<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>The Commonwealth Institute</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org</link>
	<description></description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 12:51:56 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>Under Pressure</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/05/08/under-pressure/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/05/08/under-pressure/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 May 2012 12:37:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Labor & Wage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[State of Working Virginia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food Stamps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gender Pay Gap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Job Losses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jobs Gap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Localities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poverty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Safety Net]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SNAP]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1410</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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. While conditions have deteriorated for many workers – cuts in hours, reduced employment opportunities, income losses, and rising prices – even the most well-positioned workers in the region are operating under increased pressures brought on by the Great Recession and its lingering effects. This report focuses on key measures of the economy critical to understanding how the workforce is faring in Northern Virginia. By examining the most recent data available from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, The State of Working Northern Virginia highlights where Northern Virginians are working and how much they earn, and then places that in the context of what it costs to live in this rapidly expanding metropolitan area. &#62;&#62; [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/05/08/under-pressure/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Unemployment Ticks Down in March But Jobs Don’t Grow</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/04/20/unemployment-ticks-down-in-march-but-jobs-don%e2%80%99t-grow/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/04/20/unemployment-ticks-down-in-march-but-jobs-don%e2%80%99t-grow/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:14:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Labor & Wage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News Releases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Job Losses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jobs Gap]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1385</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Quarterly Numbers Show Modest Improvement While Virginia unemployment rate dropped to 5.6 percent in March, down from 5.7 percent in February, the state didn’t add jobs in March, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, three years out from the official end of the recession, analysis of the data shows unemployment remains 30 percent higher than it was during the worst part of the last recession in 2001. “The drop in unemployment is welcome news,” says Michael Cassidy, President of The Commonwealth Institute, an independent fiscal and economic policy organization that tracks employment trends in the state, “but the fact that there were no new jobs created last month sends a cautionary signal about the strength of the recovery.” Additional analysis of the most recent monthly data shows: Since June 2009, the official end of the recession, Virginia has added 74,900 jobs. When compared to pre-recession levels in December 2007, total employment in Virginia is still down 54,400 jobs. The new March data also provides an opportunity to take stock of the first quarter of 2012. Here, Virginia did have some modest gains. For the first quarter of 2012, Virginia posted an [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/04/20/unemployment-ticks-down-in-march-but-jobs-don%e2%80%99t-grow/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mandatory Hybrid Pension Could Cost Virginia Millions</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/04/11/mandatory-hybrid-pension-could-cost-virginia-millions/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/04/11/mandatory-hybrid-pension-could-cost-virginia-millions/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:38:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Labor & Wage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Budget Cuts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1359</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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 &#8212; Utah, Oregon and Michigan &#8212; 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. “Even though the state maintained that costs could not be ascertained at the time the legislation was proposed, simple analysis around the experience of other states gives us an idea of how significant the costs could be,” says Michael Cassidy, president of the Institute. The state’s fiscal impact statement for the bills stated that “[w]hile this bill does have significant costs associated with systems development, these cannot be ascertained at this time.” The fiscal impact statement is available here. In addition to costing the state millions to implement, the legislation also reduces benefits for some current and [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/04/11/mandatory-hybrid-pension-could-cost-virginia-millions/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Jobs Numbers: The Good and the Bad</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/03/30/new-jobs-numbers-the-good-and-the-bad/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/03/30/new-jobs-numbers-the-good-and-the-bad/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:20:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Labor & Wage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News Releases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Job Losses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jobs Gap]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1330</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Financial Activities sector gains, Construction loses jobs RICHMOND, VA – Despite a drop in Virginia’s unemployment rate to 5.7% in February (seasonally adjusted), and the addition of 6,300 jobs for the month, Virginia still has a long way to go before total employment rebounds to pre-recession levels. “This bit of good news from today’s release of the latest jobs numbers should not distract us from the fact that we’re still just barely treading water in the state,” says Michael Cassidy, President and CEO of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, a Richmond-based fiscal and economic policy organization that tracks employment trends in the state. Further analysis of the new seasonally adjusted data shows: Since June 2009, the official end of the recession, Virginia has added 71,600 jobs. When compared to pre-recession levels in December 2007, total employment in Virginia is still down 57,700 jobs. The employment sector with the strongest growth in February was Financial Activities, gaining 2,500 jobs. The construction sector continued to struggle, losing 1,500 jobs. The unemployment rate for February – almost three years after the official end of the recession &#8212; is still 33% higher than during the worst part of the last recession in 2001. [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/03/30/new-jobs-numbers-the-good-and-the-bad/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Virginia’s Mixed Bag on Jobs</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/03/13/virginia%e2%80%99s-mixed-bag-on-jobs/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/03/13/virginia%e2%80%99s-mixed-bag-on-jobs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:52:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Labor & Wage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News Releases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Job Losses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jobs Gap]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1217</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Revised 2011 Numbers Show Solid Growth But Jobs Gap Got Wider Due to Growth in Labor Force Unemployment in Virginia dropped to 5.8% in January and the state added 2,300 jobs for the month, according to the most recent seasonally adjusted data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Job growth in Virginia is beginning to emerge from a long period of dormancy,” says Michael Cassidy, President and CEO of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, a Richmond-based fiscal and economic policy organization that tracks employment trends in the state. “Still, we are at a very fragile moment. Growth in the size of the labor force continues to outpace job creation. We also need to do everything we can to keep the jobs we have and support the many displaced workers and families still struggling with the impacts of the long recession.” Further analysis of the new data