January Washington D.C. Luncheon – Economic Effects of Immigration Policies

REMI luncheons are held each month at Metro Center, 700 12th Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington D.C. 20005. Stay tuned for updates on this special event, including any change in venue.

REMI was commissioned by the Business Roundtable to evaluate the economic effects of two different immigration reform scenarios in a major new study. The two scenarios that the analysis revolved around were a “balanced” reform approach that included enhanced enforcement, a pathway to legal status, and reformation of green card and visa programs, and an “enforcement-only” approach with aggressive border security, deportation, and voluntary departure.

We cordially invite you to our monthly Washington D.C. policy luncheon on Thursday, January 25th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., when we will expand on the differences between the two immigration reform scenarios and their corresponding results.

Numerous immigration programs, policies, and protections hang in the balance as President Trump and his administration openly contemplate serious adjustments. The president is hoping that a strong stance on certain policies will help ensure his own personal immigration concerns, which include the end of “sanctuary cities”, limits on green cards, and funding for a southern border wall.

This administration’s position on immigration reform is only the latest symptom of our nation’s prolonged debate on the subject and a lack of common ground has left the topic inherently divisive. Our findings could prove to be instrumental in the advancement of the national discussion overall and several policies within the larger issue at hand.

Richard Weisskoff – Saving a National Treasure: Analysis of Everglades Restoration

[Recording]Saving a National Treasure: Analysis of Everglades Restoration – Richard Weisskoff, University of Miami

[Slides]Saving a National Treasure: Analysis of Everglades Restoration – Richard Weisskoff, University of Miami

Everglades National Park preserves the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. Saving this national treasure yields both environmental and economic benefits – and only thorough analysis can fully capture the value.

Richard Weisskoff, Ph.D. started evaluating the potential economic impact of the federal government’s initial $3.5 billion plan to restore the Everglades on South Florida in 1997. Years later, Dr. Weisskoff, who is currently a Professor and Chair of the University of Miami’s Department of International Studies, assessed the success of forecasting impacts through economic modeling. His work provides insight into how policy makers can evaluate other major restoration projects.

We cordially invite you to a guest webinar presentation by Dr. Weisskoff on Wednesday, January 31st from 2 to 3 p.m. EST on his 2017 paper, “Never Look Back: A Twenty-Year Perspective on Everglades Restoration.” For this webinar, he will review long-term forecasts completed in the early 2000s with the help of REMI modeling software. Dr. Weisskoff will describe his methodology and then compare water usage and population forecasts with actual records.

Marley Buchman – Housing Production Policies

[Slides]The Economic Impacts of Housing Production Policies – Marley Buchman and Michael Wilkerson, ECONorthwest

[Recording]The Economic Impacts of Housing Production Policies – Marley Buchman and Michael Wilkerson, ECONorthwest

How can regions meet their housing needs while minimizing infrastructure costs and environmental impacts? What options do policy makers have for incentivizing smart growth?

We cordially invite you to a guest webinar on Wednesday, January 24th from 2 to 3 p.m. EST by Michael Wilkerson, Ph.D., Project Director and Senior Economist at ECONorthwest, and Marley Buchman, an Associate at ECONorthwest. They will discuss a study they conducted examining the economic effects of high-density, transit-oriented development.

Dr. Wilkerson and Mr. Buchman will explain how they estimated the supply elasticities of housing and the underproduction of housing from 2000-2015 nationally and for each state. They will review their simulations of different scenarios, comparing current development patterns with high-density housing located close to transit. Based on their analysis, they will evaluate the economic and environmental implications for alternative housing policies.