Steven Byers – Economic Costs of an Overvalued Dollar

[Slides]Economic Costs of an Overvalued Dollar – Steven Byers, Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA)

[Recording]Economic Costs of an Overvalued Dollar – Steven Byers, Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA)

A strong dollar is seen by many as a positive indicator for the U.S. economy. However, an overvalued dollar poses risk for U.S. producers by making American exports more expensive overseas and imports into the U.S. cheaper, potentially widening the trade deficit.

REMI cordially invites you to a webinar presentation on Wednesday, March 6th from 2 to 3 p.m. EST by guest speaker Steven Byers, Senior Economist for the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), a bipartisan organization advocating trade policy reform on behalf of manufacturers, farmers, and labor members.

The CPA simulated a 27 percent devaluation of the dollar on a trade-weighted basis over a six-year period using REMI modeling software. The analysis accounted for the asymmetrical relationship between import and export prices and how they respond to changes in the exchange rate. By modeling the devaluation scenario, the CPA was able to measure the economic costs of the dollar’s value.

For this presentation, Dr. Byers will discuss the implications of an overvalued dollar, share the findings from CPA’s research, and describe the methodology behind the evaluation.

Economic Effects of Criminal Justice Reform

[Slides]Economic Effects of Criminal Justice Reform – Peter Evangelakis, REMI

[Recording]Economic Effects of Criminal Justice Reform – Peter Evangelakis, REMI

Over the course of four decades, the United States prison population surged as elected officials emphasized “tough on crime” policies. In recent years, calls for reforming the criminal justice system have gained traction, as both conservatives and liberals seek to address perceived excesses and injustices.

Lawmakers have pursued, or at least considered, a range of changes on the federal and state levels – from revising sentencing guidelines to legalizing marijuana. Reforms may not only dramatically change individual lives, but also reshape the economy as more people join the workforce and prison spending declines.

Please join REMI Senior Economist Peter Evangelakis, Ph.D. for a special webinar on Wednesday, March 20th from 2 to 3 p.m. EST when he will present “Economic Effects of Criminal Justice Reform,” an exploration of the varying costs and benefits associated with alterations to crime and punishment in this country.

For this presentation, Dr. Evangelakis will provide an overview of criminal justice reform and incarceration trends. He will examine recent changes at the federal and state level, and demonstrate how to simulate reform’s impacts on output, employment, and revenue using dynamic economic modeling.

Joyce Jauer – A Storm to Remember: The Economic Impact of Hurricane Harvey

[Slides]A Storm to Remember: The Economic Impact of Hurricane Harvey – Joyce Jauer, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

[Recording]A Storm to Remember: The Economic Impact of Hurricane Harvey – Joyce Jauer, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Hurricane Harvey battered Texas’s coast, damaging property, displacing families, and disrupting businesses in its wake.

In addition to the human suffering, this devastation resulted in economic costs. However, the total effects of the storm on the state’s overall economy also included spending required to replace lost items, with help from insurance, government, and nonprofits.

We cordially invite you to a guest webinar on Wednesday, February 20th from 2 to 3 p.m. EST presented by Joyce Jauer, Senior Revenue Analyst for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, who will discuss Harvey’s economic implications.

The Comptroller’s Office evaluated the storm’s economic toll by analyzing productivity losses as well as gains from rebuilding. Ms. Jauer will discuss the results and review the methodologies behind the analysis.