Under Pressure

The State of Working Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia’s dominance as a national and international business center contributes to its reputation as the great economic engine of Virginia. Parts of the region have some of the highest incomes in the nation, and the educational attainment rates of the workforce make it one of the most educated regions in the world. But a closer look at the dynamics of the Northern Virginia economy shows that not all workers and industries are benefitting from this success.  >> Read post

Mandatory Hybrid Pension Could Cost Virginia Millions

New analysis shows impact could exceed $25 million

Legislation that creates a new mandatory hybrid retirement program for public employees in Virginia could cost the state millions to implement according to new analysis published today by The Commonwealth Institute. In the report, Known Unknowns, Institute analysts studied the cost of developing the information technology and other related systems in states with similar hybrid retirement plans — Utah, Oregon and Michigan — and used those costs to estimate the potential impact in Virginia. With nearly 340,000 participants in the state’s retirement plan, the potential costs could be between $5 million and over $25 million. >> Read post

Recent Work

Tighter Voter ID Requirements Bring Costs to Virginia

New analysis shows impact could exceed $1.2 million

RICHMOND, VA – Two bills pending in the General Assembly to tighten voter ID requirements in Virginia will cost between half a million and $1.2 million, according to new analysis published today by The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis. Under SB1 and HB9, voters who show up to the polls without an acceptable form of identification would be required to vote provisionally, resulting in significant implementation costs. But the state says the measures won’t cost anything. >> Read post

Voter Photo ID Could Cost Virginia Millions

HB569: A Fiscal and Legal Morass

HB 569 imposes burdensome new voter identification requirements, could cost Virginia millions of dollars to implement, and may ensnare Virginia in costly litigation. As currently drafted, this legislation would (1) require proof of citizenship for new voter registrations (including individuals who move into Virginia after being registered in other states) and (2) photo proof of identification at the polling place. Based on estimates from other states, implementation of HB569 could cost between $7.91 million and $22.59 million. >> Read post