By: Elizabeth Miller George Sheetz wanted to build a small fabricated home, an alternative to the high housing prices he would face if he built from scratch on his lot in El Dorado County, California. However, the county where he resided charged a $23,420 traffic impact fee as a condition for granting the building permit. … Continue reading Supreme Court Case Sets a New Precedent for Impact Fees: Why Florida Should be on the Lookout
The Institute for Justice’s Clean Cut Study Reinforces Previous DMC Research
By: Michaela Galligan The Institute for Justice, a non-profit public interest law firm operating in the United States, published Clean Cut: How Clipping Unnecessary Licensing Can Grow Opportunities for Barbers and Manicurists and Keep Customers Safe last year. It focuses on state-regulated mandates on licensing for those working in the hairstyling and nail health industry … Continue reading The Institute for Justice’s Clean Cut Study Reinforces Previous DMC Research
Driving Away Third Places
By: Isla Riddell The world population is higher than it has ever been, yet we are in the midst of a loneliness epidemic. From 2003 to 2020, social isolation saw an increase of 24 hours a month, with social participation decreasing. People are spending more time alone and less time with others. The COVID-19 pandemic … Continue reading Driving Away Third Places
Dentistry Shortage in Florida
Originally published by Red Tape Florida. This is an edited version. By: Gabriel Carraro de Andrade The United States is experiencing a labor shortage across various sectors, with education and healthcare being hit the hardest. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the shortage. With a shift towards remote work, many younger individuals are less inclined to … Continue reading Dentistry Shortage in Florida
Florida State University expert available to break down latest housing market trends
Originally published by Florida State University News By: Stephen Stone The U.S. housing market just hit another record. Median home prices in June climbed to $435,300, the highest ever, while existing home sales dipped again. What’s driving the trend? And is there any relief ahead? Florida State housing policy expert Sam Staley says this affordability … Continue reading Florida State University expert available to break down latest housing market trends
Fostering Innovation and Technology Can Put Florida in Lead for Combatting Space Debris
By: Max Blumenfeld and Zachary Asarnow Almost three-fourths of the almost $400 billion generated annually by space-related industries is within the commercial satellite industry alone. These satellites are crucial for television, banking, communication, and navigation, and the industry is expected to grow $1.8 trillion by 2035. Satellites, however, largely operate in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), … Continue reading Fostering Innovation and Technology Can Put Florida in Lead for Combatting Space Debris
Teacher Shortages: How are Housing Prices and Salary Influencing Educators?
By: Isabel Gregersen Teacher retention rates and the number of young people going into the education field are low in many parts of the United States. Florida K-12 schools, however, are especially struggling to keep teachers and hire new ones. Departing teachers sometimes leave because they are unsatisfied with the curriculum. Others may be retiring. … Continue reading Teacher Shortages: How are Housing Prices and Salary Influencing Educators?
Economic Growth from the Proliferation of the Private Space Industry in Florida
“Exploration is wired into our brains. If we can see the horizon, we want to know what’s beyond.” – Buzz Aldrin, Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon By: Dominick Purpura and Max Blumenfeld Florida stands as the premier gateway to space exploration in the United States, home to the highest number of … Continue reading Economic Growth from the Proliferation of the Private Space Industry in Florida
Live Local Act Bans Rent Control: How Could It Help Housing Affordability?
Banning rent control may increase the housing supply and make housing more affordable. By: Elizabeth Miller In 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Live Local Act into law, marking the largest affordable housing investment effort in Florida’s history. In addition to this significant investment, the Act made a crucial change to Florida’s local government housing … Continue reading Live Local Act Bans Rent Control: How Could It Help Housing Affordability?
Florida Risks Losing its Competitive Edge in the Private Space Industry
By: Max A. Blumenfeld Private firms in the U.S. space industry operate at historically unmatched speeds and efficiency. SpaceX, founded in 2008 by Elon Musk, has successfully sent over 4,200 satellites to space. Today, SpaceX owns over one third of all satellites currently in orbit. With the economic value of the space economy expected to … Continue reading Florida Risks Losing its Competitive Edge in the Private Space Industry
School Choice and Charter Schools: Are Florida Children Prepared for their Futures?
