Economic Research
Economic ResearchTopic - Government
Government employment: Job insecurity
Despite the imprimatur of job security, the ax has (belatedly) fallen on public sector employment, especially at the local level
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2013 - fedgazette
Local governments go to the barbershop
Tight budgets mean many local services are getting a haircut, and some more than others
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2013 - fedgazette
Please do this. Good luck
Unfunded mandates and revenue handcuffs
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2013 - fedgazette
Human service organizations "tread water" in face of funding uncertainty
Unpredictability over public funding levels is hampering many nonprofit organizations' efforts to improve or expand services.
Jacob Wascalus
January 2013 - Community Dividend
CDFI News
October 2012 - Community Dividend
Regulators extend independent foreclosure review deadline to December 31, 2012
October 2012 - Community Dividend
Call for papers: The eighth biennial Federal Reserve community development research conference
July 2012 - Community Dividend
Fed releases report on economic development in Indian Country
July 2012 - Community Dividend
Exploring Innovations essay contest winner: Restructuring the New Markets Tax Credit Program: Three proposed changes for increasing efficiency
A Ninth District student's winning entry in the 2011 Exploring Innovations conference essay contest, which asked, "Is the New Markets Tax Credit Program the most effective way to subsidize the creatio
Guncha Jumakuliyeva
April 2012 - Community Dividend
Energizing Native economies: Tribes build corporate governance to spur investment and development
Some American Indian tribes are overhauling their corporate governance structures in order to facilitate energy projects and other economic development on tribal lands.
Paula Woessner
January 2012 - Community Dividend
Leech Lake Band and State of Minnesota sign lien-filing agreement
January 2012 - Community Dividend
OPEBs: What lies beneath the balance sheet
Rising costs for retiree health care and other post-employment benefits lurk for many state and local governments
Ronald A. Wirtz
April 2011 - fedgazette
Some interesting OPEB patterns
Ronald A. Wirtz
April 2011 - fedgazette
Where OPEBs come from
Ronald A. Wirtz
April 2011 - fedgazette
Playing catch-up, badly
Investment returns are the X factor for pensions
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2011 - fedgazette
Public pension benefits & the law
Two pension experts offer insights into legal aspects of pension benefit protections for local and state government workers
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2011 - fedgazette
Public pensions: Feeding, and fixing, the sausage machine
Many public pensions are underfunded. Does that matter?
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2011 - fedgazette
The pension bill. Ouch
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2011 - fedgazette
Top of the pension class
Size doesn’t matter. It’s how you are allowed, expected and required to manage
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2011 - fedgazette
Are economic development incentives doing their JOBZ?
An interview with university researchers looking at the popular Minnesota program
Joe Mahon
October 2010 - fedgazette
An Introduction to the FOMC
How the Fed’s central decision-making body sets monetary policy
Narayana Kocherlakota
September 2010 - The Region
Tax Buyouts
Raising government revenue without distorting work decisions
Fabrizio Perri, Marco Del Negro, Fabiano Schivardi
September 2010 - The Region
Interview with Thomas Sargent
New York University economist on the state of modern macro, polar models of bank regulation and the problem of persistently high unemployment
August 2010 - The Region
Ethics as a building block of economic growth: Global insights and Indian Country models
An effective institutional framework to encourage and manage ethical behavior is a crucial aspect of good governance.
Sue Woodrow
July 2010 - Community Dividend
Research examines the receipt of earned income tax credits among welfare recipients
According to the research on earned income tax credits, welfare recipients who work are less likely to receive the credits than eligible individuals who are not on welfare.
Donald P. Hirasuna
July 2010 - Community Dividend
Awash in Cash
Why do China's banks hold low-yield U.S. Treasuries? A theory of economic transition
Douglas Clement
June 2010 - The Region
Failure to Communicate?
Sound economic policy demands superior research and clear communication
Narayana Kocherlakota
June 2010 - The Region
Interview with Robert Hall
Stanford University economist on labor market dynamics, financial frictions, monetary policy and dating a recession
Douglas Clement
June 2010 - The Region
Taxing Risk and the Optimal Regulation of Financial Institutions
An Economic Policy Paper on imposing a tax to eliminate risk externalities from unavoidable government bailouts
Narayana Kocherlakota
June 2010 - The Region
Tax credits for first-time castles
The home buyer's tax credit has given the housing market a boost. But what happens when the credit ends?
Ronald A. Wirtz
April 2010 - fedgazette
A hard road
Roads and bridges in the district need a lot of work. Who will pay to mend them?
Phil Davies
April 2010 - fedgazette
Minneapolis Fed releases two new Community Affairs reports
April 2010 - Community Dividend
No shortage of credit here
Municipal bond market active, with help from Uncle Sam
Ronald A. Wirtz
April 2010 - fedgazette
Think of it as a user fee, not a tax
Phil Davies
April 2010 - fedgazette
Minnesota's Earned Income Credit Program: Utilization by Current and Former Welfare Households and the Impact of Policy Parameters
An analysis of utilization of the State of Minnesota's earned income credit (the Working Family Credit) among current and former welfare recipients.
Donald P. Hirasuna, Thomas F. Stinson
December 2009 - Community Development Papers
Vroom Vroom Vroom
2008-2009 Essay Contest Winner
Jacob Devine
September 2009 - The Region
Who Do You Trust with Your Money?
Two books take a hard look at Federal Reserve independence.
