Backgrounder posted March 31, 2011 by Andrew G. Biggs, Ph.D., Jason Richwine, Ph.D.
Public-Sector Compensation: Correcting the Economic Policy Institute, Again
Abstract: Previous public–private pay comparisons at the state and local levels, including numerous reports published by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), significantly undercount public-sector pension benefits, omit retiree health coverage, and ignore job security. Using California as an example, an analysis by economists Andrew Biggs and Jason Richwine showed that…
Center for Data Analysis Report posted March 17, 2011 by Jason Richwine, Ph.D., Andrew G. Biggs, Ph.D.
Are California Public Employees Overpaid?
Abstract: While it is clear that federal workers’ wages and benefits are above market levels, it is less clear whether state and local employees are similarly overpaid. In the past year, several organizations have published studies arguing that state and local workers are underpaid. But these studies undercount or omit important benefits that public workers enjoy,…
Backgrounder posted September 1, 2010 by James Sherk
The New Face of the Union Movement: Government Employees
Abstract: Unions have been a familiar part of American working life for more than 70 years. Less familiar is the state of the union movement today: More union members now work for the government than for private employers. The above-market salaries and benefits that government employees receive are paid for by taxpayers. So, the union movement that began as a campaign to…
Backgrounder posted November 30, 2009 by Bruce Allen
How Offshore Oil and Gas Production Benefits the Economy and the Environment
Abstract: Conventional wisdom holds that offshore oil and gas production harms the surrounding environment. This blanket "wisdom" ignores the fact that the largest source of marine hydrocarbon pollution is offshore natural oil seepage. It also ignores the fact that offshore oil production has lowered the amount of oil released into the ocean by reducing natural oil…
Lecture posted October 3, 2007 by the Honorable Lamar Smith
Immigration: Many Questions, A Few Answers
Delivered July 30, 2007
immigration has become the most controversial, complex, and
sensitive subject we face today. It directly affects our economy,
our culture, and our future. To ensure that any action we take on
immigration policy is in our national interest, we need to approach
the subject with reason and facts. The astronomer Carl Sagan once
said,…