received a “call to action” letter from the Florida Department of Management Services informing them that reforms are needed to address their unfunded liabilities. A previous blog pointed out that while Florida’s state’s employee pension fund is 86% funded (better provisioned than … Continue reading Florida’s Pensions Could Be Reformed Locally
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
Obamacare Opens Up New Opportunities for Profit
Original post date: December 03, 2013 Article by: Anonymous The Affordable Care Act has many flaws and critics, but entrepreneurial individuals have found a way to profit from the law, and investors are eager to take advantage of these openings. With new online exchanges, new policies and regulations, and millions of individuals affected, several service … Continue reading Obamacare Opens Up New Opportunities for Profit
Preliminary Prices on Obamacare Exchanges Exceeds Estimates
Original post date: October 30, 2013 Article by: Anonymous Now that October 1 has passed, the online marketplaces for health insurance under Obamacare are open for business. Individuals are free to browse the site and choose any policy available to them after answering some questions and being guided through their options. So far, site traffic … Continue reading Preliminary Prices on Obamacare Exchanges Exceeds Estimates
San Diego’s Pension Reform Bodes Well for Carl Demaio
Original post date: October 10, 2013 Article by: Anonymous 5/10/2023 Edits: Some links that were no longer working have been fixed. Carl DeMaio is one controversial congressional candidate. He served from 2008 to 2012 as city councilman of San Diego, where his ideas for pension reform became popularized, and he is also a policy analyst … Continue reading San Diego’s Pension Reform Bodes Well for Carl Demaio
Obamacare Exchanges Limit Insurance Choices
Original post date: September 16, 2013 Article by: Anonymous 5/10/2023 Edits: Some links that were no longer working have been fixed. While Florida decided against setting up the insurance exchange that’s part of Obamacare, many states are on board with the idea. This gives the states that are sitting out of the exchange game for … Continue reading Obamacare Exchanges Limit Insurance Choices