Publications

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed, but all reports are not yet in. Adobe Analytics reports that online sales on Black Friday hit a new nationwide record, striking a level 2.3% higher than a year prior, while Sensormatic Solutions reports in-person shopping rose by 2.9%. Sales on Cyber Monday were nearly 24% higher than […]

By Michael L. Lahr. As detailed in our previous blog, there are several factors at play in the U.S. economy which may influence the likelihood of a recession. We discussed the Federal Reserve’s decision

By Michael L. Lahr, Rutgers Economic Advisory Service (R/ECON™). It’s a tough time to be Jerome Powell. The Federal Reserve Board’s two primary responsibilities are to assure price stability and growth within the U.S. economy, and Jerome Powell is its Chair. As we are painfully aware, prices have been less than stable [...]

By Michael Lahr, Tia Azzi, and Maia de la Calle, Rutgers Economic Advisory Service. It is vital for New Jersey policymakers to understand what affects municipal tax rates. In this brief, we analyze local government spending [...]

Introduction This is the third brief that reports data on New Jersey from the 2020 decennial census. The first presents a summary dataset that R/Econ™ produced for the New Jersey State Policy Lab in the form of readily accessed spreadsheets.[1] The second examines differences between 2020 population estimates and the final census count as well […]

In a recent article, New York Times reporter Christina Morales writes about the spread of “tipping fatigue,” noting how electronic screens now recommend tips as high as 35 percent of the bill and how these screens are cropping up at new places, like bakeries, movie theaters, and concession stands. This is despite higher prices and, […]

Policymakers’ hearts are in the right place. Presently, the United Kingdom and a few U.S. states are enabling at least a temporary reprieve from fuel taxes in the name of solidarity against Russian aggression.[1] In the face of budget surpluses and soaring energy prices, it would seem that consoling consumers in this manner is more […]

According to the latest Census count, New Jersey’s population peaked above nine million for the first time in 2020. More precisely, it had 9,288,994 inhabitants in 2020, an adjustment of 400,968 from prior Census Bureau estimates for 2020. That is, Census estimates were off by a whopping 4.3 percent! This piece provides state, county, and […]

As the count of listings and asking prices flattened,[i] realtors and creditors predicted a rise in foreclosures and mortgage delinquencies as people were laid off and furloughed and as many small businesses failed.[ii] But things did not roll out as feared for housing markets. Overall, housing markets remained vibrant nationwide. Low interest rates improved housing […]

Here we are in mid-March of 2022 and the average price of a gallon of regular grade gasoline in New Jersey is $4.335; a year ago it was $2.925.[1] That’s nearly a 50% increase in less than a year. How and why did it come to this? Are oil companies or local gas station franchises […]

The New Jersey State Policy Lab started operating when some of the first local-level data were released from the 2020 Census. It, therefore, seemed somewhat natural for the Lab to produce a census-based product that likely would appeal to governments within the State of New Jersey. The idea was not simply to reproduce the 2020 […]

In terms of both crude oil and natural gas production, Russia is second only to the United States worldwide. Moreover, about 8% of U.S. petroleum imports are from Russia.[1] For Europe, that share is closer to 40%.[2] So, clearly the Russia-Ukraine crisis poses a severe risk to petroleum markets. The shutdown of all westward flows […]