Evan Horowitz

Exec. Director of the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tisch College, Tufts. Onetime data journalist. Also onetime academic. Tea drinker.

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

I'm sure the costs and risks have been thoroughly vetted...

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

A classic of the democracy=NIMBYism genre

[Matt Bruenig @MattBruenig]

a classic

[Andon Labs @andonlabs]

Opus 4.8 is a step back in terms of performance on all Andon Labs’ benchmarks, but a step forward in alignment.

Previous Claude models (Opus 4.6+ and Mythos) engage in deceptive and power seeking behavior in its pursuit to win in Vending-Bench. Opus 4.8 does not.

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

so the whole multi-year fight between deb goldberg and shannon o'brien just whimpered out?

well done, pols; incredible use of time and money

[Jonathan Berk @berkie1]

Over much of the past decade, the City of Austin permitted more housing annually than the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

In 2022 alone, Austin approved 24,227 new homes, roughly 1.5× the total number of housing units permitted statewide across Massachusetts that year.

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

Still surprised at lack of push-back from the rideshare companies.

They did little to stop this from become law (via ballot); and I don't think there's been much in the way of legal challenge.

If drivers get real leverage in #mapoli, surely other states will follow.

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

@FortPointer @bospolicyinst @ResearchBureau1 Did you read the article?

Lots of bits like this: "the city’s top climate official said he still intends to apply this year" and "the city council unanimously supported a resolution that urged Boston to make this a 'top priority.'"

https://t.co/1Etc1GMzDL

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

Boston is weirdly committed to joining a FEMA program that looks to have pretty anemic benefits.

If these numbers are right, I'd bet compliance costs > savings. What do you think @bospolicyinst @ResearchBureau1 ?

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

uh oh...

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

How is this not a bigger #mapoli scandal?

Kudos to @jordanwolman for staying on it

https://t.co/hMRMPiHASS

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

@JustinJBasch Any sense of timing? Like when we might get to quarters?

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

not great for Boston...

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

Share with anyone you think might be interested:
https://t.co/wHh1KSD3qy

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

We're hiring a summer research fellow to help with #mapoli ballot questions.

As much about project mgmt as research but should be interesting for grad students or early-career folks.

[Adam Ozimek @ModeledBehavior]

If you think demand played a large roll in the pandemic inflation, you are a lot less worried today. If you think it was mostly supply shocks, well you are more worried about supply shocks being inflationary.

This explains some of the Dove -> Hawk conversions

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

Lots of other interesting stuff here:
https://t.co/QQLztNZSTB

Report on the 62F ballot question up next

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

Put out a new report this morning: The $5.1b question for Massachusetts voters.

That's the headline figure from our (dynamic) estimate of the income tax cut ballot question.

[Evan Horowitz @cSPAHorowitz]

Effect on the state economy very small.

Some increase in reported incomes, but likely smaller boost in real economic activity.