June 11, 2009
Nonprofit groups are becoming increasingly active through the promotion of causes on their online sites and serving as bridges of civic engagement, according to a new study by David Suarez, assistant professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
June 8, 2009
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe and Dan Schnur of the USC College about the possibility that a same-sex marriage initiative on the 2010 California ballot would make life difficult for the gubernatorial candidates. Possible Republican contenders Steve Poizner and Meg Whitman probably wouldn't be happy to have the focus on social issues, Jeffe said. "Candidates normally try to move toward the middle as quickly as possible after winning their party primary," Schnur said. "But an initiative on the November ballot would probably slow that process considerably if candidates are reaching out to the middle on the economy but playing to their respective bases on same-sex marriage."
May 29, 2009
The Fresno Bee quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about rallies in Fresno by same-sex marriage supporters. Fresno was a politically smart choice, Jeffe said. "Fresno is perceived as being more conservative," she said. "It is because of what Fresno signifies to the outside world as much as anything."
May 27, 2009
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe and Dan Schnur of the USC College and on whether California gay marriage supporters would prevail if they put a new proposition on the ballot next year. "The age breakdown on the vote suggests that public opinion is trending toward supporters of same-sex marriage. The question is how fast it's trending," Schnur said. Jeffe added: "I don't think it's too soon. It's a year and a half away. ... The more states that get in line behind it, the more credible the argument that everyone ought to be allowed to marry becomes, especially if there's no evidence that the world is going to end."
May 18, 2009
Congressional Quarterly quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi facing fire for her handling of the CIA harsh interrogation technique authorizations. Even though, barring any new disclosures, Pelosi is likely to surmount her difficulty, that doesn't mean she has been at her best, Jeffe said. By seeming to change her story and by parsing words, Pelosi hasn't handled the situation well, Jeffe added.
May 17, 2009
The Los Angeles Times quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the close race for the congressional seat in the San Gabriel Valley. "[Gil] Cedillo has got to mobilize his base," Jeffe said. Rival Judy Chu needs to show voters she has support among Latinos, Jeffe added.
May 8, 2009
KPCC-FM's "AirTalk" interviewed Professor Richard Green about the relationship between real estate brokers and appraisers. "One of the things that let us down the road that we went down was the relationship between the brokers and the appraisers," said Green, who directs the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. "The brokers had every incentive to get the loan done, not to make sure the loan performed properly, because they were compensated based on originations, not on loan performance; so the last thing they wanted is an appraiser to get in the way of the deal."
May 7, 2009
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted Professor Chet Newland about best practices in city contracting. Cities should thoroughly check applicants for such positions, Newland said. "You have to go beyond the mere listed references and investigate," he noted. "Contracting is one of the most crucially important and sensitive parts of government. It's essential to have utmost integrity in contracting."
May 6, 2009
Reuters noted that SPPD Senior Fellow Richard Little spoke at the Reuters Infrastructure Summit about a possible national infrastructure bond fund. Little's idea for such a fund seemed odd to officials in Washington a year ago, he said. Now they are giving it a second look, in light of the trillions of dollars in infrastructure work the U.S. may require in coming decades, Little added. "Why not create a vehicle where the federal government could issue infrastructure bonds?"
April 25, 2009
The National Journal quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the California gubernatorial race. "Whoever becomes governor [in 2010] is going to be faced with an absolute mess," Jeffe said.
April 24, 2009
The Los Angeles Times quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about California's gubernatorial race. "It takes a lot of luck and money and intelligence and timing, and heaven knows what else," Jeffe said.
April 20, 2009
Morris News Service quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the "tea party" protests last week against President Obama's spending and tax plans. Polls indicate that most Americans don't agree with the protests, the story noted. "The public seems willing to go along with Obama's programs as long as they don't seem too permanent," Jeffe said.
March 25, 2009
Foundations and Public Policy: Leveraging Philanthropic Dollars, Knowledge and Networks for Greater Impact, a new book edited and co-authored by USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development faculty, explores the implications -- and potential impact -- involving the efforts of nonprofit organizations to shape public policy.
March 14, 2009
The Los Angeles Times quoted Professor Richard Green about President Barack Obama's proposal to reduce the mortgage interest tax deduction for those earning more than $250,000. The plan may well be "sort of the nose under the tent on the way to getting rid of the mortgage interest deduction entirely," Green said.
March 13, 2009
The Ventura County Star quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Richard Little about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which authorized $787 billion in federal stimulus spending. While the package was touted as an investment in infrastructure, some officials and analysts are disappointed with the amount that ended up being set aside for such projects, according to the story. The stimulus act is "a great bait-and-switch," Little said. "The whole thing was that this was all about infrastructure, and $50 billion isn't chump change, but it's not what the country needs," Little said. "I find that troubling. I think people were expecting maybe $200 billion or $300 billion for infrastructure." Little is director of the USC Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, the story noted.
