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Design for a New York City Workforce Information System

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Heldrich Center for Workforce Development.

The fundamental challenge facing workforce and education policymakers is keeping pace with the changing economy and skill needs of American business. To meet this challenge, up-to-date and accessible workforce information -- comprehensive data and analysis about the labor market -- is more important than ever. Good workforce information allows policymakers and program operators to target education and training investments, so that they produce the best possible returns. A deep understanding of the labor market also is a prerequisite for developing demand-driven workforce and economic strategies. Without good information, it is nearly impossible to design effective sectoral programs, career pathways, or economic growth strategies.

Workforce information also is a vital resource for individuals entering a complex and unstable labor market. Accessible and useful workforce information can guide young people and those already in the workforce toward promising jobs and careers that support advancement and income growth. It also helps employers make decisions about where to locate their business, whether to expand, and where to find the qualified workers they need to stay competitive.

Recognizing the importance of high-quality labor market data and analysis, the New York City Workforce Investment Board (the WIB) began to focus on improving access to workforce information. In 2005,...

Restricting Voter Registration Drives

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Project Vote.

Community-based voter registration organizations -- whether they are partisan or non-partisan, secular or religious, paid or volunteer -- serve as critical intermediaries between states and citizens who are currently alienated from the political process. While there are other mechanisms for reaching the tens of millions of eligible Americans who are still not registered to vote -- including the National Voter Registration Act's "motor voter" and public assistance agency programs -- there is still no substitute for the simple, affirmative act of sending voter registration canvassers into America's neighborhoods to help community members complete voter regsitration applications.

Such voter registration drives, of course, have long been a feature of American politics, and have helped countless Americans become registered voters. But the 2008 election cycle marked a recent high water mark, as a surge of interest in voting and an historically unprecedented presidential race saw many community-based drives achieving record numbers of applications. This tremendous success, however, elicited an organized backlash that came in two parts. The first part consisted of exaggerated or inaccurate allegations of voter registration fraud, many of which were uncritically reported by the media despite an astonishing absence of factual basis. The second, perhaps more damaging form of backlash came in the introduction o...

Rising Temperatures Raise Food Prices: Heat, Drought, and a Failed Harvest in Russia

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Earth Policy Institute. Around midnight on Wednesday, August 11th, a group of commodity analysts will gather at a meeting site in the massive South Building of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C. Once they are assembled, the door will be locked. Cell phones will be collected. Phone and Internet lines will be disconnected. Short of a medical emergency, no one will be permitted to leave before 8:30 am. USDA produces an estimate of world grain production, consumption, and trade by the 12th of each month. The gathered analysts will consult reports from a worldwide network of agricultural attaches, satellite images of crop vegetation, and the latest weather reports. The widely respected World Agricultural Outlook Board's report, though little known to the public, is of incalculable value to commodity traders, agribusinesses, and farmers -- some of whom stand to gain or lose fortunes on the data it contains. At 7:00 am on Thursday, shortly after the assembled team has completed its latest monthly estimate of this year's world grain harvest, a handful of accredited agricultural reporters will be admitted and given access to the data so they can write their stories. At precisely 8:30 am the lockup will end, and phone and Internet lines will be reconnected. All eyes will be on USDA's new grain numbers. When the last report was released on July 9th, it showed that the previously estimated 2.2 billion ton world grain harvest had dropped by 18 million tons -- a fall of nearly...

Turning Passion Into Action: Giving While Living

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Atlantic Philanthropies, The. This publication explores the practice of Giving While Living as exemplified by our Founder Chuck Feeney. Our intention is to inspire individuals at varying levels of wealth to actively give their funds, skills and time during their lives, and receive enormous satisfaction in the process. This report includes profiles of Mr. Feeney and 10 other philanthropists who are giving generously during their lifetimes, explains the most-cited motivating factors for Giving While Living, and lays out a range of ways to set up and execute a Giving While Living programme....

Local Government Fiscal Effort

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. An analysis prepared for the Georgia Future Communities Commission comparing the fiscal capability and actual revenues for Georgia counties and municipalities...

Profile of Georgia State Revenues 1974-1999

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. This report provides detailed information on trends in Georgia's major revenue sources over the period 1974-1999....

Provision of An Equitable Public School Finance Structure in Georgia

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. This report presents options for reducing inequities in the funding of Georgia's public school districts....

Public Opinion on Issues of Tax Fairness

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. This report contains the results of a public opinion survey of Georgia residents regarding issues associated with tax fairness....

Racial Disparities in School Finance Adequacy: Evidence From Georgia and the Nation

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. This report explores the relationship between the level of education expenditures and the racial composition of school districts in Georgia and the nation and estimates the cost of achieving benchmarks for school finance adequacy....

Racial Segregation in Georgia Public Schools, 1994-2001: Trends, Causes and Impact on Teacher Quality

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. This report looks at recent trends in segregation and its impact on teacher quality in the state of Georgia.�...

Reducing the Property Tax on Motor Vehicles in Georgia

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. An analysis prepared for the Georgia Public Policy Foundation....

Reflections on Privatization

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. An overview of the economic and policy fundamentals of privatization....

Results of Georgia Statewide Poll - Economic Development

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. This report prepared for the Georgia Economic Developers Association presents results of a survey on economic development activities in the state....

Telecommunication Taxation: The Georgia Case

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:01 -0400

Contributing organization(s): Fiscal Research Center of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. An examination and assessment of the current structure of telecommunications taxation in Georgia....

Local Government Fiscal Viability