Author Archives: matt ohern

E-ZPass Still Not Inter-operable, Two Years After Deadline

Since the advent of electronic toll collection, toll agencies have been pushing for nationwide inter-operability. Inter-operability allows a toll road user with an account in one state to use that tolling technology on toll roads in a different state. In … Continue reading

Posted in Transportation | Comments Off on E-ZPass Still Not Inter-operable, Two Years After Deadline

The Nation of Kiribati Is Growing, Not Sinking

(Editor’s note: One of the problems today is that journalism has become advocacy in too many cases. This is a sad commentary since the readers deserve to receive reasonably accurate “news” and the opinion page should be just that. This … Continue reading

Posted in Environment | Comments Off on The Nation of Kiribati Is Growing, Not Sinking

Virginia and the Next Global Debt Crisis

Ten years ago the Lehman Brothers debacle precipitated the financial meltdown we associate with the Great Recession, and the financial media are full of retrospectives. A key question is what lessons we learned from the epic failure. The main conclusion … Continue reading

Posted in Economy | Comments Off on Virginia and the Next Global Debt Crisis

Here’s why it matters which government agency regulates fake meat

Will the primary regulator of cell-cultured products (fake meat) be the Food and Drug Administration or the U.S. Department of Agriculture? The answer could make a big difference to the future of agriculture. The ‘sustainable’ meat folks believe they will have an … Continue reading

Posted in Agriculture | Comments Off on Here’s why it matters which government agency regulates fake meat

Steps Virginia Must Take to Tax Internet Sales

Conformity to recent federal income tax changes is not the only challenge (or opportunity, depending on your point of view) facing the 2019 Virginia General Assembly.  It may also be asked to amend Virginia’s sales and use tax rules, so … Continue reading

Posted in Taxes | Comments Off on Steps Virginia Must Take to Tax Internet Sales