February 25, 2009
The Los Angeles Times ran the second and third parts of the "Dust-Up" debate featuring SPPD Professor Richard Green. "A cram-down is a court-ordered reduction of the secured balance due on a home mortgage loan," Green wrote in the first story. "Basically, it reduces lenders' collateral to the current value of the house, which is determined with an appraisal. That said, I worry about the impact of cram-downs on the ability of borrowers to get mortgages going forward." In the second Los Angeles Times story, Green recommended a plan to reduce the principal owed in home loans. "I think policymakers are worried that writing down principal will give borrowers something for nothing. But the same is true for reducing payments via a subsidized interest rate," he wrote. "We could help deal with the fairness problem by having a claw-back provision for borrowers whose loans are modified."
February 24, 2009
The Los Angeles Times ran an op-ed by Professor Richard Green as part of a "Dust-Up" debate series on President Obama's mortgage plan. "I would like to see an additional feature in the Obama plan: a claw-back provision for those who get a direct mortgage subsidy from the government and then later sell at a profit," Green wrote. "If we taxpayers are going to help people remain in their houses, we should get the equivalent of partial-ownership interests in the houses we subsidize."
February 20, 2009
Fox News interviewed Professor Richard Green about homeowners who are frustrated that the government is bailing out people who took risks and not helping those who were responsible. Such frustration is justified, but the economic risk of letting millions of homeowners default on their mortgages leaves the government with little choice, Green said. "A year ago I would have been appalled at this plan," Green said. "Now I think we have to do something like this. The moral hazard argument is valid, but is trumped by the macroeconomic situation." Green is director and chair of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
February 19, 2009
The Oregonian quoted Professor Richard Green about President Barack Obama's mortgage restructuring initiative. "It's a clever plan," Green said. "It might actually help the housing market bottom," he added. Green is director and chair of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
February 11, 2009
Builder Magazine quoted SPPD Distinguished Fellow Stan Ross about the U.S. Treasury's recently announced recovery plan. The plan isn't necessarily an improvement over what was already in place, Ross said. The government will eventually end up guaranteeing at least some of the losses incurred by buyers and sellers of banks' toxic assets. However, the new plan has critical components that address bank capitalization and consumer lending. "This frees up capital, the banks will survive, they get new capital, they make loans to companies, and the companies invest in capital improvements," leading to more jobs created, he explained. Ross is chairman of the Board at the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
February 4, 2009
Faculty and students at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development took part in a leadership training conference to help local government officials find solutions for public problems afflicting cities nationwide.
January 27, 2009
Agence France-Presse quoted Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger embracing progressive environmental policy. "At this point in time, the only legacy that he can hope for is the area of the environmental reform," Jeffe said. "The budget problem will override everything. But he can attempt to use this issue to grab the attention and change the subject for a little while. He's got nothing left, quite frankly."
January 26, 2009
Reuters quoted Professor Dowell Myers about the state of California's economy. By some accounts, the current crisis could bode well for the state's future, as problems may spur needed reorientation of the economy. "What people may think is that you can't really solve the problems in California until you totally wreck the train," Myers said. "You have to shake them up, wake them up. The outlook is very hopeful right now because this crisis is forcing a long-overdue reassessment." The story also quoted a USC graduate student on her view of the state.
January 26, 2009
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development marked its 80th anniversary by hosting a special colloquium Jan. 16 at the Davidson Conference Center. During the conference, Dean Jack H. Knott noted that SPPD remains dedicated to advancing academic theory and making a vital impact in the world.
January 20, 2009
La Opinion quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about former President George W. Bush's role in tarnishing America's image in the world. Bush's policies generated the ill will abroad, Jeffe said.
January 14, 2009
The Los Angeles Times quoted Richard Little about plans for federal infrastructure spending. After the initial round of funding, more thought and evaluation should come into play in determining worthy projects, Little said. "But first thing, you need to get the money flowing, get your contractors working," he noted. "You need to prime the pump." Little is director of the Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy at USC, the story noted.
January 10, 2009
The Ventura County Star quoted Richard Little about how President-elect Obama's proposed stimulus funds may be channeled into "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects. "The goal of the stimulus is just to get people working, get projects going and buying materials, which will trickle down through the economy," he said. "Whether infrastructure is always the best bang for the buck, there's some debate, but there are going to be some short-term benefits." Little is director of the USC Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy.
January 1, 2009
La Opinion quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about President Barack Obama's Iraq policy. Obama will take concrete steps to accelerate the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, Jeffe said.
December 2, 2008
The Associated Press quoted Richard Little, director of the USC Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, about the role of public works spending in economic stimulus plans. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan, which involves increased infrastructure spending, won't solve the state's underlying imbalance between annual spending and revenue, critics have said. "It's not about capital expenditures," Little said. "It'll have some benefits, but it's not the solution. We need to align revenue and expenditures ... That's the fundamental thing the governor and Legislature need to wrestle with."
