Issue #8 | October 17, 2017
Recently, from the Cleveland Fed
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Five stops, 100+ miles; now, the details
Though arguably best known for our role in national monetary policy and bank regulation, the Fed is invested in improving economic conditions along Main Streets, too. It’s one reason we travel and meet people, and then share what we learned. Immerse yourself in conversations, images, and more from our recent tour of eastern Kentucky.
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Rust Belt lags peer regions in manufacturing employment, income growth
The Rust Belt region has suffered enormous job losses since 1969 and weathered several economic shocks. Still, it remains relatively manufacturing intensive. Explore the industrial heartland's ups and downs.
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To BSN or not to BSN?
Demand for nurses is rising, and with it, the number of employers that no longer require candidates to have a bachelor of science degree in nursing. Learn what this means for students, employers, and those engaged in workforce development.
Graphic of the Month
Opioid deaths escalating
The number of opioid overdose deaths in Ohio has been on the rise for nearly a decade.

By the Numbers

Question:
What are the potential upsides and downsides to a metro area’s investing in a light rail system?
Gary:
There’s potential for noise, more people, crime. Upsides can include reduced traffic congestion and eased parking problems. Most studies of light rail have found residential property near light rail increases in value. Our research found the opposite. We compared before and after sales prices of properties close to rail stations in Norfolk, Virginia, and properties similar to them farther away from the stations. The values of the properties nearer to the stations decreased in value by about 8 percent following the light rail system’s opening in 2011.
One question to ask before developing a new transit system is “will the system’s destinations still be employment centers 20 years from now?” Nowadays, places don’t necessarily have one business core. And light rail systems are somewhat inflexible. A more flexible transportation system is busing. If you have $50 million to spend, the question is what’s the most effective way to increase mobility? Mobility is a huge issue, especially for the low- and moderate-income communities that don’t have the transportation they need to access jobs.
People tend to think that when something is successful in one place you should replicate it in other places. I think our research shows things are more nuanced than that. In the case of Virginia, you have a region that is not very dense in terms of population, and the time to travel from place to place is not very high; the commute wasn’t awful. In places like Washington DC and New York and even Charlotte, you’ve got a lot more density, and transportation times are a lot higher; so those are the areas where property values increased along public transit lines.

Gary A. Wagner
is vice president and senior regional officer at the Cleveland Fed. He engages with stakeholders in southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky and conducts research on urban and regional issues. Editor’s note: Gary Wagner left the Bank in 2018.
On the Calendar
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November 30–December 1
2017 Financial Stability and Fintech Conference (Washington DC)
From around the Federal Reserve System

Debating college? This tool can help
Deciding what to do after high school can be daunting for young people and their caregivers. Questions abound: Is a college degree what I want to pursue? How might I pay for it? What if I’m interested in something else? This 3-part online course, developed by the Richmond and San Francisco Feds, guides students through a series of questions and exercises to help them consider their options for next steps.

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