David Fettig
September 2009 - The Region
Credit Conditions: Some snap and crackle, but no pop
Ronald A. Wirtz
July 2009 - fedgazette
Wait for us
Like everywhere else, it seems, debt among state and local governments is rising
Ronald A. Wirtz
May 2009 - fedgazette
Just the facts, ma’am
Crime patterns in the district vary widely, but explaining differences and trends is difficult
Douglas Clement
March 2009 - fedgazette
Recyclical demand
Prices have fallen sharply for recyclables,
but there's still a viable scrap market in the district
Joe Mahon
March 2009 - fedgazette
The mystery of crime
Will the recession cause a surge in crime?
Economic theory suggests it might, but empirical evidence for the widely held notion is far from conclusive
Douglas Clement
March 2009 - fedgazette
Bringing the credit home
Expanded credit programs and lending from the Minneapolis Fed
Daniel Rozycki
January 2009 - fedgazette
Raising the credit bar, or getting clubbed by it?
Credit is tightening, but there is a fine line between tighter credit and a so-called credit crunch
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2009 - fedgazette
Too Big to Fail: The Way Forward
Top of the Ninth
Gary H. Stern
December 2008 - The Region
A question of credit
The credit enhancement market is in flux, which leads to some navel gazing over municipal bond offerings
Ronald A. Wirtz
November 2008 - fedgazette
Auction-rate fireworks: Ooh, aah, ouch
Once a useful and sophisticated tool for cheap financing, issuers discover the dark side of more exotic bonds
Ronald A. Wirtz
November 2008 - fedgazette
Hungry (for cash) like a wolf
Montana State Roundup
November 2008 - fedgazette
The bonds of debt
The recent financial crisis blew a hole in the municipal bond market. But it has been shifting for more than a year.
Ronald A. Wirtz
November 2008 - fedgazette
Smoking good for health of charitable gaming
Minnesota State Roundup
September 2008 - fedgazette
All those in favor, quack
Minnesota State Roundup
July 2008 - fedgazette
I hear you’ve been smoking
Wisconsin State Roundup
July 2008 - fedgazette
A pink slip for JOBZ?
Minnesota State Roundup
May 2008 - fedgazette
Crow Nation, State of Montana sign UCC filing compact
May 2008 - Community Dividend
More salt for a struggling economy
Minnesota State Roundup
May 2008 - fedgazette
State budget deficit: Practice makes perfect
Wisconsin State Roundup
May 2008 - fedgazette
Both sides of the pork trough
Earmarks are easy to want, easier to criticize. Though inefficient at a number of levels, the political economy of pork barrel spending suggests some benefits are also ignored.
Ronald A. Wirtz, Douglas Clement
March 2008 - fedgazette
Dual-edged earmarks
Earmarks can meet local needs; they can also leave locals hanging.
Douglas Clement
March 2008 - fedgazette
Last call for liquor licenses
South Dakota State Roundup
March 2008 - fedgazette
State passes cable competition bill
Wisconsin State Roundup
March 2008 - fedgazette
The pig patrol
Douglas Clement
March 2008 - fedgazette
This little piggy came home
Earmarks are plentiful in the Ninth District and vary widely.
Douglas Clement
March 2008 - fedgazette
Timber! There goes the budget
Montana State Roundup
March 2008 - fedgazette
Creating a win-win way to provide free tax help: Bethel University and AccountAbility Minnesota share lessons learned
In a mutually beneficial partnership between Bethel University and AccountAbility Minnesota, accounting students provide free tax preparation assistance to low- and moderate-income workers.
Leo T. Gabriel
January 2008 - Community Dividend
Expanding the success of the Earned Income Tax Credit
A patchwork of initiatives is raising awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is the leading federal program for boosting the incomes of the working poor.
Emily Sachs
January 2008 - Community Dividend
Fed creates one-stop help center for consumers
January 2008 - Community Dividend
Menominee poster contest promotes free tax prep
Since 2005, Menominee Indian High School has sponsored a poster contest to promote the use of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites.
Emily Sachs
January 2008 - Community Dividend
One positive step at a time
Michigan State Roundup
January 2008 - fedgazette
Organics back on the WIC table
Montana State Roundup
January 2008 - fedgazette
State, healing thyself
Wisconsin State Roundup
January 2008 - fedgazette
Treasury announces New Markets Tax Credit allocations
January 2008 - Community Dividend
Putting a Price on Carbon
To address global warming, most economists favor a focus on prices, not quantities.
Phil Davies
December 2007 - The Region
Putting a Price on Carbon - In Brief
Phil Davies
December 2007 - The Region
A little something for entrepreneurs
Minnesota State Roundup
November 2007 - fedgazette
Come and get it
Federal spending in district states has increased significantly since the early 1990s.
Ronald A. Wirtz, Genko Genov
November 2007 - fedgazette
High flying, yet grounded
Michigan State Roundup
November 2007 - fedgazette
Running on state budget fumes
Wisconsin State Roundup
November 2007 - fedgazette
A game of subsidy chicken
Minnesota State Roundup
September 2007 - fedgazette
All revved up over biofuels designation
Wisconsin State Roundup
September 2007 - fedgazette
Telecom firms, cities fighting for remote
Wisconsin State Roundup
September 2007 - fedgazette
Green at any price?
Renewable-energy mandates raise lots of questions for electric utilities and consumers.
Phil Davies
July 2007 - fedgazette
Separating oil from rainy-day fund
North Dakota State Roundup
July 2007 - fedgazette
Tax breaks make it easy to be green
Montana State Roundup
July 2007 - fedgazette
The new unimproved IT
Wisconsin State Roundup
July 2007 - fedgazette
“Re-regulating” NorthWestern Energy
Montana State Roundup
July 2007 - fedgazette
Dialing for dollars
Rural telephone companies in the district collect millions of dollars annually in universal service subsidies. Has the time come to let them fend for themselves?
