Government and Public Policy
Critical Insights for Sound Public Policy
Governments are confronted with difficult choices regarding how they raise and allocate resources, design and implement programs in ways that provide opportunities and improve the quality of life of their citizens. ESI's government and public policy practice combines rigorous analytical capabilities with a depth of experience to help evaluate and design effective public policies and benchmark and recommend sound governance practices.
The Latest Insights
Fiscal Management and Planning
Strong fiscal management practices are essential for government officials to make informed, smart decisions for the citizenry. ESI has a proven track record of partnering with our clients to develop implementable solutions, including: multi-year financial planning, budget development, revenue forecasting, financial distress and emergency financial planning, fee/cost of service analysis, capital improvement planning, credit analysis and workforce analysis.
Strategic Management Planning Program Five-Year Financial Plan: Newtown Township
ESI was selected to assess Newtown Township’s financial condition and develop a five-year plan in conjunction with McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC and SRW Strategies.
Early Intervention Program: Borough of Pottstown
ESI, McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC , and SRW Strategies were engaged by the Borough of Pottstown to assist in developing a five-year financial plan as part of the Commonwealth’s Early Intervention Program.
Act 47 Recovery Coordinator for City of Chester
ESI, in partnership with the law firm of McNees Wallace & Nurick, served as the Act 47 Recovery Coordinator for the City of Chester until Summer 2020 when the City was placed into Receivership by Pennsylvania Governor Wolf.
Economic and Financial Recovery Strategies
The pandemic and recession have changed the landscape of industries, commercial corridors and communities across the country. ESI combines carefully monitoring of the latest insights with proven experience in economic development to help jurisdictions and business districts think through the smartest ways to rebuild activity.
Moving Montgomery County Forward: Developing a Strategy for Post-COVID Economic Recovery
ESI utilized public and private datasets to assess the pre-COVID and current economic conditions of the County. The analysis served as an important baseline to determine future recovery strategies.
Financial Projections in the Age of COVID: Bucks County Consortium
ESI was retained by the Bucks County Consortium to provide a county-wide analysis of actual and projected changes in major revenue sources impacting Consortium members through the end of 2021.
Economic Development Strategy and Implementation Plan in Media Borough
ESI directed a team made up of JVM Studio and The Riddle Company to prepare an economic development roadmap for the immediate, short-term, and long-term future of the Borough of Media, Pennsylvania.
Economic Insecurity
Policy choices about benefit, taxation and savings programs impact the ability of vulnerable citizens to meet their needs, as well as labor markets and economic growth. Rigorous analysis can help to define the importance of issues and inform successful policy design.
Constraints on New Hampshire's Workforce Recovery
ESI and the National Center for Children in Poverty were commissioned by the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security to study the impact of employment constraints faced by the state’s households including benefit cliffs, child care, and labor supply as the state seeks accelerate its recovery from the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
What are the Potential Benefits of Universal Access to Retirement Savings?
The Center for Retirement Initiatives (CRI) at Georgetown University engaged ESI to assist the Center in developing an analysis of national options to expand retirement savings coverage.
The Impact of Insufficient Retirement Savings in Pennsylvania
On behalf of Pew Charitable Trusts, ESI produced estimates of insufficient retirement savings on Pennsylvania's economy, its financial position, and its elderly residents. This study updates a 2018 report produced by ESI for the Pennsylvania Retirement Security Task Force, which examined insufficient retirement savings in Pennsylvania over the 2015-2030 period.
Tax Policy
Sound tax policy is critical for any jurisdiction to generate growth while providing needed services. Models of direct and indirect impacts from current and potential tax policy provide intelligence into the range of ramifications (both costs and benefits) of tax policy scenarios and programs. These insights help inform fair and equitable tax policy.
The Economic Impact of Montana Film Production
In 2020, ESI quantified the economic impact of Montana film production and the Montana Economic Development Industry Advancement Act (MEDIA Act). The MEDIA Act was created to provide a transferable income tax incentive to attract film, television and other media production to the State.
Modeling the Impact of Tax Reform in Philadelphia
ESI was asked by the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation (CPDC) to estimate the impacts of the City tax reform proposal put forth by the Philadelphia Growth Coalition on tax revenues, economic growth and employment within the City of Philadelphia over the next decade (FY 2017-2026).
Earned Income Tax in Bensalem Township
In 2013, Bensalem Township in Bucks County, PA decided to explore implementing a one percent earned income tax (EIT) for resident and nonresident workers in the municipality. Bensalem contracted ESI to conduct an analysis of the effects a one-percent EIT would have.
Scenario Planning, Strategic Planning and Facilitation
ESI’s panel of experts combine economic analysis and years of real-world experience to evaluate the impacts of various policies across a broad range of issues facing governments today. From scenario planning to strategic planning to facilitation , ESI’s expertise can help advance a specific policy from the evaluation stage, through the decision making process to the implementation phase. Along the way, ESI provides the critical insight and analysis needed to advance a range of public policy goals and initiatives.
Newark Connected City
ESI crafted a connected city plan for Newark, New Jersey. By becoming a connected city, Newark can leverage smart technologies to further interconnect the local government and its citizens. The Connected Newark plan serves as a framework for future policy and investment as Newark progressed along its connected city journey.
Wilmington Land Bank
The existence of vacancy and blight in the City of Wilmington is a pervasive problem, imposing significant negative implications for the city’s economy, fiscal position, and quality of life. To clarify the city’s strategy to alleviate vacancy, ESI produced a cost-benefit analysis making the financial case for a land bank in Wilmington.
Building Resilience in a Disaster-Prone Island
ESI was engaged by a small, disaster-prone island economy to profile and measure its resilience across various sectors including health, economy, education, arts and culture, and housing. These assessments detailed each sector’s capacity, capability, and structure as it relates to its ability to respond to natural shocks and stressors.
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In addition to our government and public policy practice, several ESI practice areas focus directly on policy issues of public interest, such as economic development, equity and inclusion, and transportation.
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