November 30, 2008
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about how Barack Obama's election affects Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's legacy. Obama's election "really saves Arnold's legacy," Jeffe said. "He can now focus on the environmental issues that are so dear to him and he'll have a much better chance of a positive response from the feds," she explained. "He's got a buddy in the White House who's not about to tell California to drop dead if they want to tighten their own standards."
November 26, 2008
The Orange County Register featured Professor Raphael Bostic in a Q&A about the Fed's latest efforts to bolster the credit markets. "We are really in unprecedented times," Bostic said. "It's hard to know how much of a backstop you need." The Fed's move has restored some confidence, but it's unclear if it has gone far enough, he added.
November 20, 2008
The impact of Hurricane Katrina continues to be felt in the New Orleans region and beyond as researchers and policymakers examine what went wrong and how to deal with the effects of a similar disaster in the future. The latest contribution comes from a team of professors at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, who edited and wrote chapters for Natural Disaster Analysis After Hurricane Katrina: Risk Assessment, Economic Impacts and Social Implications.
November 20, 2008
The Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, a new student organization at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, hosted its inaugural event -- a panel discussion at Lewis Hall addressing key issues currently facing the Asian American community.
November 5, 2008
Agence France-Presse quoted SPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about John McCain's role in the Senate following his loss to Barack Obama. "I think that's the role he must play -- to be a bridge between Obama and the Republicans on the Hill," Jeffe said. "It's clearly the kind of role that McCain feels comfortable in. He built his reputation on working across the aisle and that is what he has to do again. It makes infinite sense for him to attempt to work in partnership with Obama."
November 2, 2008
The North County Times quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about tomorrow's election. "There's no doubt that the most energizing issues are the presidential election and Prop. 8," Jeffe said. "Both are historic in nature, and both are generating intense interest and feelings," she added.
October 29, 2008
During an Oct. 21 panel hosted by the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry said that the goal of downtown's revitalization effort is to restore "the excitement of an earlier time." The changing downtown landscape was the focus of the panel discussion, which took place inside City Hall. The event was part of the SPPD Dean's Speaker Series.
October 27, 2008
The North County Times quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the large amount of money raised from North County residents to support Proposition 8, which would ban same-sex marriage in California. "It's the tale of the demographic and ideological makeup of North County," Jeffe said.
October 15, 2008
The Wall Street Journal quoted Professor Richard Green about how government intervention in the housing and financial markets will affect homeowners. Green said that over time, the government's rescue effort could make it easier for borrowers in high-cost markets such as California, New York and Boston to get a mortgage, by reducing rates for jumbo loans, those too big for government backing. The government needs to push mortgage companies to take advantage of the Hope for Homeowners program, which aims to put borrowers into affordable loans, but requires that they share any resulting price appreciation with the federal government, Green added. The program "pretty much gets the incentives right," he said.
October 14, 2008
The Los Angeles Times quoted SPPD Associate Professor Gary Painter about Barack Obama's plan to create a federal agency charged with helping states that are caught in the credit crunch. "It's really a small cost for the Treasury, but it could have really important benefits to keep the local governments running," Painter said.
October 14, 2008
A panel of preeminent financial experts, including USC faculty, weighed in with their insights on how Wall Street plunged into a tailspin -- and also how to remedy the ailing markets. "Multi-party greed" drove the downturn, says Raphael Bostic, professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development.
October 3, 2008
Richard Little was quoted in the Orange County Register about how the credit crunch is affecting California's budget. The slowing economy has Wall Street shunning state and municipal bonds, which is forcing governments nationwide to cancel debt sales, the story noted. "Nobody really wants to loan a whole lot of money," Little said. "It's not a good time for anybody, really." Little is the director of the USC Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, the story noted.
October 1, 2008
Professor Harry Pachon was quoted in the Los Angeles Times about the new citizenship test being phased in by U.S. immigration authorities. Some fear that the new format, which emphasizes concepts rather than facts, could result in examiners denying citizenship based on whims or prejudices, the story stated. For that reason, the new test is a "step backward," Pachon said. "There's latitude in answering the questions and that's where the problem lies," he explained. "There's potential for abuse and not knowing what to prepare for." Pachon is president of the Tomas River Policy Institute.
This past summer, more than 40 master's students representing all programs of study with the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development took part in the school's international lab program, doing research in Foshan, China, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
July 31, 2008
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, senior fellow at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, was quoted in the Congressional Quarterly about congressional efforts to permit offshore oil drilling. Relentless Republican attacks on Democrats regarding the issue have hurt Democrats, who have been slow to counter them, Jeffe said. "It's interesting to me that it's taken so long [for Democrats] to figure out how to come back on this without giving in on offshore drilling," she said.
More than a decade ago, when sustainability issues were still a specialized curiosity, USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development professor Daniel Mazmanian turned his attention to the emergence of locally-based environmental policies in several communities and regions across the nation.
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development signed a memorandum of understanding with the South Korean government to provide graduate education and training for selected officials from Korea's Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
February 20, 2009