The Virginia Organizing Project believes that informed and active citizens need to know how our economy works -- or doesn't work. These articles are part of our "Understanding the Economy" series which you can find here or in our quarterly newsmagazine.

All articles are reprinted from virginia.organizing, the news magazine of the Virginia Organizing Project.

• "Lobbying and Politics". January 2008.
• "Financial Quicksand: Payday lending sinks borrowers in debt with $4.2 billion in predatory fees every year (Executive Summary)". October 2007.
• "Latino and African-American workers in the global economy". May 2007.
• "Growth in the foreign-born workforce and employment of the native born". October 2006.
• "Income inequality has increased in Virginia over the past two decades". May 2006.
• "Moral bankruptcy prevails". Winter 2006.
• "Unhappy anniversary". October 2005.
• "Many States Face Structural Budget Problems". July 2005.
• "State spending limits: threats to social services". April 2005.
• "The capitalist conquest of democracy". Winter 2004.
• "With taxes, what you believe in is what you get". Spring 2004.
• "Subsidizing the destruction of the commons". November 2003.
• "Closing three corporate income tax loopholes would generate $92 million in new revenue". July 2003.
• "Tax hikes vs. spending cuts in the VA General Assembly". April 2003.
• "Virginia Organizing Project unveils tax reform plan". January 2003.
• "What’s the impact of taxes on low-income families in Virginia?". October 2002.
• "A working plan for Virginia tax reform". July 2002.
• "Calculate your local living wage". April 2002.
• "A living wage makes good economic sense for local communities". January 2002.
• "Disclosure Laws: Virginia's time has come". January 2002.
• "Wages and Crime.". October 2001.
• "Virginia: Phantom Revenues Allow Expensive Tax Cut to Occur This Year". October 2001.
• "Fiscal Virginia: The Tax Commission Report.". July 2001.
• "Virginia Taxes Punish the Working Poor". April 2001.
• "Fiscal Virginia: Evaluating the System and Fixing the Problems". April 2001.
• "Fiscal Virginia: Where the Money Comes From and Where It Goes.". January 2001.
• "Virginia Wages: Are We All Better Off?". October 2000.
• "Safeguarding Taxpayers Dollars.". July 2000.
• "Virginia Rides the New Economy.". April 2000.
• "Tultex; a Virginia Victim of Free Trade.". January 2000.
• "What is Wrong With Inflation ?". October 1999.
• "Living Wage at the University of Virginia.". July 1999.
• "Some Basics of Economic Globalization.". April 1999.
• "Corporate Welfare: Who Benefits ?". January 1999.
• "Earned Income Credit". October 1998.

Here are some other web sites where you can get information about economic issues:

• Average Annual Pay (All States)
• Average Annual Pay (All MSAs)
• Occupational Compensation Surveys (Major MSAs in the U.S.)
• Citizens for Tax Justice
• Center for Ethics and Popular Education
• Financial Markets Center
• United for a Fair Economy
• AFL-CIO Economic Policy Papers
• Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
• Tax Equity Alliance for Massachusetts
• Corporate Welfare
• Grassroots Economic Organizing
• Heartland Labor Capital Project
• The Hidden Entitlements
• Multinational Monitor
• National Priorities Project
• Economic Policy Institute
• Inequality.org
• Two-Minute Poverty Tour

To track executives' compensation, you can get information at these sites:

• Professor Richard Hannah's Links
• Bill Gates Personal Wealth Clock
• Securities and Exchange Commission
• Executive Paywatch