Idle Iron: I noticed reporting on blow-up of idle iron on TV15 last week and also in today's Press-Register. As I mentioned during Uncle Henry Show on February 7, the issue is complex, and not well known in the Mobile area. I will be making a presentation on the subject on March 19 during the Annual Spring Meeting of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission.  You can take a look at my powerpoint (Flow of Dollars from 2010 BP Oil Spill) in semoonchang.com for an overview.

 

Sales Tax Rate: I  am not sure whether the table in Today's Press-Register article on sales tax rates is accurate. In any case, the more compelling issue is the wide variation in rates that invite non-compliance as well as high tax rates. I wrote a piece in October 4 issue of the Press-Register.

 

Local Economic Trends: I have received requests from the media and the public for an overview of local economic trends. I posted them in the lower left area of semoonchang.comthat I will try to update every month and hopefully expand a little as my service to the community. 

thank you,
Semoon Chang, chief economist
Gulf Coast Center for Impact StudiesTM