bond insurance

The Week in Public Finance: Mega-Subsidies Math, a Comeback for Bond Insurance and More

BY  SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Megadeals Don’t Add Up

When it comes to economic development, spending more often results in a smaller return.

Looking at more than 170 economic development "megadeals" made in recent decades, a new report finds that states and localities spend more than $658,000 per job on average. By contrast, “most workforce development programs cost only a few thousand dollars per job, and studies find they pay off well,” said Thursday's report by Good Jobs First, which tracks government subsidies.