Regional Economics Commons^™

Part 7: Is Hampton Roads Receiving It's "Fair" Share From The Commonwealth?, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

All things considered, the region has a case to make when it argues that it receives less than its “fair” share of state government spending. The geographic distribution of expenditures is particularly disadvantageous to Hampton Roads in the areas of K-12 education and car tax reimbursements, but less so in transportation and higher education.

The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2006, James V. Koch, Vinod Agarwal, Adrianne Barrett, David Basco, John R. Broderick, Chris Colburn, Vicky Curtis, Steve Daniel, Susan Hughes, Marshall Hutto, Elizabeth Janik, Mark Koch, Feng Lian, Terry Lindvall, Sharon Lomax, Janet Molinaro, John A. Sokolowski, Ray White, Gilbert Yochum

Economics Faculty Books

This is Old Dominion University's seventh annual State of the Region 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, or it's president, Roseann Runte.

The report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make Hampton Roads an even better place to live. We are proud of our region's many successes, but realize that it is possible to improve our performance. In order to do so, we must have accurate information about "where we are" and a sound …

Part 1: Hampton Roads Forecast: The Economic Winds Begin To Blow, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Our regional economy has slowed down to the national average after five superb years of growth fueled by defense expenditures. Defense expenditures are decelerating, the Ford plant is closing and the Base Realignment and Closure process will soon be under way.

Front Matter: The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2006, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Cover, front matter, table of contents, and other materials for the 2006 The State of the Region report authored by the Regional Studies Institute at Old Dominion University

Part 2: The North Carolina Connection: Hampton Roads South Of The Border?, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Currituck County, N.C., already is considered part of the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Four other counties (Camden, Gates, Perquimans, Pasquotank) lie just south of our region, but only Gates is sufficiently connected to Hampton Roads to be added in the future.

Part 5: The Play's The Thing: Theatres And Performing Arts Companies In Hampton Roads, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

The region is plenti-fully endowed with an impressive variety of theaters and performing arts companies. We critique their diverse work, which provides Hampton Roads with vital cultural and economic benefits.

Part 3: Tunnel Vision: Traffic Congestion In Hampton Roads, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Traffic congestion already is bad in the region; we estimate the cost in 2006 to be $473 million, or $296 per person. If nothing is done to alleviate the situation, this cost will grow to $1.07 billion, or $608 per person in 2015. Our simulations also predict the speed of automobile commuters going through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel will fall to 7.2 mph in 2015.

Part 4: It's Not Easy Being Green: Open Space And Parks In Hampton Roads, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Open space and parks are unevenly distributed across our region. Virginia Beach has done a particularly good job in promoting parks and green space. Still, open space is disappearing at a very rapid rate. Either we preserve such space now, or it may disappear forever.

Part 6: The Youth Of Hampton Roads: Pride Or Problem, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

By several measures, our region’s youth are not doing so well. Particularly problematic are the high percentages of youth who live in poverty and babies born to very young mothers. It is easy to track the societal problems that result.

Part 7: Beach Replenishment: Who Benefits, Who Pays, Who Should Pay?, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Replenishing the region’s beaches with sand is critical to their attractiveness. More than $100 million has been spent on beach replenishment in Virginia Beach over the past decade, with the federal government paying about two-thirds. We find that beach replenishment pays off handsomely for Virginia Beach, but also that the city probably should pay a larger share of the cost.

The Impact Of Trade Liberalization On Growth, Unemployment, And Poverty In Bangladesh, Maha Z. Mirza

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Trade liberalization has been one of the major policy components of the governments of the developing countries in the recent decades. Bangladesh as many other developing nations, has adopted different measures of trade reform policies as an element of International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), as well as to be an integral part of the world wide trend of globalization. Such policy measures include the reduction/rationalization of tariff rate, simplification of import and export trade procedures, relaxation of restrictive trade policies, and reform of financial and monetary policies. Even though, the trade reform measures were anticipated to increase …

Front Matter: The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2005, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Cover, front matter, table of contents, and other materials for the 2005 The State of the Region report authored by the Regional Studies Institute at Old Dominion University

Part 2: Is There A Housing Price Bubble In Hampton Roads?, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

While housing prices increased 40 percent in Hampton Roads (after inflation) during the past decade, most of this increase can be attributed to improved eco-nomic fundamentals such as lower interest rates, increased incomes, Department of Defense housing incentives and more cautious building policies by area developers. Hence, we do not have the kind of housing price bubble that currently exists in cities such as San Diego, San Francisco and Boston, and the state of Florida. We may face some future price adjustments, but they are not likely to be wrenching.