Phil Davies
May 2007 - fedgazette
Just a little off the (benefits) top
Michigan State Roundup
May 2007 - fedgazette
Leaving food (stamps) on the plate
Minnesota State Roundup
May 2007 - fedgazette
Remember, it is an addiction
South Dakota State Roundup
May 2007 - fedgazette
Tribal update: Nation building in the Ninth District
More and more tribes in the Ninth Federal Reserve District are recognizing that by establishing governance structures and institutions, they can support the growth of their economies.
Sue Woodrow
May 2007 - Community Dividend
A minimum wager
Will a rising wage floor lift all workers, or put too many in the unemployment line?
Joe Mahon
March 2007 - fedgazette
Coping strategies
Sprawl is often condemned, but most critiques hold no economic water. Still, a few are valid, and policy fixes may exist.
Douglas Clement
March 2007 - fedgazette
One more thing in life that's certain: Fees
Government fees are on the rise at both the state and local levels.
Andrea Martinez
March 2007 - fedgazette
Priced for hay, not houses
South Dakota State Roundup
March 2007 - fedgazette
Pumping out higher sales taxes
North Dakota State Roundup
March 2007 - fedgazette
Smoke for someone else's health
Wisconsin State Roundup
March 2007 - fedgazette
Wide open spaces
Incentive-based tools to protect rural land from sprawl are increasingly popular, but some doubt their effectiveness.
Douglas Clement
March 2007 - fedgazette
A little tight around the budget belt
Wisconsin State Roundup
January 2007 - fedgazette
Food bank use surges
Montana State Roundup
January 2007 - fedgazette
Hitting the (budget) snooze button
Wisconsin State Roundup
January 2007 - fedgazette
Mission shift
North Dakota State Roundup
January 2007 - fedgazette
Rx for aging health care facilities
Health care capital investment has surged across most of the district, but the wish list isn't necessarily getting any shorter.
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2007 - fedgazette
A little constitutional house cleaning
North Dakota State Roundup
September 2006 - fedgazette
Escanaba looking for more juice
Michigan State Roundup
September 2006 - fedgazette
Home Grown: An Economic Examination of the Origins and Effectiveness of Radical Drug Policies
2006 Student Essay Contest Winner
Michael Fahey
September 2006 - The Region
Making tourists pay
Montana State Roundup
September 2006 - fedgazette
Roll the credits … and the tax incentives
Cities, states and even countries spar for film production business, but at what cost?
Kathy Cobb
September 2006 - fedgazette
Selected state and federal flood-recovery expenditures
Phil Davies
September 2006 - fedgazette
Smorgasbord of state ballot initiatives
South Dakota State Roundup
September 2006 - fedgazette
To save a city
How far should government power extend into private markets in the wake of a disaster
Phil Davies
September 2006 - fedgazette
Who needs downtowns, anyway?
Were historic business districts worth saving? City leaders thought so.
Phil Davies
September 2006 - fedgazette
Crow Nation is first to adopt model secured transactions code
July 2006 - Community Dividend
Feedlot development: All those in favor
South Dakota State Roundup
July 2006 - fedgazette
Funding targets pests
Michigan State Roundup
July 2006 - fedgazette
Renewable energy mandates sought for cities
North Dakota State Roundup
July 2006 - fedgazette
Through snow, rain, but maybe not consolidation
South Dakota State Roundup
July 2006 - fedgazette
Actuarial Funding Ratios
Charts of public employee pension funds.
Ronald A. Wirtz
May 2006 - fedgazette
An actuarial balancing act
Debates over public pensions can quickly plunge into the pool of minutiae and tediousness.
Ronald A. Wirtz
May 2006 - fedgazette
Covet thy neighbor’s -- pension? Public vs. private
A discussion of public pensions can’t go on for very long without someone comparing them to their private counterparts. Comparisons are logical, of course, but not quite as straightforward as it might
Ronald A. Wirtz
May 2006 - fedgazette
Driving for a license
Occupational licensing continues to grow, but benefits to consumers are not obvious.
Morris Kleiner
May 2006 - fedgazette
Gasping over GASB
Post-retirement health benefits could bring a shock to governments, retirees.
Ronald A. Wirtz
May 2006 - fedgazette
Growing budget surplus, expanding to-do list
North Dakota State Roundup
May 2006 - fedgazette
In case of pension emergency
Legislatures nationwide will no doubt be debating what to do about public pensions with large unfunded liabilities. Below are two options getting considerable attention.
Ronald A. Wirtz
May 2006 - fedgazette
Lawmakers try to force a lid on state spending
Wisconsin State Roundup
May 2006 - fedgazette
Letters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor: Referencing fedgazette topic of eminent domain.
May 2006 - fedgazette
Nothing ventured ...
Montana State Roundup
May 2006 - fedgazette
Pension deficit disorder
Local and state public pensions are trying to get traction on a slippery funding slope.
Ronald A. Wirtz
May 2006 - fedgazette
Seeing the forest, or the trees?
Michigan State Roundup
May 2006 - fedgazette
Up, up, up, but not away
North Dakota State Roundup
May 2006 - fedgazette
What is your opinion of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit rollout, and how has it affected your business, industry or community?
District Voices
May 2006 - fedgazette
... and of protecting water rights
Montana State Roundups
March 2006 - fedgazette
A model law
A newly drafted model law may help bring loans to Indian Country.
