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Front Matter- 2019 State Of The Commonwealth Report, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Cover, front matter, table of contents, sponsors, and other materials for the 2019 State of the Commonwealth Report authored by the Center for Economic Analysis and Policy at Old Dominion University.

Part 5: Federal Spending In The Commonwealth: A Primer, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

In fiscal year 2018, federal government awards in Virginia totaled $109 billion, or $12,866 per Virginian. The Commonwealth’s economy is fueled, for better or worse, by spending decisions in the halls of Congress and the White House. We explore how the federal government spends money in Virginia and highlight procurement spending in the state’s metropolitan areas. We also look back at the impact of the Budget Control Act of 2011 on the economies of Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.

Part 4: Marijuana In Virginia, Dragas Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Over 30 states permit the personal use of marijuana for medical purposes and more than 10 states have legalized the possession of small amounts for personal use. With increasing calls in Virginia for the decriminalization or legalization of small amounts of marijuana, we examine who uses the substance, who is being arrested for possession or use, and what the revenue impact might be if marijuana were legalized in the Commonwealth.

Part 1: Virginia's Growth Improves In Uncertain Times, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Virginia’s economy is poised to grow for the fifth consecutive year. The number of jobs and people employed set new records in the summer of 2019 and CNBC recently ranked the Commonwealth as the most business-friendly state in the country. However, increasing economic uncertainty threatens the promise of a bright start to the coming decade. We assess the performance of the Virginia economy and ask what the future holds.

2019 State Of The Commonwealth Report, Vinod Agarwal, Barbara Blake, Ethan Crouson, Steve Daniel, Addie Gregory, Nikki Johnson, James V. Koch, Tim Komarek, Feng Lian, Sharon Lomax, Janet Molinaro, Bailey Park, Terry Park, Jay Walker, Hannah White

State of the Commonwealth Reports

This is Old Dominion University’s fifth annual State of the Commonwealth Report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, its president, John R. Broderick, the Board of Visitors, the Strome College of Business or the generous donors who support the activities of the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy.

While the enthusiasm we have for our work remains high, it has been dampened by the recent passing of George Dragas, the individual most responsible for perceiving the need for an …

Part 1: Virginia Breezes Along, But Are There Storm Clouds On The Horizon?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

After an anemic recovery from the Great Recession and sequestration, Virginia’s economy picked up the pace in 2018 and is likely to improve in 2019. We should not, however, grow complacent. There are storm clouds on the horizon. The challenge now is to enact wise policies to foster and sustain economic growth while preparing for the next eventual downturn.

Part 5: Much Ado About Nothing? Virginia's "Kings Dominion Law", Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

In 1986, Virginia passed into law a requirement that public schools cannot open until after Labor Day unless they met specific conditions for a waiver. In 2017, over 50 percent of Virginia elementary, middle and high school students attended schools that opened prior to Labor Day. We ask whether there is evidence to support the commonly offered arguments for and against the Virginia “Kings Dominion law.”

Part 6: Sin Taxes And Alcohol Consumption In Virginia, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

How does the Commonwealth tax alcohol? We look at the taxation of beer, wine and distilled spirits and the role of Virginia’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. We investigate whether levying taxes on alcohol is an appropriate method of raising revenue.

Part 2: Moving Forward: Growth Improves For Virginia's Metropolitan Areas, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

2017 was the first year since 2006 that each of Virginia’s metropolitan areas exhibited positive economic growth from the preceding year. The uneven economic performance of Virginia’s metros cannot easily be attributed to one specific factor. The challenge is how to stimulate development in all areas of the Commonwealth.

Front Matter- 2018 State Of The Commonwealth Report, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Cover, front matter, table of contents, sponsors, and other materials for the 2018 State of the Commonwealth Report authored by the Center for Economic Analysis and Policy at Old Dominion University.

Part 3: The Promise And Peril Of Medicaid Expansion For The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Virginia will expand Medicaid, a health insurance program for low-income adults and children, on Jan. 1, 2019. Medicaid expansion will reduce the number of uninsured, allow Medicaid recipients to work more and offer health care providers a measure of relief with regard to uncompensated care costs. The future costs of expansion, however, remain uncertain.

Part 4: A Commonwealth Coming Together Or Growing Apart?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

We shed light on the diversities of circumstances and outcomes that exist in today’s Virginia. The distributions of income and wealth in the Commonwealth provide important information about the extent to which Virginians share an economic destiny.

2018 State Of The Commonwealth Report, Vinod Agarwal, Barbara Blake, Ethan Crouson, Steve Daniel, Nikki Johnson, James V. Koch, Tim Komarek, Feng Lian, Sharon Lomax, Janet Molinaro, Isaiah Smith, Jay Walker, Hannah White, Ziniya Zahedi, Robert Mcnab

State of the Commonwealth Reports

This is Old Dominion University's fourth State of the Commonwealth Report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, its president, John R. Broderick, the Board of Visitors, the Strome College of Business or the generous donors who support the activities of the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy.

The report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make Virginia an even better place to live. The recent improvements in the Commonwealth's economic performance present an opportunity …

Part 3: The Scourge Of Opioids In The Commonwealth, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Opioid-related deaths have skyrocketed in the Commonwealth and the United States. Almost three-quarters of those who abuse opioids start with a legitimate prescription. We investigate the rise of fentanyl as the primary cause of overdose fatalities and compare opioid practices in the United States with other industrialized countries. We estimate the costs of the opioid crisis and ask what steps can be taken to help those currently addicted and to prevent future deaths.

Part 6: Time To Go Regional Or Mega?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Interest in regional cooperation is rising again in the Commonwealth. We discuss the benefits of regionalism and examine the rise of megaregions in the United States. We ask whether there is a Richmond-Hampton Roads megaregion in the making.

