Fuel for the Field

Summer reading usually focuses on mysteries, not policy. But given the stubbornly high unemployment rate and the raging debate over federal spending, you might want to add to this summer’s short list a new publication of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and The Aspen Institute called “Smart Subsidy for Community Development”. This exploration of [...]

On the evening of June 2, a colleague called to let me know that Bob Hohler – mentor and friend — had passed away. This week, I learned of a White House initiative to nominate Champions of Change.  I would be hard-pressed to think of a better candidate than Bob Hohler. Bob was an astonishing [...]

Governor Brown’s announcement of the May budget revision paints a stark picture of what eats up taxpayer dollars that might otherwise go to building the economy and the future.  Prison costs are now neck in neck with General Fund spending on higher education. While the costs alone are motivating all ends of the political spectrum [...]