Downsizing Blog
State Policy Favoritism and Corruption
California leaders are in the news for passing a misguided law that requires most independent contractors to be treated as employees, and then realizing how harmful that is and passing another law exempting dozens of politically important industries from the mandate.
Senate Is Right to Resist State Aid
Another week, another news story about supposedly imploding state‐local government budgets.
Repeal Local Restrictions to Revive Economy
The restaurant industry has been hit hard by the health crisis and recession.
Federal Aid Creates Central‐Planning Power
The Trump administration is threatening to cut federal aid to cities that do not follow its approach to policing and civil unrest.
Federal Aid Dwarfs the Fall in State Tax Revenues
The Wall Street Journal published a news story suggesting that public schools face ruin without more federal aid.
Inequities in Public Transit
The transit industry has developed two systems: one for “choice” riders and one for “dependent” riders, “that is to say white and Black,” says urban planner Christof Spieler.
Government Infrastructure
According to frontline politicians, “now” is always the right time, economically speaking, for governments to invest heavily in infrastructure.
Stimulus Didn't Stimulate
Faced with an escalating pandemic in March, the President and most governors did not want to “stimulate” the private economy.
Spin in WSJ Budget Story
The Wall Street Journal has published a biased news story regarding state budgets.
No More State Aid
In response to the crisis, federal policymakers have passed a series of aid packages providing hundreds of billions of dollars to state and local governments.