Search Results
Journal Article
Do New England state and local governments have too many employees, and are they overpaid?
Americans tend to be ambivalent about their state and local governments. On the one hand, they desire and receive a host of public services from state and local governments, including education, police and fire protection, and the maintenance of roadways. Voters are often disenchanted by efforts to curtail these services or by a deterioration in their quality. On the other hand, many Americans think that their state and local taxes, especially local property taxes, are too high, and many citizens believe that their state and local tax dollars could be used more efficiently. Calls for ...
Journal Article
The economic performance of the New England states in 2004: an overview
The year 2004 marked the beginning of New England?s economic turnaround. After three consecutive years of job losses ? not to mention 86 years of World Series famine ? the region emerged victorious. All six New England states added jobs over the course of the year and experienced reductions in unemployment. Job growth in the region, however, was sluggish compared with the nation overall. Recovery was also reflected in strong exports growth, increases in the economic activity index, and improved consumer confidence. Although consumer price inflation in New England was milder than in recent ...
Journal Article
Six-state review
It appears that most New England states can look forward to a year in which revenues may equal or exceed budgeted levels.
Journal Article
Across the region: six-state review
Despite a markedly improved outlook for state finances, New Englands states still face significant fiscal pressures moving forward into the current and next fiscal years. Prominent among these challenges are two changes to the Medicaid and Medicare programs that could significantly increase state health care costs.
Journal Article
The economic performance of the New England states in 2003: an overview
Burdened by the poor performances of the labor markets in Connecticut and Massachusetts, the New England region lost jobs for the third year in a row. The region lost jobs in nearly all major industries and added jobs in only two: leisure & hospitality and education & health services. Even with an unemployment rate that rose, New England had a lower rate of joblessness than most other Census divisions and the nation overall. Demand for residential real estate remained strong, as home prices soared at above-average rates. Consumer price inflation persisted at a higher rate in the region than ...
Report
Water, water everywhere: dare I drink a drop? (with apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge)
Given New England?s ample rainfall, green forests, and extensive wetlands, many of the region?s inhabitants might question the notion that it faces potentially severe water shortages. Yet, parts of the region already confront such shortages. These shortages are likely to spread, absent corrective action. This paper describes the characteristics of New England responsible for its looming water problems, identifies areas within the region most vulnerable to such problems, and analyzes alternative strategies for alleviating them. Small, shallow, porous aquifers are the region?s primary ...
Journal Article
Across the region: six-state review
Revenue collections were strong across New England during the first two-thirds of FY05 (July 2004 through February 2005) compared with the same period one year earlier. All states experienced positive growth in total revenue, with increases ranging from 1.3 percent in New Hampshire to 9.1 percent in Connecticut. Year-over-year revenue growth from the largest tax the personal income tax in all states except New Hampshire where the business tax produces the most revenuewas also positive in all states. Revenue growth from these taxes ranged from a low of 5.1 percent in Maine to a high of 17.0 ...
Discussion Paper
Interstate fiscal disparity in state fiscal year 1999
This paper compares states in terms of their relative fiscal capacity, fiscal need, fiscal comfort, and tax effort in state fiscal year 1999 (FY1999). It is the most recent in a series initiated by the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) in 1962. As in previous studies, the authors use the representative tax system and representative expenditure system methodologies in their analysis. Compared with FY1997, the authors find less interstate disparity in fiscal capacity, fiscal need, and fiscal comfort. However, such disparity, though diminished, remains substantial. ...