Part 1: The Hampton Roads Economy Midway Through The Decade, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Our regional economy continues to perform better than the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation. The 2000-2004 time period is the best five year time period our region has experienced since 1969. Employment increased four times as rapidly as national employ-ment and we experienced significant job growth in scientific, technical and information technology occupations—-something that has largely eluded us in the past. Defense expenditures increasingly dominate the region’s economy and account for about 75 percent of all recent growth. However, the BRAC process could throw a huge wrench into this prosperity. If all BRAC recommendations, including the closure of Oceana, …

Part 3: Richard Florida And The Creative Classes Of Hampton Roads, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Professor Florida argues that highly mobile, creative individuals are the kingpins of modern economic growth. They are especially attracted to regions that offer diverse demographics, cultural opportunities, living styles and residential areas, as well as a tolerance of the uncommon. Hampton Roads does not fare well when measured against several of Florida’s variables. However, we test his hypotheses empirically and find they have only limited validity.

Part 4: The Wheels Of Justice: Our Regional Circuit Courts, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

We trace what happens to parties that enter our Circuit Court system as a plaintiff or defendant. In 2003, the nine Circuits that are wholly or partially located within Hampton Roads dealt with 81,008 cases (35 percent civil and 65 percent criminal). Large proportions of these cases are dismissed or settled before they come to trial and very few cases are heard by a jury. We examine a variety of efficiency measures relating to the region’s Circuit Courts and conclude they are operating rather well.

Part 6: The Race To The Bottom Of The Bay: Boat Taxes In Hampton Roads, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Over the past decade, the region’s cities and counties have diminished the taxes they assess on boats so much that in several cities (for example, Virginia Beach), boat taxes in essence no longer exist. We show that all jurisdictions in Hampton Roads have suffered due to the reduced tax revenue and that the low-tax strategy has not attracted more boats from other regions, as intended. While boat taxes are unpopular and difficult to collect, Hampton Roads appears to have shot itself in the foot.

Part 7: Unrealized Potential: High Technology In Hampton Roads, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

On the face of it, Hampton Roads ought to be a technological powerhouse because of the high-level federal research facilities and defense installations located in the area, plus a higher education community of considerable size. Yet, while we can claim the second-greatest technological development of any region in the Commonwealth, we are a very distant second to Northern Virginia and have never realized our potential. Future prosperity in technology is tied to developing the modeling and simulation industry that has sprouted primarily in Suffolk, stimulating Eastern Virginia Medical School’s potential in conjunction with Old Dominion University and vastly increasing support …

Part 5: Our Art Galleries And Museums: Will They Survive?, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Led by the Chrysler Museum of Art, Hampton Roads is blessed with several excellent art galleries and museums. These valuable institutions, however, are struggling to maintain their collections, programs and hours because of financial strains. It’s apparent that the region’s decision makers have not placed a high priority on the aesthetic sensibilities of the region’s citizens.

The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2004, James V. Koch, Shweta Agarwal, Vinod Agarwal, Monisha Basnet, Joshua Behr, John R. Broderick, Ben Card, Michael Clemons, Chris Colburn, Vicky Curtis, Steve Daniel, Jeffrey Harlow, Susan Hughes, Enrique Inclan, Kristine Karlsen, Jayme Lackore, Sharon Lomax, Janet Molinaro, Kenneth Plum, Lee Teply, Shara Weber, Gilbert Yochum

Economics Faculty Books

This is Old Dominion University's fifth annual State of the Region 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, or it's president, Dr. Roseann Runte.

