The Capstone Project has been a hallmark of the Fels Institute’s practical approach to public administration for many years. I was fortunate to have a mentor who had also gone through the program, and was able to guide me to an excellent candidate for a project. After a successful design process, the COVID-19 pandemic (appropriately) deprioritized the program’s funding in favor of a more immediate lifeline to small businesses. But in 2023, the City of Philadelphia officially launched the program.
Executive Summary
In general, tax incentives are expensive, poorly designed, and difficult if not impossible to
evaluate. At the same time, they are critical to the economic future of a city, state, or region
and their ability to attract or retain businesses. They are popular among politicians for their
ability to make a splash – creating jobs and scoring points with voters. The reality is there are
too many programs that don’t offer enough data on their performance. In Philadelphia alone
there are 21 separate programs that offer economic incentives – the most among major cities
included in a recent Pew Research center study. And yet, Philadelphia struggles with growing
the right kinds of jobs – those offering good wages, health insurance, and other benefits that
help families thrive. To make better use of funding dedicated to economic incentives,
Philadelphia and cities across the country must embrace transparency, evaluation, and
inclusive policies that maximize benefits for all residents. The Quality Jobs Tax Grant program
represents a design that incorporates these ideas and much more by relying on best practices,
high-quality research, and expert opinions. Improvements will be needed across the full
portfolio of economic incentives, but Quality Jobs can serve as the new standard for inclusive
growth incentives in Philadelphia.
My full capstone paper can be accessed here.
Joe Buckshon 