Category Archives: Economic Development

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 →

Posted in Economic Development, Technology | Leave a comment

Invest in Virginia Workers, Not Corporate Subsidies

Posted on January 18, 2017 by matt ohern

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), once one of the most respected economic development teams in the country, has been taking it on the chin. A year ago, a Chinese company bilked the partnership for a $1.4 million incentive payment … Continue reading →

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Chart of Today: Shrinking Workforce

Posted on November 9, 2016 by matt ohern

This chart, published by Hamilton Lombard on the StatChat blog, shows how the working-age population of the United States has begun shrinking in much of the United States. While metropolitan areas still experience a growing workforce as they suck up … Continue reading →

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