By Michael L. Lahr, Rutgers Economic Advisory Service (R/Econ™) Policymakers’ hearts are in the right place. Presently, the United Kingdom and a few U.S. states are enabling at least a temporary reprieve from fuel taxes in the name of solidarity against Russian aggression.[1] In the face of budget surpluses and soaring energy prices, it would [...]
Sarah Small and Deb Lancaster Frontline essential workers were lauded as heroes in 2020 during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but ultimately, little was done by way of supporting such workers. This meant that frontline workers face extraordinary risk, but with little reward. In New Jersey, the majority of frontline essential workers are women, [...]
by Tia Azzi and Michael Lahr, Rutgers Economic Advisory Service (R/Econ™) According to the latest Census count, New Jersey's population peaked above nine million for the first time in 2020. More precisely, it had 9,288,994 inhabitants in 2020, an adjustment of 400,968 from prior Census Bureau estimates for 2020. That is, Census estimates were [...]
Leonor Camarena, PhD and Federica Fusi, PhD New Jersey was one of the first states to recognize the significance that technological advancements can have on the workforce and larger community. In October 2018, Governor Murphy issued Executive Order 41, which focused on examining how technology would affect New Jersey employees, local businesses, and the overall [...]
Naheed Azhar and Michael L. Lahr, Rutgers Economic Advisory Service (R/Econ™) As the count of listings and asking prices flattened,[i] realtors and creditors predicted a rise in foreclosures and mortgage delinquencies as people were laid off and furloughed and as many small businesses failed.[ii] But things did not roll out as feared for housing markets. [...]
Mriga Bansal and Naren Gopal Since December 2020, coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been a significant global health concern. In February 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidance advising individuals residing in areas affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to adopt social distancing practices, [...]
With childcare disruptions, deep unemployment, and job changes, women in New Jersey have faced turbulent economic prospects worse than men’s along several dimensions throughout the pandemic. However, New Jersey women are no stranger to economic inequities [...]
By Michael L. Lahr, Rutgers Economic Advisory Service (R/Econ™) Here we are in mid-March of 2022 and the average price of a gallon of regular grade gasoline in New Jersey is $4.335; a year ago it was $2.925.[1] That’s nearly a 50% increase in less than a year. How and why did it come to [...]
Children find themselves in precarious situations that often lead to escalated conflict with their peers. Conflicts arise in the classroom, lunchroom, library, school bus, playground, while standing in line, and any place where kids gather. During adolescence into the developing stages of puberty, many children act out their emotions in the form of teasing, gossip, [...]
By Tracy P. Glova. The New Jersey State Policy Lab today issued a report on evidence-based policymaking and program evaluation in New Jersey. “Evaluating Evaluations: Analyzing Evidence‐Based Policymaking in New Jersey and Insights from other Leading States” compares evidence-based practices [...]