shows: Since June 2009, the official end of the recession, Virginia has added 67,000 jobs. When compared to pre-recession levels in December 2007, total employment in Virginia, however, is still down 62,300 In addition, the Bureau also released revised 2011 data showing that Virginia added 46,500 net jobs in 2011, but [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/03/13/virginia%e2%80%99s-mixed-bag-on-jobs/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Voter ID Bill Heads to Conference, Will Add to State Spending</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/03/07/voter-id-bill-heads-to-conference-will-add-to-state-spending/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/03/07/voter-id-bill-heads-to-conference-will-add-to-state-spending/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:19:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budget & Tax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News Releases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Budget Cuts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1201</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Conferees will have to face the reality that new provisions will cost up to $1.2 million Senate and House of Delegates conferees will have to figure out not only how to resolve the differences between two bills that will significantly change voter identification requirements in Virginia (SB1 and HB9),  they’ll also have to face the fiscal reality that the new requirements are costly. According to recent analysis published by The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, implementing the new voter ID requirements of either of the bills will cost between half a million to over a million dollars and involve significant public education efforts, staff training, and provisional ballot administration. “So far debate on these bills hasn’t adequately addressed these significant costs,” says Michael Cassidy, president and CEO of The Commonwealth Institute. Under the bills, the voters who show up to the polls without an acceptable form of identification would be required to vote provisionally, resulting in significant implementation costs.  The Institute’s analysis examined voter ID laws in Maryland, North Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nevada, Georgia and South Carolina, and put the cost for Virginia between $522,263 and $1,258,959. In a year of budget tightening and program cuts in other areas, the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/03/07/voter-id-bill-heads-to-conference-will-add-to-state-spending/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Tighter Voter ID Requirements Bring Costs to Virginia</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/02/20/tighter-voter-id-requirements-bring-costs-to-virginia/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/02/20/tighter-voter-id-requirements-bring-costs-to-virginia/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:55:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budget & Tax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News Releases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Budget Cuts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1176</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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&#8217;t cost anything. “Despite an official state estimate that these costs can be absorbed in the existing State Board of Elections budget, the facts show that in other states where similar measures have been adopted, the costs have been significant,” says Michael Cassidy, Institute president. The analysis examines similar voter ID laws in Maryland, North Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nevada, Georgia and South Carolina, and considers costs for voter education, staff training, and provisional ballot administration. The Institute&#8217;s analysis puts the cost for Virginia between $522,263 and $1,258,959. The state’s original fiscal impact statement for HB9 estimated the cost at $70,000 over two years and called for a budget amendment. That impact statement is no longer posted on the Legislative [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/02/20/tighter-voter-id-requirements-bring-costs-to-virginia/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Voter Photo ID Could Cost Virginia Millions</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/02/08/voter-photo-id-would-cost-virginia-millions/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/02/08/voter-photo-id-would-cost-virginia-millions/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:44:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budget & Tax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Budget Cuts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1144</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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. &#62;&#62; Read the report (pdf)]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/02/08/voter-photo-id-would-cost-virginia-millions/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Virginia Changes Course</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/01/30/virginia-changes-course/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/01/30/virginia-changes-course/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:58:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budget & Tax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Budget Cuts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Medicaid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poverty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Safety Net]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1063</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Governor&#8217;s Budget Turns Back on Low-Income Virginians RICHMOND, VA &#8211; In his proposed budget, Governor McDonnell gets nearly 60 percent of his budget cuts from services and programs that serve low-income Virginians, a dramatic departure from bipartisan efforts on Virginia’s budget in recent years. &#8220;These cuts will hurt the disadvantaged and lead to increases in poverty as thousands of low-income Virginians lose essential services like health care and food assistance,&#8221; says Michael Cassidy, president of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis. &#8220;Even in the deepest part of the recession, the General Assembly recognized the need to support the most economically vulnerable Virginians. Now, Governor McDonnell proposes that Virginia change course and use services for low-income Virginians as the main targets for budget cuts.&#8221; Services for low-income Virginians are defined as those that are means-tested and budget cuts are calculated on a current services basis. . Key Findings Cuts to programs serving low-income Virginians make up 59 percent of all the cuts contained in the Governor’s proposed budget, despite accounting for just 27 percent of the budget. Prior years’ budgets, however, got only 12 percent of their cuts from programs that serve low-income Virginians. During the recession, programs that serve low-income [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/01/30/virginia-changes-course/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Dec. Jobs Report: No Yearly Progress Despite Dec. Gain</title>
		<link>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/01/24/dec-jobs-report-no-yearly-progress-despite-dec-gain/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/01/24/dec-jobs-report-no-yearly-progress-despite-dec-gain/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:11:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Labor & Wage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News Releases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Job Losses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jobs Gap]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/?p=1048</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Virginia adds 7,800 jobs in December, but total jobs gap remains high While Virginia gained 7,800 jobs in December, according to the seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment in Virginia remained stuck 6.2 percent for the month, capping a lackluster year in job growth for the state. Looking back over 2011, Virginia gained a net total of 36,600 jobs in 2011, but the number of jobs needed to keep up with population growth for the year was 40,978. “The economic challenges facing Virginia are directly tied to our ability to keep and create jobs,” says Michael Cassidy, President of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis. “Keeping and creating new jobs should be the primary focus of our legislators in this General Assembly session.” Analysis of the new data shows: Since June 2009, the official end of the recession, Virginia has added only 23,700 jobs. When compared to pre-recession levels in December 2007, total employment in Virginia is down over 101,500 jobs. Factoring in growth in the working age population, Virginia’s total jobs gap now stands at 283,200 jobs needed to get back to pre-recession employment levels. Looking back over 2011, Virginia added 36,600 jobs [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/2012/01/24/dec-jobs-report-no-yearly-progress-despite-dec-gain/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