By: Ethan Forberg Florida parents and students now have more control over where they want to attend school. The March 2023 signing of House Bill 1 (HB-1) means more families have access to school vouchers and fewer families will be constrained to traditional school district boundaries. Specifically, HB-1 eliminated the income requirements for school vouchers, … Continue reading School Choice and Charter Schools: Are Florida Children Prepared for their Futures?
Building Up or Out? The Paradox of a Maximum Height Ordinance in Tallahassee’s CollegeTown
By: Chloe Kauffman CollegeTown is a popular, high-traffic neighborhood for college students in the Tallahassee area, with its growth spurred by a greater demand for students to live closer to the main campuses of Florida State University and Florida A&M University. CollegeTown is a revitalized warehouse district. Located next to a major railroad corridor, merchants would … Continue reading Building Up or Out? The Paradox of a Maximum Height Ordinance in Tallahassee’s CollegeTown
Smart Cities: A Data-Driven Tool to Solve Urban Challenges
By Corrine Bresky With the rise in global urbanization comes new opportunities to transform city functioning in response to population shifts. In 2020, approximately 56.2% of the world’s population resided in urban areas. This number is expected to continue to grow, with projections for 2050 showing an additional 12% of the world in these areas. … Continue reading Smart Cities: A Data-Driven Tool to Solve Urban Challenges
Panelists: Symposium on Filmmaking, Education, and Public Policy (2/9/2021)
On FEBRUARY 9TH, 2021, the DeVoe L. Moore Center at Florida State University will host its annual symposium on Filmmaking and Public Policy with a focus on education reform. The event will begin with a 2:30-3:30 panel on Filmmaking and Storytelling, followed by a screening of Miss Virginia, and concluded with a 6:30-8:00pm panel on … Continue reading Panelists: Symposium on Filmmaking, Education, and Public Policy (2/9/2021)
The K-12 Wage Gap in Florida: Economic Implications and Future Outlook
By: Jimmy Mendez K-12 teachers in the United States are tackling a long-term battle with low salary growth rates. According to the data from the Employment Policy Institute, teachers are paid lower relative to similarly situated professional workers. While the average worker’s salary in Florida has steadily increased over the last decade, the average pay … Continue reading The K-12 Wage Gap in Florida: Economic Implications and Future Outlook
Removing the Lionfish Problem: A Private Market Guide
By: Joshua Durham When considering Florida’s ecology, the influence of devoted citizens in the private sector is imperative. A perfect example of this drive can be found in the growing trend of invasive lionfish hunting. Hunting these fish is critical because of their destructive presence in non-native waters, an issue explored in Part 1 of … Continue reading Removing the Lionfish Problem: A Private Market Guide
Kind Snacks Uses Power of Technology to Impact Classrooms
By Gianni Vasquez Not only is making a profit a part of a company’s business model, but creating methods of positive social impact is equally important. This is characteristic of social enterprises such as Kind Snacks LLC, which was founded in 2004 by Daniel Lubetzky, a Mexican-American entrepreneur, author, and renowned activist. The company is … Continue reading Kind Snacks Uses Power of Technology to Impact Classrooms
Businesses Benefit from a Philanthropic Approach
By Gianni Vasquez Businesses play a crucial role in generating economic growth and prosperity. While they increase people’s standards of living through job creation, companies are in a position to further benefit society by incorporating social responsibility as a part of their mission. Philanthropy not only strengthens the brand of the company, but also creates … Continue reading Businesses Benefit from a Philanthropic Approach
Is the Gas Tax a Sustainable Revenue Source for Roads?
By Giovanna da Silva Millions of Americans depend on roads in their everyday lives. US roads handle 8 billion miles of traffic per day. For most of America’s contemporary history, federal, state, and local governments have maintained and funded roads. Currently, there are 4 million miles of public road in the country. Gas taxes and … Continue reading Is the Gas Tax a Sustainable Revenue Source for Roads?
