Jeffrey Thompson, assistant research professor at the Political Economy Research Institute, will speak on “Economic Development in New England: A Positive Growth Agenda” on Monday, November 1, at 12 p.m. in Thompson 620. The talk is part of CPPA’s Fall 2010 Faculty Colloquium.
Thompson will describe his recent research on the role of public investment in stimulating state economic development. According to his findings, investing in state infrastructure and workforce development produces far higher returns for New England states than corporate tax breaks and subsidies for private employers. Investments in education and public sector projects—such as bridge reconstruction, clean energy production, and improved sanitation—generate manifold benefits. Such activities are eligible for federal matching funds, for example, and typically employ local workers and capital.
In addition, public infrastructure is critical to economic growth and development, and New England’s aging infrastructure is badly in need of repair.
Policies to address the nation’s current economic crisis are often perceived as limited at the state level, but Thompson’s conclusions suggest important steps that state policymakers could take in spurring short- and long-term job creation and regional economic growth.
Thompson received a doctorate in economics from Syracuse University and joined PERI in 2009. His expertise is in domestic economic policy and public finance, with a particular emphasis on New England. Prior to his doctoral work, Thompson was a labor analyst at the Oregon Center for Public Policy. Thompson also holds a masters degree in economics from the New School for Social Research. He will teach a graduate level course on state and local government finance at CPPA in the fall semester of 2011.
This talk is free and open to the public. Brownbag lunches are welcome. For additional information, go to www.masspolicy.org or contact Kathy Colón (kcolon@pubpol.umass.edu).