by Ellen D. Harpel | Jun 8, 2026 | Uncategorized
If there was one word that defined the 2026 OECD Global Forum on Local Development for me, it was resilience. Not growth, resilience. Across sessions on trade, workforce development, entrepreneurship, industrial policy, and regional cooperation, participants returned...
by Ellen D. Harpel | May 18, 2026 | Uncategorized
Identifying the right metrics is a challenging issue in economic development. The field has long relied on “jobs, jobs, jobs” to tell the story of economic development success, maybe adding in tallies of capital investment. But these traditional measures no longer...
by Ellen D. Harpel | Apr 24, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a $2 billion annual federal program intended to incentivize the hiring of veterans, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals. The credit is currently on hiatus. This may be for good reason. A recent study found...
by Ellen D. Harpel | Feb 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
With Opportunity Zone 2.0 designations on the horizon, communities have something they didn’t have the first time around: the benefit of experience. OZ 1.0 taught us about where investment flows, what kinds of projects attract capital, and where the program...
by Ellen D. Harpel | Dec 14, 2025 | Uncategorized
The 2025 Tax Expenditures Lab Flagship Report provides important insights on tax expenditure transparency and effectiveness. Recently released by authors from the German Institute of Development and Sustainability and Council on Economic Policy, it offers multiple...
by Ellen D. Harpel | Nov 9, 2025 | Uncategorized
Many states offer tax credits to encourage employers to hire veterans transitioning to civilian life. Unfortunately, this approach has proven largely ineffective, showing only a negligible impact on veteran employment. In many states, these credits are used by very...
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