Private Sector Can Shoulder Some of the Risk for New Road Construction
By Giovanna da Silva The 21st century has seen a substantial increase in public-private partnerships in the United States and around the world. The basic principle behind public-private partnerships, or P3s, is that government works with the private sector in order to build and finance public works projects. P3s have been increasingly encouraged by state … Continue reading Private Sector Can Shoulder Some of the Risk for New Road Construction
Regulation of Ride Sharing Services Unnecessary Based on Evidence
By Justin Langford The emergence of ridesharing has revolutionized the transportation industry. By providing an online interface to connect passengers to drivers nearby, Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft offer an inexpensive and convenient alternative to traditional taxi services. The rise of TNCs, however, has brought about criticism among legislators and attempts … Continue reading Regulation of Ride Sharing Services Unnecessary Based on Evidence
Israeli Consumers Would Benefit from Greater Competition in Agricultural Industry
By Kristen Carpenter A gallon of milk in Israel costs approximately $6 and eggs are priced at around $3.50. Meanwhile, the prices of milk and eggs in the United States cost consumers about half as much: $3.20 and $2.41, respectively. Israel’s high food costs can largely be attributed to the country’s arid and hilly landscape … Continue reading Israeli Consumers Would Benefit from Greater Competition in Agricultural Industry
How Israel’s Crony Capitalism Undermines Its Reputation as a “Start-up Nation”
By Kristen Carpenter Israel is often nicknamed as the “start-up nation” for its thriving high-tech industries and successful entrepreneurial ventures. Unfortunately, the country is also known for its protectionist policies in the economic sector. A report by the Brookings Institution found that Israeli industries have above-average market concentration rates across all sectors, including manufacturing, real … Continue reading How Israel’s Crony Capitalism Undermines Its Reputation as a “Start-up Nation”
Bethel Church Vital to Frenchtown Community Redevelopment
By N'namdi Green Today, faith-based organizations continue to influence communities beyond the religious realm. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church of Tallahassee is a prime example of a faith-based organization inserting itself into non-conventional fields. Bethel has been at the forefront of economic development within the Frenchtown community in Tallahassee for almost 30 years. This includes past … Continue reading Bethel Church Vital to Frenchtown Community Redevelopment
Saudi Arabian Entrepreneur Advances Women’s Rights in the Middle East
By Kristen Carpenter and Giovanna DaSilva Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia became the first country to grant a robot by the name of Sophia full-fledged citizenship. Critics noted that while Sophia can roam the streets of the country unaccompanied, Saudi Arabia’s female citizens are not afforded this right. After all, women are still prohibited from … Continue reading Saudi Arabian Entrepreneur Advances Women’s Rights in the Middle East
Government Consolidation Rarely Lives Up to Promises
By Matt Kelly Government consolidation is an often-touted solution to economic and social problems in American cities. Several initiatives to combine local governments have resulted in conjoined regional governments, including Indianapolis-Marion County (IN), Athens-Clarke County (GA), and Jacksonville-Duval County (FL). Tallahassee and Leon County have seen six campaigns for consolidation over 50 years, all of … Continue reading Government Consolidation Rarely Lives Up to Promises
Economic Freedom Key to Cities’ Success
By Matt Kelly Economic freedom is the unrestricted ability of people in a country to associate and transact with one another. Measuring economic freedom has become a growing area of academic research. Probably the best known measure is the index constructed for the “Economic Freedom of the World” annual report on 159 countries published by … Continue reading Economic Freedom Key to Cities’ Success
Health Care and Education Departments Spend the Most of Florida’s State Budget
By: Nick Hyder and Tian Ma With 2015 behind us, it’s worthwhile to take stock of last year’s spending by state government. A state’s spending says a lot about its priorities, and accountability to taxpayers is an important component of a democracy. The Agency for Health Care Administration tops the list of spending by state … Continue reading Health Care and Education Departments Spend the Most of Florida’s State Budget