Douglas Clement
March 2006 - fedgazette
A super model: New secured transaction code offers legal uniformity, economic promise for Indian Country
A recently completed model law that covers a type of commerce called "secured transactions" could provide the legal structure and consistency American Indian tribes need to facilitate borrowing from o
Paula Woessner
March 2006 - Community Dividend
Biodiesel law sputters at the gun
Minnesota State Roundup
March 2006 - fedgazette
Capital idea
Native CDFIs are providing much-needed credit in Indian Country.
Douglas Clement
March 2006 - fedgazette
Charts: Medical Malpractice Payment Reports for Physicians
Charts: Medical Malpractice Payment Reports for Physicians
March 2006 - fedgazette
Condemned prosperity
The use of eminent domain for private development may benefit district communities, but it blights the overall economy.
Phil Davies
March 2006 - fedgazette
Counting the cost of clean water ...
Montana State Roundup
March 2006 - fedgazette
Farm payments: Not a road to growth
Joe Mahon
March 2006 - fedgazette
Must (not) see TB
Michigan State Roundup
March 2006 - fedgazette
Pay less at the pump for bumpier roads
Wisconsin State Roundup
March 2006 - fedgazette
Plant corn in the front yard
Wisconsin State Roundup
March 2006 - fedgazette
Table: Malpractice premium rate comparison, by state and specialty, 2003-05
March 2006 - fedgazette
Unemployment trust fund also down and out
South Dakota State Roundup
March 2006 - fedgazette
Build it; they will come
North Dakota State Roundup
January 2006 - fedgazette
Not less cotton candy, just more concentrated
South Dakota State Roundup
January 2006 - fedgazette
PPL rate ruling near
Montana State Roundup
January 2006 - fedgazette
Smoke? You betcha
Minnesota State Roundup
January 2006 - fedgazette
A missing bogeyman
County employment shocks and recoveries show a wide diversity of sources.
Ronald A. Wirtz
November 2005 - fedgazette
Bison boom raises brucellosis fears
Montana State Roundup
November 2005 - fedgazette
Ellsworth Air Force Base: BRAC in business
South Dakota State Roundup
November 2005 - fedgazette
Fickle like the wind
Wind farming is booming again in the district, but the industry remains dependent on federal subsidy.
Phil Davies
November 2005 - fedgazette
Hands off our property
North Dakota State Roundup
November 2005 - fedgazette
The little bug that could (eat up U.P. forests)
Michigan State Roundup
November 2005 - fedgazette
Treasury, Fed launch Go Direct campaign
November 2005 - Community Dividend
Here's to your health (insurance)
Wisconsin State Roundup
September 2005 - fedgazette
Lighting up Big Sky, dereg style
Electricity deregulation comes to Montana—so far, to the cheers of some and the chagrin of many.
Frank Jossi
September 2005 - fedgazette
Model tribal commercial code completed
September 2005 - Community Dividend
Paying the piper
Somebody has to pony up billions of dollars to upgrade drinking water and sewer systems throughout the district.
Phil Davies
September 2005 - fedgazette
State shuts down amid budget wrestling
Minnesota State Roundup
September 2005 - fedgazette
Tapping into savings
No-build approaches and alternative technologies can reduce the cost of water upgrades in small towns.
Phil Davies
September 2005 - fedgazette
BRAC-ish waters
South Dakota State Roundup
July 2005 - fedgazette
Inquiry delves into pension deficits
Montana State Roundup
July 2005 - fedgazette
Much ado, and much more to do
Minnesota State Roundup
July 2005 - fedgazette
Pensions in Peril
The federal agency that insures private pensions has a $23 billion deficit, raising the specter of a taxpayer bailout. Proposals abound,
but fixing the problem won't be easy.
Phil Davies
June 2005 - The Region
The Top 50—Revisited
Would public disclosure of pension underfunding be useful?
Ron J. Feldman, Daniel Rozycki
June 2005 - The Region
The White House Plan
Depending on your perspective, President Bush’s proposal to reform pension insurance is either a life preserver for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., or an iron yoke that will pull the private pensi
Phil Davies
June 2005 - The Region
Bureaucratic rent trends
Data suggest soft rental markets in the district.
Ronald A. Wirtz
May 2005 - fedgazette
Cross-border dispute
North Dakota State Roundup
May 2005 - fedgazette
More government jobs, but at what wage?
South Dakota State Roundup
May 2005 - fedgazette
Passing the bottle
Minnesota State Roundup
May 2005 - fedgazette
Privatization: That's the ticket!
Wisconsin State Roundup
May 2005 - fedgazette
Taxing definitions
Wisconsin State Roundup
May 2005 - fedgazette
A burning issue
Garbage burners play a significant role in a few Ninth District states. For years, local governments have stoked the fire, but the flame appears to be dying.
Douglas Clement
March 2005 - fedgazette
Cell phone taxes—court to make the call
South Dakota State Roundup
March 2005 - fedgazette
Getting wasted
There are millions of tons of garbage in the Ninth District. This is their story.
Douglas Clement
March 2005 - fedgazette
Help! 911 calling
North Dakota State Roundup
March 2005 - fedgazette
Is the legislation all wet?
Minnesota State Roundup
March 2005 - fedgazette
New mining law surfaces
Michigan State Roundup
March 2005 - fedgazette
Not in my back 40
Landfills—the trash sites formerly known as dumps—are growing. You got a problem with that?
Douglas Clement
March 2005 - fedgazette
Profiles in garbage
Douglas Clement
March 2005 - fedgazette
Recycling— righteous or rubbish?
