Category / Economics

by Hoosier Econ

Millennial Assumption Debunked

Joel Kotkin published an article titled “Misunderstanding the Millennials” (read here). Very fascinating data driven article which debunks the idea that millennials (generation born after 1983) are seeking their place of residency in urban environments.

Data obtained in this article shapes a lot of business decision making for various entities and why listening to theorists who “want” urbanization compared to what the consumer wants is critical. Here are some of the findings:

in a 2010 survey by Frank Magid and Associates – where would be their “ideal place to live,” more millennials identified suburbs than previous generations, including boomers. Another survey, published last year by the National Association of Homebuilders, found that 75 percent of millennials favor settling in a single-family house, 90 percent preferring the suburbs or even a more rural area but only 10 percent the urban core.

only 20 percent of millennials live in urban core districts; nearly 90 percent of millennial growth in major metropolitan areas from 2000-10 occurred in the suburbs and exurbs.

A full 82 percent of adult millennials surveyed said it was “important” to have an opportunity to own a home. This rose to 90 percent among married millennials, who generally represent the first cohort of their generation to start settling down.

Another survey, this one by the online banking company TD Bank, found that 84 percent of renters ages 18-34 intend to purchase a home. Still another survey, this one from Better Homes and Gardens, found that three in four saw homeownership as “a key indicator of success.”

In a 2014 survey by the Demand Institute (sponsored by Nielsen and the Conference Board), millennials also were found to favor suburbs, embrace homeownership and crave more space, much like previous generations.

by Hoosier Econ

Vegas Sets 2014 Sports Gambling Records

The numbers are in and sports investing broke records in 2014 for betting revenue. ESPN supplied the breakdown:

The state’s 187 sportsbooks won $227.04 million off of the $3.9 billion wagered on sports in 2014. Both amounts are all-time records, according to Nevada Gaming Control.

Football, per usual, carried the load. The sportsbooks won $113.73 million on college and pro football in 2014, a giant 40.73 percent increase from 2013. Overall, $1.74 billion was bet on football in 2014, $12 million more than in 2013. Nevada Gaming Control does not track pro and college football separately, but sportsbook managers estimate the NFL accounts for around 55-60 percent of their annual football handle. From September through December, the books are up $98.16 million on football.

In comparison, the books won $54.2 million on basketball and $21.2 million on baseball in 2014. Both numbers were down, 8.36 percent and 26.88 percent, respectively, from 2013.

by Hoosier Econ

Chinese Restaurants vs. McDonald’s

Found this interesting data nugget here via Chinese Restaurant News:

there are nearly 41,000 Chinese restaurants in the United States, three times the number of McDonalds franchise units (and at $17 billion in annual sales, at a par with the gargantuan hamburger chain).

by Hoosier Econ

Another Drop in Oil Rig Production

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Baker Hughes is showing another 43 oil rigs taken out of production which means it now has passed the “500 Mark” of rigs out of production. The total count of rigs out of production compared to this time last year now stands at 502.

by Hoosier Econ

City of Chicago Downgraded by Moody’s

RahmEmanuel

Via Economic Policy Journal:

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Chicago’s debt rating, citing its overwhelming pension burden. Moody’s dropped the city’s rating to Baa2.

A rating of Baa2 is eight notches below the highest debt rating of Aaa.

Moody’s said in its statement its outlook for the city remains negative. A drop of two more notches would make mean the city’s bonds would become“junk” bonds.

“We strongly disagree with Moody’s decision to reduce the city’s credit rating and would note that Moody’s has been consistently and substantially out of step with the other rating agencies, ignoring the progress that has been achieved,” a spokeswoman for Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Kelley Quinn, said in a statement.

Chicago has more than $8 billion in taxpayer-backed general obligation debt, as well as roughly $800 million in additional bonds backed by sales tax and motor fuel tax revenues.

by Hoosier Econ

Price of Cell Phone in 1987

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by Hoosier Econ

Canada Investing in Indiana’s I-69 Project

Indiana currently is in the middle of the I-69 Highway project. Much of the financing for “Phase 5” made history but many didn’t take notice of why.

The I-69 Section 5 project will upgrade 21 miles of SR 37 (an existing four-lane divided highway) between Bloomington and Martinsville, Indiana to full Interstate standards. The $325 million project includes four new interchanges and four new overpasses, in addition to improvements at existing interchanges and additional travel lanes in urban areas along the corridor.

In April 2014 Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board (which also holds a minority equity stake in Isolux Infrastructure) took a 49 percent equity stake in the concession company through its affiliate Infra-PSP Canada; this represents the first upfront direct investment in a U.S. P3 project by an international public pension fund. The partners reached financial close in July 2014, and construction is scheduled to take 28 months, with the project slated to open by the end of 2016.


JD Supra Advisor noted foreign investment in U.S. infrastructure projects like Indiana is a test run and stability is key for any future investments.

Given the long term nature of a P3 investment, political and regulatory stability is essential to encouraging investment. For overseas investors in the US market, this will require confidence that there is political and public acceptance of private sector investment in infrastructure.

by Hoosier Econ

Net Neutrality Best Summed Up

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by Hoosier Econ

MLB Spring Training Helps Players Pay Less Taxes

Major-League

While baseball purist fans rejoice in spring training opening up, so do the players not just for the game but also their paychecks. Spring training camps are located in Arizona and Florida which helps players pay less since they are legally working in those states. This helps cushion the tax blow they receive from the states they play in during the regular season.

Sean Packard, CPA, who is Director of Tax at OFS. He specializes in tax planning and the preparation of tax returns for pro athletes shared this tax benefit with Forbes.com:

Spring training is an opportunity for players to escape state income taxes on roughly 20% of their income. Professional athletes pay taxes in all states in which they play. This is known as the “jock tax.” Most states calculate a player’s jock tax based on the number of duty days spent inside the state divided by the total days a player works.

Unlike most sports, where preseason training occurs near the team’s home, spring training takes place in one of two states, Florida or Arizona. Florida does not have an income tax and while Arizona does, it does not begin taxing professional athletes until the beginning of their teams’ regular season. This means that duty days spent in the state prior to the season do not count as taxable days. Holding spring training in these two tax havens can save elite players hundreds of thousands of dollars in state income taxes.

Packard provides an example of how money a player can save just at spring training.

The portion of Santana’s salary allocable to spring training under the duty day calculation is $5.355 million. If the Mets held spring training in New York instead of Florida, this income would be allocated to New York and subject to their 8.82% income tax. But because the Florida (and Arizona) climate is more conducive to baseball in February, Santana will save $472,000 in state income taxes.

by Hoosier Econ

Obamacare Enrollees Getting Taxed

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Last week I reported H&R Block website had a new feel good name for one Obamacare tax.  This week new analysis comes from Americans for Tax Reform about more taxes within the law:

The majority (52 percent) of Obamacare enrollees receiving an advance premium tax credit to purchase Obamacare insurance is facing the prospect of paying back $530 of that tax credit to the IRS, according to a new study from H&R Block.  This clawback is reducing the refunds for these taxpayers by 17 percent this filing season.

Families of four earning less than $97,000 are eligible for a credit.  So is a single mother with two children earning less than $80,000 and an unmarried/childless taxpayer earning less than about $12,000.  By definition, these are the lowest income recipients of Obamacare health insurance outside the Medicaid-eligible population.  Higher income taxpayers received no tax subsidy and aren’t facing this tax season surprise.

According to the study, a majority of credit recipients–52 percent–have had to pay back the IRS an average of $530, reducing their refunds by an average of 17 percent.

Read the rest here