I hate it when my pet theories don’t work out. But in the cause of evidence-based punditry, I re-evaluate my thinking in light of the latest information available. The latest data compelling an attitude adjustment on my part is a report from the state Bureau of Insurance detailing the pitiful market performance of “mandate-lite” insurance…

by James A. Bacon The McDonnell administration is putting the Route 460 project on fast forward.  The state has dedicated up to $500 million to support a public-private partnership to rebuild the four-lane road to interstate quality between Suffolk and Petersburg, a job that could run between $1.44 billion to $1.8 billion, reports the Virginian-Pilot.…

From Plow Horses to Race Horses – the Equine Contribution to Virginia’s Economy Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service Horse racing and horse shows have spurred the revitalization of Virginia’s equine industry. Is Policing Racially Biased? No Easy Answer Rand Corporation Police agencies are collecting more data than ever on the stops made by their…

Jim Bacon logging in from Wilkesboro, N.C…. People in the hill country of North Carolina may be forgiven if they don’t believe that the recession is over. Omtron USA, a poultry processing plant, is shutting down its Townsends’ Crestwoods Farms division, eliminating 680 jobs in Siler City and 476 more in Mocksville, reports the Winston-Salem…

Mapping Released Prisoners Urban Institute and the Providence Plan The police map crime. Why shouldn’t probation officers map the whereabouts of released convicts? Cut Federal Red Tape to Improve School Performance American Enterprise Institute Reforming federal compliance rules could lead to better educational outcomes than throwing more federal money at schools. State Education Secretaries as…

Do Gun Law Awareness Campaigns Work? Rand Corporation In a controlled experiment in Los Angeles gun markets, sending letters to gun purchasers resulted in an increased rate of reporting stolen guns. Toward Data-Driven Pediatric Care in Washington, D.C. National Academy for State Health Policy The District of Columbia medical establishment has an opportunity to improve…

By Peter Galuszka As minutes tick by, the behavior of Republicans in Congress, especially Virginia’s ultra-rogue junior elephant, Eric Cantor, becomes increasingly fascinating. They have become, suggests  David P. Barash, psychology professor at the University of Washington, elephants in “must,” meaning that the usual rules of rationality and brinksmanship have become moot. Mind you, the…

by James A. Bacon The Commonwealth Institute has peered into Virginia’s fiscal future and doesn’t like what it sees. The state faces another $500 million budget gap next year, and a $300 million gap the year after that, meaning that the prospects of restoring cuts to education, health care and public safety are bleak. Although…

How to Hold Higher Ed More Accountable National Governors Association States need to insist  upon greater productivity at public colleges. A starting point is to track basic data like how many students are graduating, and how well are colleges meeting industry’s needs for an educated workforce? How Much Is that College Degree Really Worth? National…

By Peter Galuszka Moody’s Investor’s Service has rained on Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell’s parade. On the day the Republican governor was proudly announcing a $311 million budget surplus with the prospect of being even $40 million more in the black, the ratings service announced that Virginia could be one of five states to see…

by James A. Bacon Gov. Bob McDonnell is chapped that the inability of the buffoons in the nation’s capital to reach a budget deal and raise the debt ceiling could impact negatively on Virginia’s AAA credit rating. He made the comments last week in response to news that Moody’s Investor Service had put the state…

A couple of days ago I caught some flak for daring to suggest that some Virginians drawing public benefits might be committing fraud — failing to report under-the-table income in order to qualify for food snaps, Medicaid, rental assistance or whatever. How beastly of me to cast such aspersions! What proof did I have? (See…

Gov. Bob McDonnell has the right idea with a new pay-for-performance system the state will be piloting in 25 schools across the commonwealth in the next school year. It would be foolhardy to expect miraculous results, but if the results are even mildly encouraging, Virginia public schools will have a new tool for recruiting and…