Critics say recycling is garbage. Supporters say it will save the world. The truth lies somewhere in between.
Douglas Clement
March 2005 - fedgazette
Tax phaseout on hold
Montana State Roundup
March 2005 - fedgazette
Thinking cap on for new university
Minnesota State Roundup
March 2005 - fedgazette
Waging war on wages
Wisconsin State Roundup
March 2005 - fedgazette
What goes around
Burning rubber raises a stink in district communities
Douglas Clement
March 2005 - fedgazette
Will tax breaks spark power plants?
South Dakota State Roundup
March 2005 - fedgazette
Bismarck: raking in the cash, unsure how to spend it
North Dakota State Roundup
January 2005 - fedgazette
Broadband broadens
Michigan State Roundup
January 2005 - fedgazette
Farmers harvest crops and subsidies
Minnesota State Roundup
January 2005 - fedgazette
Few take advantage of drug buying program
Wisconsin State Roundup
January 2005 - fedgazette
First the bad news, then the bad news
Minnesota State Roundup
January 2005 - fedgazette
Gold, silver mining stays cyanide-free
Montana State Roundup
January 2005 - fedgazette
RV nirvana
Montana State Roundup
January 2005 - fedgazette
State to continue taxing groceries
South Dakota State Roundup
January 2005 - fedgazette
Broadband.gov
A growing number of small cities offer high-speed Internet access, but does local government belong in the telecom business?
Phil Davies
November 2004 - fedgazette
Federal development funding lower in rural areas, study finds
November 2004 - Community Dividend
Got MILC?
New federal dairy policy benefits district, but are there unintended consequences?
Joe Mahon
November 2004 - fedgazette
Loosening the strings of regulation
Federal and state deregulation has opened new markets for district banks
Ronald A. Wirtz
November 2004 - fedgazette
Big-box tax special
Montana State Roundup
September 2004 - fedgazette
Green power
Wisconsin State Roundup
September 2004 - fedgazette
Prairie dogs put to sleep
South Dakota State Roundup
September 2004 - fedgazette
The new coal rush
Rising energy needs and relaxed regulations fuel a resurgence.
Frank Jossi
September 2004 - fedgazette
Unallotment allotted
Minnesota State Roundup
September 2004 - fedgazette
GAO releases statement on predatory lending
August 2004 - Community Dividend
A taxing year for iron
Minnesota State Roundup
July 2004 - fedgazette
Banking on the fringe
Payday and title loans continue their popularity despite efforts to regulate the industry.
Joe Mahon
July 2004 - fedgazette
Market conditions cause gasoline price hikes
Rob Grunewald
July 2004 - fedgazette
Green for brownfields
South Dakota State Roundup
May 2004 - fedgazette
2003 RMA Crop Indemnities
Map
March 2004 - fedgazette
Crop insurance turning dry fields into cash crop
Improved federal programs help farmers buy better protection against nature's worst, but at a heavy public cost
Ronald A. Wirtz
March 2004 - fedgazette
Earned Income Tax Credits: helping low-income families build lives and assets
Commentary
Beth Haney
March 2004 - fedgazette
Government looks to stem exodus
North Dakota State Roundup
March 2004 - fedgazette
Letter to the Editor
Re: Government Spending
March 2004 - fedgazette
A pleasant surprise: mo' money
North Dakota State Roundup
January 2004 - fedgazette
After the fiscal gold rush
Persistent budget shortfalls have created subtle spending shifts and a kitchen-sink mentality to close budget gaps without cutting services
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2004 - fedgazette
An acquired taste for public goodies
State and local government spending has steadily increased across the district, and states have unique spending priorities.
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2004 - fedgazette
Growth in state and local government spending (Real per capita average annual growth, 1977-2000)
Charts: Real per capita average annual growth, 1977-2000 for Michigan, Minnesota and Montana
January 2004 - fedgazette
Growth in state and local government spending (Real per capita average annual growth, 1977-2000)
Charts: Growth in state and local government spending--North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin
January 2004 - fedgazette
Letter to the Editor
Comment on July 2003 fedgazette on Water Wars.
January 2004 - fedgazette
Put it on my ... er, his tab
Opinion polls show a big gap between the public's desire for services and its willingness to pay for those services
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2004 - fedgazette
Thanks for nothin', bro
State budget problems get passed down the ladder
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2004 - fedgazette
What's your opinion of the recently approved drug benefit program in Medicare? What effect is it likely to have on your business?
District Voices
January 2004 - fedgazette
Shrinking a deadweight loss
A proposal to reform Social Security
Douglas Clement
December 2003 - The Region
Wrong side of the tracks?
Railroads have made impressive strides over the past two decades, but challenges lie ahead for railroad firms and the communities they serve.
David Page, Ronald A. Wirtz
November 2003 - fedgazette
Cleaner air and water come at a cost
Wisconsin State Roundup
September 2003 - fedgazette
County tax base rises
Michigan State Roundup
September 2003 - fedgazette
Drinking may be hazardous to funding
Wisconsin State Roundup
September 2003 - fedgazette
Montana faces first job loss in 16 years
Montana State Roundup
September 2003 - fedgazette
North Dakota now has options
North Dakota State Roundup
September 2003 - fedgazette
A winning gamble? State expands compacts with tribes
Wisconsin State Roundup
July 2003 - fedgazette
Don't call us
South Dakota State Roundup
July 2003 - fedgazette
Gentlemen, start your ethanol engines
Thanks to government-induced demand, ethanol production is on the fast track in the district.
