This summer the Environmental Protection Agency will publish its final regulations limiting CO2 emissions on new and existing electricity power plants and lower existing limits on mercury emissions. The impact? Electric bills will soar 25 percent and Virginia will lose more than 38,000 jobs.
...
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a challenge to the Affordable Care Act this month, a case known as King v. Burwell. The case hinges on four words, but it could have big implications for the future of Obamacare. The ACA established insurance marketplaces known as exchanges in which...
State lawmakers—particularly those in states that would be affected by a Supreme Court ruling against the Obama Administration in the King case—should take steps to encourage Congress to put forth a legislative response to the case, specifically by exempting affected states from the costly Obamacare rules, regulations, and mandates.[1] Reject...
(Editor’s note: Virginia has the largest percentage of federal government employees than any other state. Don Devine was the Director of the Office of Personnel Management under President Reagan.) It is official. Total Federal civilian government personnel have increased from 1.74 million in 2001 to 2.1 million today. President Barack...
The national unemployment rate continues to improve, but don’t tell that to people who are jobless and looking for work. Many of today’s unemployed, particularly those who are younger, have a more negative view of the labor market. Who’s right? The official jobless rate in the nation peaked at 10...
Roanokers know they have a challenge stemming the drain of educated young people, just like every other small metropolitan area in the United States. At least they’re asking the right questions: What does it take to recruit and retain young professionals? The Roanoke Regional Chamber is hosting an event later this...
Virginia consistently ranks as one of the most business-friendly states in America, although lately we have been slipping. According to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, since 2001, manufacturing companies have invested $14.5 billion and created more than 72,000 new jobs in Virginia and nearly $4 billion in capital investment. That...
Food deserts are back in the news here in Richmond with the premier of a documentary, “Living in a Food Desert,” at the Richmond International Film Festival. First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, who has made food security her signature cause, attended the screening and addressed the audience. More than 300,000 Virginia children...
Most discussions of the pros and cons of P3 concessions cite as benefits the availability of investment from new sources (e.g., pension funds and developer equity), shifting various risks (such as construction cost overruns) from taxpayers to investors, and ensuring proper maintenance over the life of the project, thanks to...
Jefferson Journal: Do Newport News Courts Threaten Virginia’s Pro-Business Reputation?
Virginia consistently ranks as one of the most business-friendly states in America. But are the courts in Newport News threatening that ranking? They’re not a “hell-hole” yet, but they’re certainly on the “watch list.”
...