Jennifer Spiegel The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of online connectivity in society today. Yet there is still a digital divide as inequitable access to broadband services prevents underserved communities from benefiting from vital programs. Research shows that there are significant associations between lack of access to broadband services and access to healthcare, and [...]
By Michael L. Lahr, R/ECON™ Housing markets are not just geographically separated, they are socially stratified too (in combination the two generate what is termed, “housing market segmentation”). Properties in a region can differ radically in price (e.g., range between $20,000 and $1,000,000 per acre). Moreover, the buyer base and housing availability for that particular [...]
Michael S. Hayes and Pengju Zhang The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated changes in investment decisions throughout the economy. For example, the growth in virtual work and e-commerce has likely negatively impacted the demand for some commercial property in New Jersey. A significant increase in vacant and under-occupied property can cause many social problems, including increasing [...]
Tia Azzi, R/ECON Not all bike lanes are created equal. New Jersey is trying to encourage bicycling as a main form of transportation by enhancing existing ways and expanding bike lanes. But only about 0.3% of New Jersey residents bike to work.[1] This contrasts with nationwide commuting behavior in countries like the Netherlands in which [...]
Tia Azzi For many years, New Jersey has lost population via net in- and out-migration. From 2011 through 2019, this has resulted in the state hemorrhaging a total of more than $23.6 billion in net adjusted gross income (AGI) according to U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 2021 data. While education plays a role, the migration [...]
Hannah Younes, Robert B. Noland, and Wenwen Zhang The pandemic altered the way we shop for food. People in the U.S. started to shop for more groceries while decreasing their consumption of take-out food. For the first time since the great recession, grocery food expenditure accounted for more than half of total food expenditures. Compared [...]
Charles E. Menifield While the legalization of recreational marijuana will benefit state finances, policy-makers must consider potential negative externalities associated with the sale of legalized marijuana. In a forthcoming report funded by the New Jersey Policy Lab, researchers determined that marijuana usage in New Jersey is very similar to usage across the US. For example, [...]
By Stephanie Holcomb, Jessica Cruz-Nagoski, Andrea Hetling, Gregory Porumbescu, Vishal Trehan The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the important role efforts to promote digital access, literacy, and skills play in promoting a more equitable society. This lesson is perhaps most apparent for education, where many of the nation’s children and educators were forced into virtual schooling on [...]
Jennifer Spiegel 12-06-21 “Evidence-based policymaking” seems to be all the rage with think tanks, lawmakers, and governmental agencies, but what does it mean, really? Evidence-based policymaking uses the best available research and data to target resources to programs and policies that are proven to work.[1] It guides decision-making using results-driven solutions and rigorous data analysis. [...]
Tracy Youngster is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Rutgers University Ecology & Evolution Graduate Program. Organic Waste Management background When organic waste, like food, enters a landfill, it releases methane which is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. There are many ways to keep organic materials out of landfills including: reducing [...]