Frank Jossi
July 2003 - fedgazette
I dream of protective genies
The softwood lumber and steel industries begged for protection from imports. Both got their wish, but has it helped?
Ronald A. Wirtz
July 2003 - fedgazette
On a trade mission
For district, states, is it a pot-o-gold or a rainbow of hype at the end of a foreign trade mission?
Phil Davies
July 2003 - fedgazette
Water Wars
Markets hold promise for resolving disputes over water use. But the intricate economics—and persistent politics—of water suggest that governments will remain part of the picture.
Douglas Clement
July 2003 - fedgazette
Anti-Poverty Design: The Cash-Out Option
The poverty debate largely ignores the success of the Earned Income Tax Credit and, by extension, the insights it might hold for future policy design.
Ronald A. Wirtz
June 2003 - The Region
Adjustment phase
Michigan State Roundup
May 2003 - fedgazette
Clipped wings for Essential Air Service?
Rosie Cataldo
May 2003 - fedgazette
Guaranteeing the gamy taste
Wisconsin State Roundup
May 2003 - fedgazette
Has your business been affected by the deployment of military reservists?
District Voices
May 2003 - fedgazette
Ninth District EAS Communities, 2003
Ninth District Map of Essential Air Service
May 2003 - fedgazette
Uncle Sam wants you to export
Ronald A. Wirtz
May 2003 - fedgazette
Workers' comp rates lowest in the nation
North Dakota State Roundup
May 2003 - fedgazette
Few big winners
Many believe American Indian tribes are swimming in cash, thanks to their casinos. In fact, very few tribes have really hit the jackpot
Douglas Clement
March 2003 - fedgazette
Gambling: A sure thing?
An in-depth look at Ninth District gambling,
from state lotteries to Indian casinos to Internet gambling.
Douglas Clement
March 2003 - fedgazette
Not a great bet
Lotteries and other forms of government-sanctioned gambling have spread rapidly across the Ninth District. What kind of jackpot do they really deliver to state and local governments?
Douglas Clement
March 2003 - fedgazette
Profile of a gambling district
We love to gamble, and we've developed dozens of ways to do it
Douglas Clement
March 2003 - fedgazette
Taking food from mouths?
Do lottery tickets and other forms of gambling compete with essentials in the household budget? Yes, says a recent economic analysis, but that's not necessarily a bad thing
Douglas Clement
March 2003 - fedgazette
Tax collections vary widely across the district
Toby Madden
March 2003 - fedgazette
Plugging the brain drain
States fret over losing their young, educated workers, and many are scrambling for ways to stop the outward flow
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2003 - fedgazette
State tappin'
North Dakota State Roundup
November 2002 - fedgazette
Reflections on Business, Government and Reputation
Top of the Ninth
Gary H. Stern
September 2002 - The Region
Hunting for a solution
Resident and nonresident hunters duel over the benefits of state game resources
Rosie Cataldo
July 2002 - fedgazette
Personal income growth slows in district
Rob Grunewald
July 2002 - fedgazette
Still workin' on the railroad
South Dakota State Roundup
July 2002 - fedgazette
We Have Met the Federal Government and the Federal Government Is Us
Guest Editorial: Minneapolis Fed Vice President Preston Miller reminds taxpayers to think critically about federal spending programs.
Preston J. Miller
June 2002 - The Region
Mortgage Rates, Homeownership Rates, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
2001 Annual Report Essay: A review of studies on the effects mortgage rates have on homeownership and, in particular, the role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-sponsored entities.
Ron J. Feldman
April 2002 - The Region
A fair price for whom?
Fair-price programs might be popular with farmers and lawmakers, but they carry with them a wheelbarrow full of both obvious and subtle ill effects
Ronald A. Wirtz
March 2002 - fedgazette
Farm safety at any speed
A reinforced safety net is a priority for the next farm bill, but a customized fit has proved difficult to fashion and sprouted unintended consequences
Ronald A. Wirtz
March 2002 - fedgazette
Full throttle for high-speed rail?
High-speed rail likely hinges on federal funding, but does getting such funding automatically make it a good idea?
Rosie Cataldo
March 2002 - fedgazette
Green is good
Many believe paying farmers for better environmental outcomes is an idea worth fertilizing
Ronald A. Wirtz
March 2002 - fedgazette
Proposed Midwest Regional Rail System (MWRRS)
Map: Proposed Midwest Regional Rail System
March 2002 - fedgazette
Military build-up: district defense contractors watching, waiting
A look at Ninth District defense contractors in light of recent military activity
Rosie Cataldo
January 2002 - fedgazette
State budgets facing falling revenue, budget deficits
Rob Grunewald
January 2002 - fedgazette
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Expenditures By Location Fiscal Year 2000
January 2002 - fedgazette
Cost v. Benefit: Clearing the Air?
This year's historic Supreme Court case pit industry against environmentalists, but the role of economics in regulatory policy was (and still is) on trial
Douglas Clement
December 2001 - The Region
Why Costs Should Count
Douglas Clement
December 2001 - The Region
Public venture, public gain?
A follow-on to the July fedgazette cover story that looks at governments' role in promoting entrepreneurship and venture capital.
Ronald A. Wirtz
September 2001 - fedgazette
The granddaddy of VC
A review of the federal government's Small Business Investment Co.
