Homeland Security officials have declared that failing to prepare for extreme weather events cost the U.S. $1.15 trillion from 1980 to 2010. Two years ago, 15 states had climate protection plans, now 36 states do. Delaware, which has invested in shore protection, has noted that for every dollar it has invested, it has received $10 in value back from the investment. (USA Today)   Electric grid, water management, transportation system upgrade and shore protection all seem to be slated for increased funding over the next several years.

Additionally, the conditions across the United States have caused numerous school cancellations and are creating challenges for schools to meet state class-time requirements.  Under a new Ohio law that took effect this year, districts that max out on “calamity” days can use up to three “e-learning days” to meet state class-time requirements and avoid having to add extra days on to the end of a school year.

To implement e-learning days, the state requires district teachers to post lessons and assignments online for students to complete during the snow day.  At Grandville High School in Michigan, an AP calculus teacher uses online technology for snow days to assign lessons and provides videos of herself teaching the lesson and working out sample problems, that way she doesn’t have to rush through lessons with fewer school days.   (Education Week)

These events have also created planning and budget issues for many schools and has pushed teachers to explore new ways of connecting with their students.   Out of these storms may come some helpful operational changes.  As just one example, the AP calculus teacher in Michigan now tapes most of her classes as it provides another connection for kids that are absent, or who just want to hear the lesson again.

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New Jersey, once the premier gambling destination on the east coast, was surpassed in gambling revenues by Pennsylvania in 2012.  Atlantic City’s newest casino, Revel, just declared bankruptcy.

Three casinos have opened in Ohio since 2009, with another set to open next month in Cincinnati.  Michigan now has 22 casinos run by autonomous Indian tribes. Meanwhile, tax revenue from neighboring Indiana’s 13 betting sites has declined every year since 2009.

States, and casinos, are beginning to respond.  The Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City will be the first U.S. establishment to allow guest-room gambling on slots and poker via a television and remote control.   New Jersey, which recently approved gambling on handheld devices, is considering legalizing Internet gambling and wants to legalize sports betting in the state.

In Indiana, a bill by a state Senator would allow casinos to keep a greater percentage of revenue and allow state gambling riverboats to move inland.

While states continue to sanction and build more casinos, how long will operators see opportunity in building them?

We expect that states will attempt to move more aggressively toward online gambling to expand their pool of potential players.   With competition for gamblers growing throughout the country, we  also expect other states’ casinos to join New Jersey in ramping up technology capabilities in an attempt to gain a competitive advantage.

The big question is, will the Borgata deliver free drinks to the room?

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In Texas, Allan Ritter, a Republican and chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, proposed bills that would withdraw $2 billion from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to establish a water infrastructure bank that would lend money for projects dedicated to the state’s 50-year water plan. His proposals received support from Republican leaders, the Sierra Club’s Texas chapter and the Texas Association of Business. (read the article)

 
Texas Republicans’ inclination is to reduce government involvement when markets can be involved, but, in this instance, previously opposing forces are cooperating to deal with what are perceived to be structural challenges. Water is essential to commerce, agriculture, energy and consumers. Current Texas politicians perceive water as too important of a commodity to be left to the markets to allocate and price.

How long will this perspective about water last?  Will other states follow?

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This is great for the teachers trying to make ends meet during a time of reduced funding to education, and another example (following eBay, Craigslist, Kickstarter, Etsy and others) of the power of peer-to-peer sales.  Schools facing budget squeezes might want a piece of the action, though.  A New York Federal court ruled in 2004 that schools have a right to some of the profits, if teachers produced marketable lesson plans as part of their regular work, even if it was on their own time.  Will schools start suing some of these teachers for their share of the lesson-plan profits?

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Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina all placed in the top 10 of the Business Facilities list of the best workforce-training programs with Louisiana on top.  The four states trained a combined 70,000 workers, adding a net total of 26,300 manufacturing jobs from January 2011 to January 2012.

The states’ programs all have a number of things in common including, being offered free of charge, and ensuring that the workforce is adequately prepared to take actual jobs that are already available.  Tax breaks for the companies are usually included as well.

North Carolina is also offering tax breaks for companies to move to the state.  Charlotte recently lured Chiquita from Cincinnati, offering more than $24 million in state and local incentives, as well as the promise of easier travel into and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

As unemployment remains elevated states that offer incentives to attract companies will benefit.  This should also benefit companies looking to open new locations or relocate.  This environment should create increased business for any companies offering or facilitating training programs for states.

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