On Thursday, March 21, the Illinois House Appropriations-Capital Committee held a subject matter hearing on including agricultural, natural resources, and environmental investments in a potential capital bill. Frank Manzo IV, MPP, Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) submitted a written testimony. Here is the testimony. Continue reading “ILEPI Testimony on Investing in Water Infrastructure”
On Wednesday, February 6, the Illinois House Labor & Commerce Committee held a hearing on gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 in Illinois. Frank Manzo IV, MPP, Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) provided a brief testimony. Here is what he said.
Frank Manzo IV is the Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI). Visit ILEPI at www.illinoisepi.org or follow ILEPI on Twitter @illinoisEPI. The call by McHenry County Board Members to partner with other county governments to challenge Illinois’ prevailing wage determinations would be a waste of government resources, according to a new study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. The report, Building a Strong McHenry: How Prevailing Wage Works [PDF], finds that prevailing wage is necessary to prevent government bodies– such as the McHenry County Board– from using their massive purchasing power to undercut the established labor market. The policy is also … Continue reading McHenry County Should Adopt Its Prevailing Wage Ordinance
Frank Manzo IV is the Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI). Visit ILEPI at www.illinoisepi.org or follow ILEPI on Twitter @illinoisEPI.
A new ILEPI Policy Brief, released this morning, investigates the pros and cons of public-private partnerships in the construction industry. [Update: The Monitor article].
The report, Collaborative Development: The Pros and Cons of P3s on Construction Projects (PDF), finds that public-private partnerships (P3s)– such as the proposed Illiana Expressway– offer the potential for significant cost savings for the public sector. P3s allow governments to increase internal investment, capitalize on the efficiencies and innovations of private companies, and build infrastructure slightly less expensively and slightly more quickly. For the private sector, P3s provide stable assets (infrastructure facilities) with predictable long-term returns from user fees for portfolio diversification. P3s also allow private entities, backed by the government, to borrow cheaply.
The Policy Brief utilizes case studies to demonstrate how P3s may be mutually beneficial and discusses the expected positive benefits of three potential P3 projects in the Midwest: Continue reading “Collaborative Development: The Benefits of Public-Private Partnerships”
Frank Manzo IV is the Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI). Visit ILEPI at www.illinoisepi.org or follow ILEPI on Twitter @illinoisEPI. The Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) was accepting public comments on whether to add the Illiana Expressway to its 2040 Comprehensive Regional Plan, which would allow the public-private infrastructure project to proceed to the bidding process for the private sector to determine whether the road is a good idea. ILEPI has found that the project will create substantial benefits. We provided our comments to NIRPC in two back-to-back emails on November 19, one as an addendum to the other. … Continue reading Unpublished Comment to NIRPC on Illiana
The Illinois Update 