The report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make Hampton Roads an even better place to live. We are proud of our region's many successes, but realize that it is possible to improve our performance. In order to do so, we must have accurate information about "where we are" and a …

Front Matter: The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2004, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Cover, front matter, table of contents, and other materials for the 2004 The State of the Region report authored by the Regional Studies Institute at Old Dominion University

Part 1: The Regional Economy Continues To Excel, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

In 2004, the Hampton Roads economy will grow about 4.7 percent, the highest rate since 1987. Almost three-quarters of this growth is due to increased expenditures within the region by the Department of Defense. This illustrates the relative importance of defense expenditures in our regional economy.

Part 2: How Do We Compare? Hampton Roads Versus Other Regions, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Per capita income in Hampton Roads has been rising and, after we factor in the cost of living, now is about 6 percent above the national average. This is a startling reversal from the late 1990s when the region was well below the national average. Housing prices here continue to be lower than the national average, as is our overall cost of living. Our air is cleaner than the national average and we rate high in terms of cultural amenities, but founder with regard to several measures of educational attainment.

Part 3: What Do We Believe? How Hampton Roads Residents View Their World, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

We report the results of a stratified, random poll of 1,189 Hampton Roads residents. They believe that traffic congestion and crime are the most important problems facing the region. For the first time, we develop a Quality of Life Index for Hampton Roads and its individual cities and counties. Not surprisingly, we’re not all equally satisfied, and several interesting differences between cities are apparent.

Part 4: The Virginia Symphony Orchestra: The Valiant Struggles Of A Cultural Jewel, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

The Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) ranks well when compared to orchestras in regions of similar size and wealth, and in maestro JoAnn Falletta boasts a distinguished musical director. However, the symphony has accumulated a debt of approximately $2 million. Determined fund raising may reduce this debt, but the VSO’s ultimate challenge is to attract a larger and more diverse clientele. If it does not, it could join a half dozen other regional orchestras throughout the country that recently have been forced to contract significantly or even declare bankruptcy.

Part 6: The Role And Influence Of African American Legislators From Hampton Roads, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

African Americans comprise more than three of every 10 residents of Hampton Roads. Only recently, however, has this population translated into a large number of elected representatives in the Virginia General Assembly. This year, there are eight elected African American legislators in Richmond who claim Hampton Roads as their home. We explore their power and influence, noting that many do not yet possess the seniority to wield extensive influence. All eight legislators are Democrats and serve in a statehouse dominated by Republicans.

Part 5: Electricity Deregulation: What Impact Will It Have On Hampton Roads?, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

The Virginia General Assembly has voted to deregulate electricity in Virginia, but has delayed critical parts of this process until 2010 at the earliest. Recently, the General Assembly seems to have lost some of its stomach for deregulation. Nationally, deregulation usually is associated with lower electricity prices; however, there are notable exceptions. Virginia’s electricity prices currently are not high by national standards.

The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2003, James V. Koch, Aditi Agarwal, Vinod Agarwal, John R. Broderick, Gary Chiaverotti, Chris Colburn, Vicky Curtis, Steve Daniel, Susan Hughes, Enrique T. Inclan, Tatiana Isakovski, Sharon Lomax, John R. Lombard, Trish Manthey, Grace Wu, Gilbert Yochum

Economics Faculty Books

This is Old Dominion University's fourth annual "State of the Region" 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, or it's president, Dr. Roseann Runte.

The report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make Hampton Roads an even better place to live. We are proud of our region's many successes, but realize that it is possible to improve our performance. In order to do so, we must have accurate information about "where we are" and a …

Front Matter: The State Of The Region: Hampton Roads 2003, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Cover, front matter, table of contents, and other materials for the 2003 The State of the Region report authored by the Regional Studies Institute at Old Dominion University

Part 1: The Hampton Roads Economy: Defense Expenditures Become More Important, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Economically speaking, the 21st century has been a good one for Hampton Roads. By many measures – especially growth in employment and income – Hampton Roads now leads the Commonwealth of Virginia. The war in Iraq had a remarkably small negative impact on the region’s economy. Reversing the trend of the 1990s, defense expenditures have become a more important part of the region’s economy.