Ronald A. Wirtz
September 2001 - fedgazette
Virtual high school goes online
Michigan State Roundup
July 2001 - fedgazette
Icebergs and Government Productivity
While private sector productivity has surged of late, government productivity trends are anyone's guess because no one's keeping track
Ronald A. Wirtz
June 2001 - The Region
Marquette battles erosion
Michigan State Roundup
May 2001 - fedgazette
Changing the way lawmakers make spending decisions
Editorial
Steve Rothschild
March 2001 - fedgazette
Ninth District states—by the numbers
Rob Grunewald
March 2001 - fedgazette
Letters to the editor
Reader comments on fedgazette articles
January 2001 - fedgazette
Power Struggle
Deregulation, once seen as inevitable in the electric industry, is now on the backburner in most Ninth District states
Douglas Clement
January 2001 - fedgazette
Pulling the plug on electricity deregulation?
As policymakers seek reliable power grids, utilities and large consumers cope with an uncertain regulatory future
Douglas Clement
January 2001 - fedgazette
Status of Electricity Deregulation in Ninth District States
December 2000
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2001 - fedgazette
“Musseling” in on the Ninth District economy
How many clams will it cost?
Rosie Cataldo
January 2001 - fedgazette
A helping hand, or new age loan sharking?
Amid growing market demand for nonbank financial services, critics decry abuse by and high costs of industry
Ronald A. Wirtz
October 2000 - fedgazette
Buyer beware
Despite high costs and warnings from consumer groups, the market for payday loans and other convenience-based financial services continues to grow. What gives?
Ronald A. Wirtz
October 2000 - fedgazette
Financial modernization, the FHLB and agricultural banks
Ron J. Feldman, Jason Schmidt
October 2000 - fedgazette
Will that be cash, check or debtor's hell?
Ronald A. Wirtz
October 2000 - fedgazette
A little help from uncle sammy
Ronald A. Wirtz
July 2000 - fedgazette
A toolbox of favors
A kitty of different business incentives gives local communities the wherewithal to close deals
Ronald A. Wirtz
July 2000 - fedgazette
Backed by popular demand
With subsidized interest rates, public loan programs abound but don't always deliver
Ronald A. Wirtz
July 2000 - fedgazette
Fully loaded
Despite how they might prefer to operate, development professionals offer cache of incentives to remain competitive
Ronald A. Wirtz
July 2000 - fedgazette
Coming to a national forest near you
Roadless initiative more complex than “knuckle-dragging loggers vs. spotted owls”
Ronald A. Wirtz
April 2000 - fedgazette
Roadless initiative is rounding first phase and headed for second
Ronald A. Wirtz
April 2000 - fedgazette
Inspections coming to a rural home near you
Wisconsin State Roundup
January 2000 - fedgazette
Jobs wanted: Will work for (next to) nothing
Ronald A. Wirtz
January 2000 - fedgazette
Urban farmers seeing property tax relief
Wisconsin State Roundup
January 2000 - fedgazette
Workers receive good news, bad news on wage front
South Dakota State Roundup
January 2000 - fedgazette
Risk-focused fair lending examinations
A discussion of fair lending laws and the new fair lending examination procedures used by this Reserve Bank and other federal banking regulators.
John Alderman
November 1999 - Community Dividend
Farm crisis: Here we go again?
An analysis of the current crisis in agriculture
Ronald A. Wirtz
October 1999 - fedgazette
Farming the government
Far from abandoning farmers, government policy stumbles into the new ag economy, helping some but not others
Ronald A. Wirtz
October 1999 - fedgazette
Minimum wage as price support
Amid calls in Congress for an increase in the minimum wage, the fedgazette presents two opposing views, an editorial from the Minneapolis StarTribune in favor of such a raise and an editorial from a M
Preston J. Miller
October 1999 - fedgazette
Working Wage: The minimum wage needs another boost
Amid calls in Congress for an increase in the minimum wage, the fedgazette presents two opposing views, an editorial from the Minneapolis StarTribune in favor of such a raise and an editorial from a M
October 1999 - fedgazette
Tribal sovereign immunity: An obstacle for non-Indians doing business in Indian Country?
What is sovereign immunity, and what does it mean in the tribal context?
Sue Woodrow
July 1998 - Community Dividend
Implementing NAHASDA: How the rule was written
Doug Dewalt, a tribal representative serving on NAHASDA's Negotiated Rulemaking Committee, discusses his experience relating to the enactment of the historic Indian housing act.
Thomas Moore
April 1998 - Community Dividend
How U.S. policy can promote higher economic growth
James A. Schmitz, Jr., Preston J. Miller
July 1997 - fedgazette
Per capita distribution of federal funds, 1996
United State Map
July 1997 - fedgazette
An anti-inflationary policy is a pro-growth policy
Arthur J. Rolnick
April 1997 - fedgazette
Great Plains Commission completes work, looks to region's future
North Dakota State Roundup
April 1997 - fedgazette
Tourism—a taxing issue
Kathy Cobb
April 1997 - fedgazette
Jobs creation and government policy,
Excerpt from a speech Mr. Jordan originally delivered in November at the Instituto Mexicano de Ejecutivos de Finanzas AC in Merida, Mexico.
Jerry L. Jordan
January 1997 - fedgazette
Producing jobs is key for Indian reservations
Editorial from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader newspaper and is expressly the opinion of the writer, not the Minneapolis Fed.
