June 2017

Latest Jobs Report Analysis

On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its preliminary employment estimates for Maryland in May 2017. Maryland’s unemployment rate fell by a tenth of a percent to 4.2 percent. Despite the decrease in the unemployment rate, Maryland actually lost jobs last month, losing a total of 1,600 nonfarm jobs. In contrast, the rest of the Mid-Atlantic region held steady, neither losing nor gaining jobs. What industries in Maryland are gaining or losing jobs? How are these industries doing in our neighboring states? Find out in this month’s discussion on the newly released data.

RESI in the News

Eliminating Bail in California Will Be an Economic Disaster, Fox & Hounds, 05/22/2017

Representatives from California are currently working on two bills which would reform California’s bail system by reducing the use of money bail and instead rely on community safety factors to determine who can return home while awaiting their trial. The economic implications of this reform are the source of great controversy. In supporting the argument against this reform and emphasizing the costs that California would face as a result of implementing a pretrial service agency, the article cites Towson University’s 2014 study on the costs of a proposed pretrial service unit in New Jersey and RESI Chief Economist Dr. Daraius Irani’s estimate that such an agency would cost the state $461 million.