Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

Sunday, November 27, 2022

Economics

Simon Says: Economic value of your holiday gifts

“Father Christmas, give us the money Don’t mess around with those silly toys” The Kinks, Father Christmas At this time of gift giving, it is worth considering whether the exchange of presents is efficient. Well at least to an economist it is! Famously, if only in economic circles, Joel Waldfogel in 1993 suggested gift giving was inefficient because it…

ByDr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Economics Professor 3 days ago0Comments

Unemployment in CSRA counties slightly above state rates

Citizens of both Georgia and South Carolina are having more success at finding work than in some other states. As of October, the unemployment rate for the United States was 3.7 percent, but both Georgia and South Carolina are doing better; Georgia is at 2.9 percent, and South Carolina is at 3.3 percent. In general, the…

ByGary Kauffman4 days ago0Comments

B2B Stories Economics

Simon Says: Investing in ‘human capital’ is important

Universities and K-12 schools are in the business of human capital development. Human capital is education, training, and other forms of learning. Human capital is seen as an investment, just like physical capital, where the costs are paid upfront and the returns are received later. A recent paper by David Deming in the Journal of Economic…

ByDr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Economics Professor 4 days ago0Comments

B2B Stories Economics Top Story

Mondays with Rick: Small businesses are the backbone of a community

Gary Kauffman Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about the importance of supporting small businesses for a strong economy. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of AU’s Hull College…

ByGary KauffmanNovember 20, 20220Comments

B2B Stories Economics

Downtown businesses plan Small Business Saturday Crawl

For the second year in a row, several downtown businesses are collaborating to bring their customers a unique shopping experience. Downtown Soul City, a Facebook page, has announced its second annual Small Business Saturday Crawl, which will be held on Nov. 26 beginning at 10 a.m. at Augusta & Co., located at 1010 Broad St. Many businesses,…

ByStory and photos by Josh HeathNovember 20, 20220Comments

B2B Stories Economics

Tax tips for year-end charitable giving

As Thanksgiving and Christmas draw near, many people think about making charitable donations – for both altruistic and tax reasons. For people who don’t take the standard deduction on the 10-40 form but itemize instead, items like donations to charities can help reduce the amount of money you owe to the government. So, if you’re looking…

ByGary KauffmanNovember 16, 20220Comments

B2B Stories Economics

Social Security cost of living adjustment is the biggest in over 40 years

Americans drawing money from Social Security received some good news for 2023 with a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) designed to keep up with inflation. The Social Security Administration (SAA) announced last month that it would implement an increase in benefits of 8.7 percent. The new rate will go into effect in January. For many recipients, this will…

ByGary KauffmanNovember 15, 20220Comments

B2B Stories Economics

Simon Says: Local employment remains below pre-pandemic levels

Employment in the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area inched up by 200 jobs in September to stand at 244,400, but employment locally remains below pre-pandemic levels. With little change in total employment, it is not surprising that there was little change in employment in many industries. Industries seeing a decline in employment include leisure and hospitality with…

ByDr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Economics Professor November 15, 20220Comments

B2B Stories Economics

Mondays with Rick: Inflation creates a double whammy for nonprofits

Gary Kauffman Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about the impact of inflation on nonprofit organizations. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of AU’s Hull College of Business ABD:…

ByGary KauffmanNovember 13, 20220Comments

B2B Stories Economics

Voters approve continuing SPLOST in Columbia County

Columbia County is on its way to bringing in $288 million over the next five years, one penny at a time. On Tuesday, voters approved extending the Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), with about 60 percent voting yes on the ballot. SPLOST adds a penny per dollar to the local sales tax. That extra cent…

ByGary KauffmanNovember 9, 20220Comments