Even before the pandemic, Texas schools faced daunting challenges. About 88% of students were economically disadvantaged. Two ethnic groups that comprised about two-thirds of enrollment (and rapidly growing) held less than 8% of the state's wealth. Many districts had massive infrastructure deficiencies, while others struggled to keep pace with explosive growth. As if that weren't enough, Texas ranked 41st nationally in spending per student.
Laws which restrict voter access can have substantial negative economic consequences due to lost earnings and related reductions in consumer spending. In addition, irrespective of their stated purpose, controversial laws can also lead to reductions in travel and tourism and economic development.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits in the US fell to 684,000 in late March for the first time in a year. Believe it or not, that's important. "Initial claims" sounds like something only an economist could love (and a nerdy one at that). This weekly statistic represents the first filing for unemployment for a specific claim--basically layoffs or jobs that have recently been eliminated. We normally don't pay much attention to it, but it got more headlines during the pandemic as a weekly barometer for how the economy was faring.
Dr. Perryman breaks down the factors that led to this somewhat surprising data point and what it means going forward.
It's now been a year since COVID-19 began to upend the lives of people around the world. The human cost has been tragic, and measures needed to slow the spread of the virus have also taken a toll on mental health and wellbeing. From an economic perspective, the pandemic has caused substantial and, in many cases, catastrophic losses.
Dr. Perryman describes the meaning of first-time unemployment claims dropping into numbers we have seen before and how that represents economic recovery from the pandemic.
Dr. Perryman explains the current status of bank credit and what it means for the economy.
Dr. Perryman explains why it is important and the political factors that play into how this bill will go into effect.
Dr. Perryman highlights some key impacts that have come from the virus.
Dr. Perryman assesses the trade-off in short and long-term economic activity that accompanies an increase in taxes.