January 1997 - fedgazette
Cui Bono? Who Gains and Who Loses
Edward Lotterman
December 1996 - The Region
Farm Bills and Farmers: The effects of subsidies over time
An analysis of over 60 years of agriculture legislation
Edward Lotterman
December 1996 - The Region
Farm Policy Over Two Centuries
Edward Lotterman
December 1996 - The Region
And now for something completely different: Market prices
Montana will use the market to manage demand for some hunting licenses; other states place limits, tinker with nonresident fees
David Fettig
April 1996 - fedgazette
Deposit insurance: It's time to cage the monster
Richard M. Kovacevich
April 1996 - fedgazette
Primer on congestion pricing
David Fettig
April 1996 - fedgazette
State universities feel the fiscal pinch, but also see new opportunities
Kathy Cobb
October 1995 - fedgazette
The new economics of a minimum wage hike
Preston J. Miller
October 1995 - fedgazette
Deadwood readies for Dunbar resort
South Dakota State Roundup
July 1995 - fedgazette
Putting the “C" in CRA
As Congress debates value of lending law, banks go about the business of reinvesting
David Fettig
July 1995 - fedgazette
A new idea for welfare reform
Michael P. Keane
April 1995 - fedgazette
Do federal dairy policies hurt district?
Edward Lotterman
January 1995 - fedgazette
Is deposit insurance the bankers' Faustian bargain?
This column is based on Burstein's October address to the Minnesota Institute of Legal Education.
Melvin L. Burstein
January 1995 - fedgazette
Can farmers afford "business as usual" ag policy?
fedgazette Editorial
Juan Miguel Pedraza
July 1994 - fedgazette
It's just good business to care
fedgazette Editorial
David A. Koch
July 1994 - fedgazette
Impact study puts all facts on the table about sports facility
fedgazette Editorial
Wilbur Maki
April 1994 - fedgazette
Mandated health care may increase incentives for underground activity
David Fettig
April 1994 - fedgazette
We don't need study to conclude bailing out arena isn't wise
fedgazette Editorial
Arthur J. Rolnick
April 1994 - fedgazette
You can't tax what you can't see
Underground economy skews statistics and shortchanges the tax man, but is it all bad?
David Fettig
April 1994 - fedgazette
Fair lending: the issue of the '90s may inspire more regs
fedgazette Editorial
Karen Grandstrand
July 1993 - fedgazette
America's Second Currency
A Staple for 1 in 10 Americans, Food Stamp Program May Face Reforms
Ben Senauer
March 1993 - The Region
State & local economic development policy a zero-sum game ... or worse?
Arthur J. Rolnick
January 1993 - fedgazette
Regulatory burden
Bankers rally against increasing paperwork, claim compliance is threatening industry
David Fettig
October 1992 - fedgazette
Regulatory burden: relief in sight?
William W. Strausburg
October 1992 - fedgazette
The road to a unified currency: Two views
fedgazette Editorial
October 1992 - fedgazette
Development Center aids Indian-owned businesses
David Fettig
July 1992 - fedgazette
The industry that keeps growing and growing and ...
David Fettig
July 1992 - fedgazette
Being treated like a dog ... ain't always so bad
fedgazette Editorial
Preston J. Miller
April 1992 - fedgazette
Heartland expressway closer to a reality
South Dakota State Roundup
April 1992 - fedgazette
Restoring the Fed as lender of last resort
fedgazette Editorial
Melvin L. Burstein
January 1992 - fedgazette
Job creation: A classic win-win situation
fedgazette Editorial
George S. Mickelson
October 1991 - fedgazette
The job creation illusion
fedgazette Editorial
Arthur J. Rolnick
October 1991 - fedgazette
County enters entrepreneurial fray, offers cash and loans to start-ups
David Fettig
July 1991 - fedgazette
Federal budget reforms: why they aren't working and what we can do about it
fedgazette Editorial
V. V. Chari
July 1991 - fedgazette
Pilot project focuses on rural development
South Dakota State Roundup
April 1991 - fedgazette
Rural hospitals provide more than health care; they are part of the economic lifeblood of rural America
April 1991 - fedgazette
The alarming costs of preventing bank runs
fedgazette Editorial
Arthur J. Rolnick
April 1991 - fedgazette
U.S. health care system shows signs of terminal condition, crippled government budgets provide little aid
Some prescribe competitive markets as medicine
David Fettig
April 1991 - fedgazette
Economic and political uncertainty make for tense waiting game in Upper Peninsula
Michigan State Roundup
December 1990 - fedgazette
Employers and local governments aren't immune from state budget ills
fedgazette Editorial
Connie Levi
December 1990 - fedgazette
Faced with decreased revenues and economic uncertainty, states must make tough budgetary decisions
David Fettig
December 1990 - fedgazette
Philosophically and otherwise, change is in order for Minnesota finances
David Fettig
December 1990 - fedgazette
The S&L crisis: bad people or bad policy?
fedgazette Editorial
Arthur J. Rolnick
September 1990 - fedgazette
Communities are cautiously optimistic about future of Air Force bases
David Fettig
June 1990 - fedgazette
Defense cuts inevitable, but impact depends on location and pace of change
David Fettig
June 1990 - fedgazette
Diversity shields most Ninth District contractors from defense cutbacks
David Fettig
June 1990 - fedgazette
A referendum for more efficient state government
fedgazette Editorial
Earl S. Strinden
March 1990 - fedgazette
Can the public be trusted to regulate banks?
fedgazette Editorial
Arthur J. Rolnick
March 1990 - fedgazette
10-month sales tax creates $40 million business loan fund
David Fettig
December 1989 - fedgazette
Flight of Minnesota businesses inspires creation of tax credit
David Fettig
December 1989 - fedgazette
Three departments joined in common development effort
David Fettig
December 1989 - fedgazette
After three months: a review of U.S.-Canada free trade
David Fettig
March 1989 - fedgazette
