May 17, 2012
05/17/12 - Committee on Finance
Justin writes live from the RI Senate Committee on Finance, including Central Falls retirees and a path to MERS.
Senator's Wife Caught Up in RI Licensing
Sen. John Tassoni's wife lacked a license for her day care center, but he won't comment about whether RI's licensing regulations are too burdensome.
Common Sense and the Google Windfall
Using a police windfall award to (possibly) eliminate pension problems may seem like common sense, but when the dynamics of government are considered, Justin suggests rationality goes in the other direction.
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Richmond
Richmond has the second lowest unemployment in Rhode Island, but its longer term trends are arguably the healthiest.
May 16, 2012
The High Cost of Mandates, Wind, and Energy
Rhode Island has the seventh highest energy costs, and renewable energy standards are a likely contributor.
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: North Kingstown
North Kingstown's low-for-RI unemployment rate disguises a town that hasn't grown much and now has an historically low number of employed residents.
May 15, 2012
A Little Perspective on the 38 Studios "Hook"
It is definitely a matter of concern that 38 Studios may cost RI some large portion of the debt that it guaranteed, but Justin suggests a little perspective might be in order to learn from the experience.
One Group Leaving RI: Young, Single, and College Educated
During no period, from 1965 to 2000, did young, single college graduates increase in number in Rhode Island, according to the U.S. Census.
"Did You Know" All Presidential History Points to Obama?
President Obama's staff has been promoting his agenda on the biographical pages of previous presidents.
Backstopping and Insulating Local Pensions via Legislation
Legislation bringing Central Falls and other municipalities into MERS limits pension cuts to 25% and may set precedent for repeated state bailouts.
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: New Shoreham
New Shoreham's March unemployment of 29.5% (not seasonally adjusted) is high by any measure, but it may be more concerning that both summer peaks and winter troughs have been lower than any time since 1994.
May 14, 2012
Marriage and the Rule of Law
In the name of encouraging more accurate thinking on marriage policy and encouraging concern that methods of imposing it could erode our rule of law, I've offered a quick analysis of Gov. Chafee's executive decree.
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Narragansett
At 8.5% (not seasonally adjusted) Narragansett's unemployment rate is low, for RI, but the reason is that its labor force adjusts more than usual to gained and lost employment.
Government Second Only to Finance for Fraud
Government and public administration has moved up to 2nd on a list of fraud-prone industries, with health care and education climbing quickly.
Science and Religion Winding Through a Summer's Day
A Portsmouth Institute conference on science and religion, this June, will allow a welcome diversion into weightier matters.
Fiscal Oversight as a Path to MERS, Central Falls and Beyond
A bill by Sen. Crowley and the Dept. of Revenue would allow cities and towns to use the state oversight process to move retirees into the state-run MERS pension system.
May 12, 2012
Moving Forward, Double Dip or Not
The specter of a double-dip recession brings into stark relief, for Justin, the lack of vision among those leading the state.
May 11, 2012
Kauffman/Thumbtack: RI Small Business Friendliness an F
In keeping with past experience, Kauffman/Thumbtack study finds RI to be dead last in the nation for small business friendliness.
Clarification on Pension Projections
The General Treasurer's office clarifies, for the Current, a chart showing a brief period of pension investment returns below expectations.
Taxpayers have control over their bills, and the schools have options
Proposed Tiverton school budget up 58% since 2001; student enrollment down 14%. Per student, that's an 84% increase.
My letter:
The Herald News
The Sakonnet Times
The Newport Daily News
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Hopkinton
Hopkinton grew, in population and economically, over the last decade, but since 2010, employment has stagnated as the labor force recedes.
May 10, 2012
A Math Technique Custom Made for Government
New methods of math education remind Justin of the math that professionals and politicians are using, even now, to conceptualize pension funds.
Re: The Nanny State, Part 3, But...
The urge to help children is noble, but taking easy shortcuts (i.e., passing laws) is a dangerous expression of the sentiment.
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Exeter
Throughout the '90s and most of the last decade, Exeter was on a path of growth, but 2007 brought an end to employment increases, and 2008 lost jobs. Now, the town's unemployment rate is 12.2% (not seasonally adjusted).
May 9, 2012
Rhode Island, nos trata a todos como extraños
Al igual que un conductor que no sabe donde los edifi cios que solían ser, los que no conocen los canales secretos del gobierno de RI tienen tres opciones
RI 14th Most Licenses for Low/Mod-Income Professionals; 22nd in Overall Burden
RI requires licenses for the 14th highest number of lower-income occupations in the U.S., imposing the 22nd greatest overall burden, disproportionately affecting men and minorities, whom the recession has hit hardest.
