2016 was best year for business formation since the recession, but hold the fireworks
First, the good news The U.S. Census Bureau recently released its 2016 Business Dynamics Statistics, providing the authoritative latest figures on startup activity across all sectors of the U.S. economy. It came bearing modest good news: 2016 was the best year for U.S. business formation since the financial crisis. In total 433,000 new firms launched…
Read moreThe State of Socioeconomic Need and Community Change in Opportunity Zones
This paper offers a detailed baselining of prevailing social and economic conditions across the country’s Opportunity Zones. It comes as this new policy is just beginning to take shape. The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued the first of draft of proposed rulemaking in October 2018. Many unknowns remain, including some pertaining to fundamental functions…
Read moreHQ2 and Opportunity Zones: The Big Picture
Amazon’s high-profile HQ2 competition has rightly put the issue of economic development incentives under the microscope. There is plenty of evidence that traditional state and local location incentives are both wasteful and ineffective, creating a race to the bottom among communities. In the case of HQ2, the selection of Long Island City has also raised…
Read moreThe Once and Future Worker: A Q&A with author Oren Cass
This article is the first in a new EIG Authors Series in which we explore policy issues and ideas with experts from across the ideological spectrum. In this inaugural piece, EIG’s John Lettieri speaks with the Manhattan Institute’s Oren Cass to discuss his new book, The Once and Future Worker: A Vision for the Renewal of Work in…
Read moreWhat to Know: U.S. Treasury Announces Proposed Guidance on Opportunity Zones
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued proposed regulations on the Opportunity Zones tax incentive and the operation of Opportunity Funds. This guidance is a significant first step that will help unlock market activity and economic impact in Opportunity Zones – but only a first step. Many key questions remain unanswered and additional rounds…
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