Category Archives: Economic Development

Give thanks that we no longer live on the precipice

Posted on November 28, 2018 by matt ohern

Thanksgiving is a good time to express our sincere gratitude that we no longer “enjoy” the “simpler life of yesteryear.” As my grandmother said, “The only good thing about the good old days is that they’re gone.” For countless millennia, … Continue reading →

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Virginia Economic Development Partnership — Moving Forward Globally

Posted on November 29, 2017 by matt ohern

Let’s discuss the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and set the record straight regarding what really happened with its management fiasco, along with its historic reform by the Virginia General Assembly this year. At this point, a broad outline of … Continue reading →

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How to Build Strong, Resilient Cities and Towns

Posted on November 1, 2017 by matt ohern

Cities and counties across the United States are experiencing chronic fiscal stress, and the reason has nothing to do with Republicans or Democrats and everything to do with what Chuck Marohn calls the “growth Ponzi scheme.” “Why are cities going … Continue reading →

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A Better Model for Lending to the Poor

Posted on September 6, 2017 by matt ohern

It’s time to introduce into the public lexicon a distinction between “social justice warriors” and “social justice entrepreneurs.” Social justice warriors (or SJWs, as they are known short-hand on some conservative blogs) seek to remedy the conditions of the poor … Continue reading →

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Building on Virginia’s Data-Center Boom

Posted on June 8, 2017 by matt ohern

Data centers are the hottest trend in Virginia economic development these days. But the state is only beginning to think through the implications.
Loudoun County, home to 75 facilities, has developed the largest cluster of data centers in the country (and perhaps the world), and next-door-neighbor Prince William County is rising fast. Continue reading →

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