Report Does Broadband Boost Local Economic Development? By Jed Kolko Jan 11, 2010 The federal government and the state of California, as well as other states throughout the nation, have made universal access to broadband service a public policy goal, assuming that multiple economic and social benefits will accrue from increasing broadband access. This study assesses whether policies designed to increase broadband availability—especially to unserved and underserved communities—will contribute to local economic development. It finds a positive relationship between broadband expansion and employment growth, but the benefits for local residents are ambiguous. This report was supported with funding from The David A. Coulter Family Foundation.
Report Local and Global Networks of Immigrant Professionals in Silicon Valley By AnnaLee Saxenian Apr 1, 2002 Foreign-born entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley are becoming agents of global economic change, and their increased mobility is fueling the emergence of entrepreneurial networks in distant locations. In this report, AnnaLee Saxenian investigates this development by drawing on the first large-scale survey of foreign-born professionals in Silicon Valley. Focusing on first-generation Indian and Chinese immigrants, the report compares their participation in local and global networks both to one another and to that of native-born professionals. The results indicate that local institutions and social networks within ethnic communities are more important than national or individual characteristics in explaining entrepreneurial behavior. The report also suggests that the so-called brain drain from India and China has been transformed into a more complex, two-way process of "brain circulation" linking Silicon Valley to urban centers in those countries.
Report Higher Education in California: New Goals for the Master Plan By Hans Johnson Apr 23, 2010 California’s Master Plan for Higher Education defined a strategy to meet the state’s needs in 1960—but today, California faces new challenges. By 2025, the state will have one million fewer college-educated workers than the economy will require, according to PPIC projections. Updating the Master Plan is crucial to closing this skills gap. This report proposes that the plan set explicit new goals in several key areas, including UC and CSU eligibility levels, community college transfers to four-year institutions, and college completion rates. Supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation as part of the California 2025 project on the state's future challenges and opportunities.
Report Water Stress and a Changing San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, Richard Howitt, Peter Moyle ... Mar 1, 2017 The San Joaquin Valley—California’s largest agricultural region and an important contributor to the nation’s food supply—is facing growing water stress and a number of related environmental and public health problems. Large parts of the valley have become dependent on unsustainable pumping of groundwater. Tackling these linked issues with cooperative, coordinated approaches is key to success. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the TomKat Foundation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Report California’s Future: Population By Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Jan 2, 2020 In 2019, California became the first state with 40 million residents. The state has been preparing for the 2020 Census, which will affect political representation and federal funding.
Report Paying for Water in California By Ellen Hanak, Dean Misczynski, Jay Lund, Brian Gray ... Mar 12, 2014 California faces serious funding gaps in five key areas of water management—including safe drinking water in small, disadvantaged communities; flood protection; management of stormwater and other polluted runoff; aquatic ecosystem management; and integrated water management. These gaps amount to $2 billion to $3 billion a year. But bold efforts by state and local leaders can pave the way to sustainable solutions for California’s critical water resources. This research is supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the California Water Foundation, an initiative of the Resources Legacy Fund.
Report Who Pays for Development Fees and Exactions? By Steven M. Sheffrin, Marla Dresch Jun 1, 1997 Exactions are payments made by a developer to local governments for the right to proceed with a project. Exactions can include development fees, the dedication of public land, the construction or maintenance of public infrastructure, or the provision of public services. Developers complain that exactions have become excessive, stifling economic growth. Local government officials argue that these levies are essential to growth: Without them, local government could not provide the infrastructure necessary for new development. Although California leads the nation in imposing fees on new residential development, surprisingly little is known about the nature and effects of these fees—for example, the extent to which they are passed on to consumers in the form of higher home prices. This volume presents the results of an econometric analysis of development fees in Contra Costa County—a county in the San Francisco Bay area that has experienced rapid growth in recent decades.
California Economic Policy, Report Are Businesses Fleeing the State? Interstate Business Relocation and Employment Change in California By David Neumark, Junfu Zhang, Brandon Wall Oct 26, 2005 A commonly heard theme in recent public debates about California's economic problems is that the state's economy is hostile to the needs of business. As evidence, it is asserted that businesses are leaving the state in droves, taking Californians' jobs. In reality, little is actually known about the trend of out-of-state business relocation. In this issue of California Economic Policy, the authors examine the phenomenon in a more complete context. They find that California does in fact lose businesses and jobs because of relocation, but the effect on employment is negligible.
Report The Impact of Budget Cuts on California’s Community Colleges By Hans Johnson, Belinda Reyes, Sarah Bohn Mar 26, 2013 Student enrollment rates in California’s community colleges have dropped to a 20-year low in the wake of unprecedented cuts in state funding. Colleges have reduced staff, cut courses, and increased class sizes—all of which have led to declines in student access. This research was supported with funding from the Donald Bren Foundation, the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, and The James Irvine Foundation.
Report Envisioning Futures for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta By Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, William Fleenor, Jeffrey Mount ... Feb 7, 2007 California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is widely perceived to be in crisis today: its levee system is fragile, many of its native species are declining rapidly, and it lacks strong governing institutions to deal with its problems. In its current state, the Delta is unsustainable for almost all stakeholders. This report provides a comprehensive, scientifically up-to-date analysis and outlines several alternative management strategies for the Delta. To view individual chapters, click on the links below. Summary Introduction The Legacies of Delta History Drivers of Change Within the Delta The Future of the Delta as an Aquatic Ecosystem A Crisis of Confidence: Shifting Stakeholder Perspectives on the Delta Water Supply Adaptations to Changes in Delta Management Delta Options and Alternatives Evaluating Delta Alternatives Financing and Governing a Soft Landing Conclusions and Recommendations Maps (full-color)