Part 4: Airbnb Rising: Short-Term Rentals And The "Gig Economy", Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Airbnb offers consumers short-term rentals that increase choice and lower costs. Cities in the Commonwealth are struggling with the question of how to work with Airbnb and similar firms, and the rise of Airbnb is a challenge to the traditional lodging sector. We explore the emergence of Airbnb, its phenomenal growth, and ask how Airbnb plays a role in the larger “gig economy.”

Part 5: Affordability And Access In Virginia Public Higher Education, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

The typical public four-year university has increased its published tuition and fees two to four times as rapidly as the consumer price index. Have reductions in state appropriations driven these increases or are they a result of administrative proliferation, new amenities and the lack of firm control on tuition and fees by the Commonwealth? We estimate the costs and consequences.

Part 2: Virginia's Metros: Running To Stand Still?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

The Commonwealth’s economy is the sum of its regional parts, however different they may be. After most regions performed poorly in 2016, there are signs that 2017 may be a more positive year. We delve into data on employment, jobs and taxable sales to ask whether the good news will last.

Part 1: Waiting For Godot? Virginia Impatiently Anticipates The End Of Sequestration, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

The Commonwealth’s lackluster economic performance in 2016 highlights a lost decade of slow economic growth. The dependence on federal spending presents challenges to stimulating growth when discretionary federal spending is constrained by sequestration. We investigate the reasons for the slow pace of economic activity and ask whether new efforts to spur innovation and entrepreneurship are a step in the right direction.

2017 State Of The Commonwealth Report, Vinod Agarwal, Barbara Blake Gonzalez, Chloe Cohen, Vicky Curtis, Steve Daniel, Chip Filer, Dominique Johnson, Tim Komarek, Feng Lian, Sharon Lomax, Alice Mcadory, Janet Molinaro, Ken Plum, Jennifer Seay, Aiden Thompson, Jay Walker, Son D. Wilson, Ziniya Zahedi

State of the Commonwealth Reports

This is the third State of the Commonwealth Report produced by the Center for Economic Analysis and Policy at Old Dominion University. The report is sponsored, in part, by ODU's Strome College of Business. While the report represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, it does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, its president, John R. Broderick, or the Board of Visitors.

This report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make the Commonwealth of Virginia an even better place to live, work, and do business. We are …

Part 8: Liberty University: A Higher Education Phenomenon, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Christian-centered Liberty University has a combined on-campus and online enrollment of more than 100,000 students and has accumulated an endowment of $1.4 billion. The university’s long-term aspiration is to be considered in the same breath as Notre Dame is for Roman Catholics and Brigham Young is for Mormons.

Part 5: Broadband In Virginia: Vital For Economic Development, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Up to 70 percent of the world’s internet traffic flows through Northern Virginia, but some areas of the Commonwealth still do not enjoy broadband internet connections. Robust broadband access now is as important as roads, bridges and airports in terms of economic development and population growth.

Part 1: The Virginia Economy In Transition, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

The Commonwealth is experiencing relatively slow economic growth as it gradually transitions from an economy highly dependent upon federal spending to one that still involves a substantial federal presence, but also more value-added private-sector activities, entrepreneurial ventures and participation in international trade.

Part 6: Stock Car Racing In Virginia: The Sport And The Business, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

In addition to its nationally prominent Bristol Motor Speedway and Richmond International Speedway, the Commonwealth hosts nine other racetracks, five dirt tracks and eight drag racing strips. While still a very important economic phenomenon, attendance and revenue data suggest that stock car racing has passed its peak of popularity.

Part 7: The Rise Of Single-Earner Households In Virginia: Why It Matters, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Forty-seven percent of all households in Virginia now are headed by one or more single individuals and these households include all adult age groups. Nevertheless, our current legal and regulatory structure continues to focus on “Ozzie and Harriet” households.

Part 3: The Hotel Industry In The Commonwealth, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Over the past quarter-century, the hotel industry has become a relatively less important part of the Virginia economy. Occupancy rates have yet to recover to prerecession levels and price-adjusted hotel revenue and revenue per available room in 2015 similarly were below their previous peaks.

Part 4: Will Robots Take Your Job? A Look At Virginia's Opportunities And Vulnerabilities, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

A recent study found that 47 percent of all current jobs are susceptible to loss because of automation and the use of artificial intelligence. The key to a worker’s job vulnerability relates primarily to whether that worker is engaged in repetitive work that can be replicated by a machine or software using artificial intelligence.

Part 2: Northern Virginia: Turning The Corner?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

NOVA now accounts for 37 percent of all employment in Virginia, but approximately 45 percent of the value of the Commonwealth’s economic activity. Recent growth in professional and business services employment suggests that the region may have turned the corner toward a more diverse, private sector-oriented economy.

Part 8: Domestic Migration: What Moves Us?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Virginians and all other Americans can vote with their feet and move from one location to another in response to job opportunities, amenities and other factors. Recently, Virginia has experienced very low or even negative levels of net domestic migration. We look at the migration experience of 358 metropolitan regions nationally (including the largest eight in Virginia) to provide some answers.

Part 7: Consolidating Or Merging The Public Service Provision In Virginia Cities And Counties: Where Can We Save The Most Money?, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Controlling for variables such as the cost of living and local characteristics, we examine the provision of 25 distinct public services by the 95 counties and 39 independent cities in Virginia. Could we save money and perhaps provide better services if we combined the provision of some of these services across county and city lines? The evidence suggests that the answer is yes for at least 13 of these public services and perhaps for another four.