Economics – City Prosper

Positive Thinking

Jeff M. — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:11:03 +0000

The Philadelphia Weekly reports, “Reports about Philly’s lagging economy are misleadingly negative.”

$lowdown endangers city budget

Jeff M. — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:50:38 +0000

The Daily News reports, “Mayor Nutter, who ran for office on a promise of making City Hall business more transparent, yesterday tried to have reporters removed from a budget briefing that he held for City Council.”

Source: $lowdown endangers city budget

Slowed economy likely puts crimp in Nutter’s budget

Jeff M. — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:45:13 +0000

The Inquirer reports, “The crowd-pleasing $4 billion budget that Mayor Nutter proposed in February – packed with tax cuts and spending initiatives – will likely have to be scaled back, Nutter told City Council at a budget briefing yesterday.”

Source: Slowed economy likely puts crimp in Nutter’s budget

City, ‘burbs see dramatic increase in children living in poverty

Jeff M. — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:56:08 +0000

The Daily News reports, “Child poverty increased dramatically in Philadelphia and its suburbs from 2002 to 2006, according to a report by Public Citizens for Children and Youth.”

Source: City, ‘burbs see dramatic increase in children living in poverty

Let us pay: Struggling with soaring costs of food, fuel, rent

Jeff M. — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:54:50 +0000

The Daily News reports, “Prices for everything from food to fuel have hit record highs. And although some economists hesitate to use the word “recession,” many area residents have been forced to take a recess from their cars, their nonessential groceries and, for some, their rent or utilities.”

Source: Let us pay: Struggling with soaring costs of food, fuel, rent

Philadelphia’s home-price drop less than elsewhere

Jeff M. — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:01:45 +0000

The Inquirer reports, “The Philadelphia region’s home prices continue to decline at a slower rate than the 20 metropolitan areas tracked by the Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller Index, economists said yesterday.”

Source: Philadelphia’s home-price drop less than elsewhere

Credit Cards Offer Less Credit in Black Neighborhoods

Jeff M. — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:13:42 +0000

KnowledgePlex.org reports, “Credit card companies offer residents of majority black communities a lower credit limit than residents with the same profile who live in white neighborhoods, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston has found.”

Source: Credit Cards Offer Less Credit in Black Neighborhoods, Federal Reserve Study Says

Increasing economic troubles drive up construction costs

Jeff M. — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:32:30 +0000

The Daily Pennsylvanian reports, “With gas prices sitting at $3.51 a gallon nationwide, many people are finding it harder to get around. These same prices are making it more expensive for institutions like Penn to fund construction projects.”

Source: Increasing economic troubles drive up construction costs

Cutoffs and Pleas for Aid Rise With Heat Costs

Jeff M. — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:00:50 +0000

The New York Times reports, “After struggling with soaring heating costs through the winter, millions of Americans are behind on electric and gas bills, and a record number of families could face energy shut-offs over the next two months, according to state energy officials and utilities around the country.”

Source: Cutoffs and Pleas for Aid Rise With Heat Costs

Test run for 2010 census is scaled back, worrying experts

Jeff M. — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:54:49 +0000

USA Today reports, “The Census Bureau has scaled back its dress rehearsal for the once-a-decade national head count, raising fears that thousands of soldiers, immigrants and other hard-to-reach people will go uncounted when the population survey is conducted in 2010.”

Source: Test run for 2010 census is scaled back, worrying experts