NEWS & OPINIONS
Reality is Likely to be Far Less Rosy
Reality is likely to be less rosy... Some economists are hoping that inflation has peaked and will tick down in the coming months, after the pace of inflation slowed slightly in April. But Erik Randolph, director of research for the Georgia Center For Opportunity...
Why Nonprofits Should Care and What to Do
Key Takeaways: Welfare cliffs and marriage penalties are discouraging people from work and forming families. The cliffs and penalties may mean that our clients are locked into poverty for much longer than they would be otherwise and despite our best efforts. GCO has...
U.S. Gross Domestic Product Update
U.S. Gross Domestic Product update U.S. Gross Domestic Product declined at a 1.4% rate in the first quarter of 2022. The numbers surprised economists, who had predicted a 1% gain.The Georgia Center for Opportunity's (GCO) take: "The tab is coming due for all the...
An epidemic of teen depression (and what to do about it)
An epidemic of teen depression (and what to do about it) Key Takeaways: In the last 10 years, the number of teens identifying as having "experienced persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness" doubled. School connectedness was a key barometer of how well teens...
New Research Predicts Long-Term Pain for Labor Market
Long-term pain for labor market due to the COVID-19 pandemic New research predicts long-term pain for the labor market due to around 3 million workers who plan to remain permanently sidelined over concerns of physical illness or physical impairment due to the COVID-19...
Georgia Unemployment Rate: Lowest Record Since 1976
State unemployment rate stands at a record low On Friday, April 15th, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released state employment numbers for Georgia. They show that our state unemployment rate stands at a record low of 3.1%, the lowest since the BLS began tracking...
The U.S Reaches Highest Unadjusted Monthly Rate of Inflation Since March 1980
A look at the highest unadjusted monthly rate of inflation Today, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that in March the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.3%, not seasonally adjusted. This is the highest unadjusted monthly rate of inflation since March 1980....
Passed: House Bill 517
The Georgia General Assembly passed a bill, which increases the cap on our state's Tax Credit Scholarship Program On Monday, the Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 517, which increases the cap on our state's Tax Credit Scholarship Program from $100 million to...
Randy Hicks on taking a bottom-up strategy to state policy reform | Overton Window Podcast
GCO's CEO, Randy Hicks speaks with fellow think tank podcast, The Overton Window Below is an excerpt from the Mackinac Center in Michigan. The Mackinac Center recently invited GCO's CEO, Randy Hicks to discuss GCO's take on State Policy Reform on their regular...
State Unemployment Rate Stands At a Record Low of 3.2%,
Unemployment rate stands at a record low of 3.2% On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released state employment numbers for Georgia. They show that our state unemployment rate stands at a record low of 3.2%, the lowest since the BLS began tracking in 1976....
Georgia Senate Failed to Pass Senate Bill 601, The Georgia Education Freedom Act
The Georgia Senate failed to pass Senate Bill 601, the Georgia Education Freedom Act, by a vote of 20-29. Today, the Georgia Senate failed to pass Senate Bill 601, the Georgia Education Freedom Act, by a vote of 20-29. The bill would have created Promise Scholarships,...
Promise Scholarships would help adoptive families like mine | Gwinnett Daily Post
The life of an adoptive parent is tough in normal times, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated those challenges. Even so, our family wouldn’t trade the adoption life for anything. The trouble is, not everyone sees or acknowledges the struggles that adoptive...
MEDIA MENTIONS
Randy Hicks on taking a bottom-up strategy to state policy reform | Overton Window Podcast
GCO's CEO, Randy Hicks speaks with fellow think tank podcast, The Overton Window Below is an excerpt from the Mackinac Center in Michigan. The Mackinac Center recently invited GCO's CEO, Randy Hicks to discuss GCO's take on State Policy Reform on their regular...
Op-Ed: Georgia Politicians Reject Educational Freedom At Their Own Peril | Real Clear Policy
Tuesday, March 15, was a sad day for kids in Georgia. That’s the day when the Georgia Senate voted down a bill to create Promise Scholarships. Eight Republicans joined all Democrats in rejecting the scholarships, which would have offered families up to $6,000 a year...
Op-Ed: Georgia Politicians Reject Educational Freedom At Their Own Peril | The Georgia Virtue
Tuesday, March 15, was a sad day for kids in Georgia. That’s the day when the Georgia Senate voted down a bill to create Promise Scholarships. Eight Republicans joined all Democrats in rejecting the scholarships, which would have offered families up to $6,000 a year...
Georgia Senate kills school-choice bill | The Center Square
The Georgia Senate has killed a bill that would have allowed Georgians to put taxpayer money toward the cost of private school tuition. Senate Bill 601, the Georgia Educational Freedom Act, would have created state-funded Promise Scholarships of up to $6,000 a year....
Georgia Senate Failed to Pass Senate Bill 601, The Georgia Education Freedom Act
The Georgia Senate failed to pass Senate Bill 601, the Georgia Education Freedom Act, by a vote of 20-29. Today, the Georgia Senate failed to pass Senate Bill 601, the Georgia Education Freedom Act, by a vote of 20-29. The bill would have created Promise Scholarships,...
Promise Scholarships would help adoptive families like mine | Gwinnett Daily Post
The life of an adoptive parent is tough in normal times, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated those challenges. Even so, our family wouldn’t trade the adoption life for anything. The trouble is, not everyone sees or acknowledges the struggles that adoptive...
Update: State Employment Numbers Includes Major Revisions Going Back to 1990
A look at the state employment numbers. Yesterday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released state employment numbers that included major revisions going back to 1990. According to the revisions, Georgia had recovered all its jobs lost during the pandemic in...
Building Resilient Communities so All Children can Thrive
More now than ever, major corporations are making an impact beyond providing great products and customer service. They are also giving back and creating more opportunities for the communities they serve. Over and above just turning on the lights, Georgia Power is...