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Charlestown
Charlestown's unemployment puts it well above the overall rate for the state and results from more than four years of continual employment declines.
May 8, 2012
05/08/12 - Tiverton School Committee Meeting
Justin liveblogs from a Tiverton School Committee that promises controversy over tactics used while advocating for particular budgets.
Various Lifestyle Stories Vaguely Related (Taking Our Treats Away)
A jumble of news and commentary headlines leads Justin to wonder where the cause and effect lie in entitlement and nanny-statism.
Tax Breaks for the Trendy, Not the Ordinary
Tax breaks for artists raise the question of why all Rhode Islanders shouldn't have more control over their own destinies
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Woonsocket
Woonsocket's number of employed residents has never been lower, in the 22 years of DLT data, and the only thing keeping its unemployment rate steady is the rapid decrease in labor force.
May 7, 2012
Shrinking Government? Not Quite.
The New York Times' claim that President Obama has shrunk government shrivels under examination.
Transportation Infrastructure: Making a High Priority Low
Local transportation funding is vulnerable to federal vicissitudes because it is entirely federal dollars build on a bed of local borrowing. That ought to raise questions among voters about the management of the state.
Medicaid Waiver Reform Saved Tens of Millions, Although ObamaCare/ARRA Curtailed Savings
Despite some local journalists' reports, RI's Medicaid Global Waiver reform has saved $55.2 million within the first year and a half of implementation, and would have saved more but for ObamaCare and federal stimulus legislation.
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Smithfield
Smithfield's unemployment rate has improved a little since 2010, but the reason is that its labor force has fallen off while its number of employed residents has mostly stagnated.
The Current Week, 04/30/12-05/04/12
A (relatively light) weekly roundup of Ocean State Current content.
May 4, 2012
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Scituate
Scituate's employment and population trends aren't far from the typical RI town, and its not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate is below the state's overall number. However, the town has been on a consistent downward drift for a number of years.
May 3, 2012
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Providence
Although no employment pictures are positive, in Rhode Island, Providence's is a mixed bag. Still, all positive spin must be tempered with the fact that so few of its residents are interested in working, with only 40% actually employed. Its unemployment rate would be around 30% if it were like other cities and towns.
May 2, 2012
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Pawtucket
Standing in static comparison with other RI cities and towns, Pawtucket's employment statistics are bad, but not state-leading. It's the longer-term view of the city's decline that ought to be a matter of concern.
May 1, 2012
The Technocrats' Deal with the Devil
The intricate machinations suggested by Gary Sasse in the "tax-the-rich" debate raise the question of whether RI can afford the risk (or the wait) involved with technocratic designs.
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: North Smithfield
North Smithfield's unemployment rate of 10.1% (not seasonally adjusted) is largely attributable to the rapid growth of its labor force during the last decade.
April 30, 2012
As State Legislatures Go, the General Assembly Is Pretty Liberal
Empirical data related to the ideology of state-level legislators suggests that, yes, Rhode Island is very liberal.
What's Nuttier than a 7% Rate of Return Expecation?
Polemics can give a sense of the debate concerning reasonable predictions, and investment returns are no different.
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: North Providence
North Providence's low-for-Rhode-Island unemployment rate masks the fact that the city's number of employed residents has never been lower in the DLT's 22 years of data.
April 29, 2012
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Lincoln
Lincoln's employment trend over the last decade was along the typical Rhode Island line, with labor force growing substantially while employment receded. Since 2010, however, the town's situation has not improved, although it remains better situated than the state overall.
April 28, 2012
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Johnston
At 12.9% (not seasonally adjusted), Johnston has among the highest unemployment rates in Rhode Island. Like some other cities and towns, however, Much of the employment gap results from the presence of additional people in the workforce.
April 27, 2012
Even Minimal Take from Table Games May Be Overstated
Ian Donnis has looked into RI's negotiations for its share of prospective casino revenue, and pulling all the data together suggests that table games may only mean $9 million per year to the state government.
What's the Complaint, with ALEC?
In some circles, local ties to ALEC have been hot news this week, but Justin isn't sure that the complaint against the group is really what it's being articulated
State in Decline, Employment in RI Cities and Towns: Foster and Glocester
In a comparison that plays out in other competing communities in RI, Foster and Glocester exhibit an interesting dynamic. Foster has significantly higher unemployment, but its number of employed residents is up, while Glocester's is down. The difference is the number of people who want to work.
April 26, 2012
When Is a Sleazy Politician Non-Partisan?
The Providence Journal publishes an entire article about him without letting on that John Edwards is a Democrat, much less that he was almost vice president on that party's ticket.
