A policy brief for the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity finds multiple reasons for the state to pull back from its plans to implement a health benefits exchange and to expand Medicaid.
A possible ban of plastic bags in Barrington is one more indication of Rhode Island’s governance problem.
A David Brooks column leads Justin to question new and old statements of common health care wisdom.
Complete video from the Stephen Hopkins Center’s panel on “Unwinding 38 Studios.”
Justin writes live from the Stephen Hopkins Center’s panel discussion on the 38 Studios deal and its aftermath.
An attempt to consider whether Treasurer Gina Raimondo’s investment assumptions are reasonable leads to deeper (frightening) considerations.
A Gallup poll finding American confidence in public schools at an all-time low also points to a disconnect between Americans’ opinions of various institutions and the priorities of government.
Various national organizations have attempted to calculate unfunded liabilities for Rhode Island and other states across the nation. The differences are dramatic and indicate reason for concern.
A New York Times mention of Woonsocket’s problems has the state buzzing; Justin suggests that everybody should look a little more deeply into the heart of Rhode Island’s problems.
The economic drag of legal uncertainty surrounding ObamaCare may be resolved with the Supreme Court’s pending ruling on its Constitutionality, but longer-term effects remain a concern.
Reviewing the latest budget in terms of RI’s rankings according to various criteria puts the state’s choice of decline or turnaround in clear terms.
An unspoken assumption of advocates for payday loan reform leads Justin to question the ability and right of government to meddle.
RI’s employment slide stopped in May, but comparison with MA shows just how much ground it has to recover.
Under the radar, the state government of Rhode Island has gradually been reversing the workforce reduction achieved during Governor Carcieri’s second term.
Trends in GDP growth for Rhode Island and three other New England states suggest that its general policy approaches during the last decade might be worth reconsidering.
Projections of a sales-tax phase-out in Rhode Island show a stark decision for the people of the state, with a little government restraint yielding accelerated economic recovery.
In a mildly whimsical video blog, Justin explains pension fund discount rates and the risk associated with shooting too high.
Dept. of Revenue Director Gallogly comments on pension issues and communities on the brink of state oversight.
Channel 10’s Bill Rappleye interviews Justin about hidden profits from tax credit programs.
Justin writes live from a joint House & Senate Committee Hearing on casino legislation.
Continuing talk of the “skills gap” in RI’s labor force (with the call for more resources) further defines the extent to which advocates are on the wrong path entirely.
The state government’s negotiated take from proposed casino games at Twin River and Newport Grand would provide a sliver of relief from a swath of loss and may not be worth the shift to full-scale casinos.
The final part of this series groups communities by income and population change, finding clear distinctions suggestive of different strategies for moving the state forward.
Part 2 of The Current’s long-running review of population and employment data assesses population, employment, and income trends across the cities and towns to develop a sense of how communities are shifting.
The Current’s long-running review of population and employment data can lead to better understanding of who is being affected by public policy in Rhode Island and how. Part 1 reviews how the cities and towns compare right now.
An example of civil asset forfeiture in Northern Massachusetts adds punctuation to Justin’s concerns about the local forfeiture windfall taken from Google.
Westerly’s unemployment rate is better than RI’s, but the reason appears to be the willingness or ability of its residents to drop out of the labor force when they aren’t working.
South Kingstown as seen significant growth over the past two decades, but the trend has begun to reverse, over the past few years.
38 Studios has brought into stark relief the problems of government-run economic development.
Not only has RI’s sharp drop in employment continued, but its trend is increasingly opposite that of the nation.