The Top 10 Highest Earning Counties in Florida
By: Igor Lukashevich and Nadia James The top six Florida counties for revenue intake per capita are as follows: Duval, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Franklin, Charlotte, and Collier. Total revenues for counties follow very closely with total expenditures, as the same six counties also topped the list for expenditures per capita. This relationship makes sense because the … Continue reading The Top 10 Highest Earning Counties in Florida
Florida’s Frugal Government
By Randall G. Holcombe, Ph.D. Living in Tallahassee, I often hear people complain about Florida’s frugal state government. It is true that Florida is among the most frugal states. According to this article Florida is second from the bottom among states in per capita state government expenditures, and this article says Florida is also second … Continue reading Florida’s Frugal Government
Florida’s Tourism Development Tax
By Erick Winterkamp Policymakers experience conflicting pressure concerning taxation. Corporations want taxation on competing products and industries, government officials often need more taxation to cover rising expenses, and the public would rather taxes be levied on anyone but themselves. Balancing these opposing factors, along with elected officials’ desire for reelection, results in a myriad … Continue reading Florida’s Tourism Development Tax
Measuring Success and Failure in Public Transportation: The Case of Sunrail
By Santiago Arango In May, SunRail, Orlando’s commuter rail system, celebrated its first year of operation and was awarded a $93 million federal grant. Phase II of SunRail’s construction will add four more stations and 17.2 miles of rail into neighboring Osceola County within two years. Orlando is the 4th fastest growing city in … Continue reading Measuring Success and Failure in Public Transportation: The Case of Sunrail
Measuring Liberty: The Economic Freedom of the World Index
By Matt Kelly Defining freedom can be a difficult endeavor, yet the ability to compare relative economic and social liberties among countries is of significant importance for economic research. With that aim in mind, Florida State University professor and DeVoe Moore scholar James Gwartney and Robert Lawson of Southern Methodist University, have compiled the Economic … Continue reading Measuring Liberty: The Economic Freedom of the World Index
Price Regulations Complicate Net Metering and Solar Energy
By Logan Shewmaker As in four other states, all electricity for residential use in Florida must be purchased from franchised utility companies. However, solar energy advocates are trying to change this by allowing private purchase agreements between residents and solar companies in order to expand rooftop solar power production in the Sunshine State. Crucial to … Continue reading Price Regulations Complicate Net Metering and Solar Energy
Transit and Tourism in Tampa’s Heritage Streetcar’s
By Santiago Arango Heritage streetcars are built both to provide transportation services and to preserve the history of rail transit, a history that dates back to ancient Greece and Rome. As of late 2012, seven U.S cities have running heritage streetcars. The Tampa Electric Company (TECO) Line Streetcar System is one example. The Florida Department … Continue reading Transit and Tourism in Tampa’s Heritage Streetcar’s
Growlers Ban Likely to End
By Matt Kelly This legislative session, Florida lawmakers are considering reforms that would revamp many of the state’s regulations on alcohol. A measure to legalize a popular beer container size, the 64 oz. growler, has sparked a debate over the larger issue of the three-tier beer regulation system. Powerful special interests have complicated every step … Continue reading Growlers Ban Likely to End
Buildings Don’t Create Permanent Jobs
Original post date: March 22, 2013 Article by: Sam Staley 5/8/2023 Edits: Some links that were no longer compatible have been fixed. Gaines Street is the "it" place for Tallahassee's economic redevelopment initiatives, skirting the northern edge of the southern border of the Frenchtown/Southside Community Redevelopment Area. With large new projects going up along the … Continue reading Buildings Don’t Create Permanent Jobs
Do Left-Leaning Cities Oppose New Housing?
Original post date: February 25, 2013 Article by: Anonymous Matthew E. Kahn of UCLA’s Institute of Environment concludes in a study published in the Journal of Urban Economics that cities with a majority of citizens registered in political parties with liberal tendencies—the Democratic Party, Green Party, and Peach and Freedom Party—issued fewer new housing permits … Continue reading Do Left-Leaning Cities Oppose New Housing?