The study that’s making headlines is doing so for different reasons. Some reports tout the high economic impact of the population, those that are legal and illegal. Others are noting the net cost on the economy.
So, what gives? Why the ambivalence? What’s the real story? The answer is buried in the report. After bouncing ideas off each other, Joe Coletti and I predict that the numbers generated in this study will most likely be used to promote economic development in Hispanic-friendly supplies and services.
Check out page 37 and 38 (also table 14). Here you’ll find a gem, offering advice to counties eager to capture revenue leakage (or a potential Hispanic revenue source):
First, there is a 11.6 percent inter-county leakage of Hispanic spending impact for all N.C. counties. [i.e. someone else is getting your money!] Second, collectively, metropolitan areas have relatively low leakage (7.3 percent). Third, individual metropolitan area counties have relatively less Hispanic economic impact leakage (10.3 percent) than do individual rural counties (16.9 percent) [i.e. if you want that money, you better become a quasi-metropolitan area, at least in the services and supplies you offer].
And the most important line that follows:
… our analyses suggests a significant potential for Hispanic-targeted business development in a substantial number of N.C. counties.
