SPN Fiscal Policy Exchange: Volume 6, Issue 5

Published on Monday, February 01, 2010
FISCAL POLICY

  

SPN Fiscal Policy Exchange: Volume 6, Issue 5 

The Fiscal Policy Exchange is brought to you by State Policy Network and prepared by Washington Policy Center. Please send any studies or news articles you would like included in the next Fiscal Policy Exchange (must include web link) by Friday morning to avogt@washingtonpolicy.org.

 

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Taxes & Budget

• Allegheny Institute
• Mandated Wage Mania in Allegheny County
• Alliance for Worker Freedom
• AWF Urges All Governors to Equalize Union and Corporation Political Giving Rules
• Pro-Worker Group Applauds Gov. Christie (R-NJ) for Limiting Union Donation Amounts
• American Enterprise Institute
• Myths about Budget Deficits
• Six Ways Not to Reform Health Care
• Why a Public Plan Is Unnecessary to Stimulate Competition
• Americans for Prosperity
• Global Warming Ranks Last in Public Opinion of Priorities
• Could we see a Stimulus Part 2?
• AFP Crowds Across the Country Gather to Watch the State of the Union
• Washington Post Misleads on Obama Campaign Promises
• Americans for Tax Reform
• Colorado House Finance Committee Passes Cadre of Tax Hikes
• GOP SC Gubernatorial Hopefuls Debate in Charleston Tonight, ATR asks all to Sign Pledge
• Mr. Freeze? Hardly. The Fake Spending "Restraint" of Obama
• Ghost of Tim Kaine Seeks to Raise Price of Spirits
• Seven Prudent Reforms Tackling Our Nation's Over-Spending Problems
• Blue Ridge Forum
• George Gilder: The Irreplaceable Contribution of the Jews
• "Government must create opportunity." Really, governor?
• Evergreen Freedom Foundation
• Bottled Water, Water Everywhere and Not a Drop Untaxed
• Thurston County: Property Values Go Down, Taxes Go Up
• 20,000 Washingtonians Tell Lawmakers "Hands Off Our Wallets"
• Crabtastic: State Wants Your Donations to Go to Pot (Removal)
• SOTU: Not Holding My Breath on Earmark Transparency
• Oregon Votes to Hike Taxes
• Stimulus Contract is News to Recipient
• Talkin' on (Budget) Sunshine
• Remember I-960: Hold Your Legislators Accountable
• FreedomWorks
• Protesters greet Obama in Tampa hours after State of the Union
• Recapturing Radical Spirit of 1994
• Dick Armey to Address Republican National Conservative Caucus
• Health Care Freedom Act Passes VA Senate Committee
• Goldwater Institute
• State's Debt is Unconstitutional
• Phoenix Shouldn't Increase Grocery Tax
• Stimulus Funds Doing Little to Fight Poverty
• Private Companies can Manage State Parks
• Goldwater Institute's Lawsuit May End Clean Elections Act
• Arizona Education Spending Up 20%
• Spending Discipline Key to Saving Arizona's Deficit
• Huge Spending Increases Have Almost No Effect on Education Quality
• Living Debt Free: Restoring Arizona's Commitment to its Constitutional Debt Limit
• Arizona $37 Billion in Debt Despite Constitutional Debt Limit
• Heritage Foundation
• Realistic Budget Baseline Shows $13 Trillion in Debt over the Next Decade
• Value-Added Tax: No Easy Fix for the Deficit
• The Decline of Britain: A Cautionary Tale for America
• 2010 Index of Economic Freedom
• China's Economy: Something Is Not Right in Beijing
• How Health Care Reform Will Affect Young Adults
• Squeezing out Private Health Plans
• The Public Health Plan Reincarnated: New-and Troubling-Powers for OPM
• Majority of Union Members Now Work for the Government
• What Boxer-Kerry Will Cost the Economy
• Kansas Policy Institute
• Speaker Pro Tem Calls for Simpler Kansas Tax Codes
• House panel delivers blow to sales tax increase proposal
• Higher unemployment taxes crimp hiring, employers say
• Higher sales tax could cost 26,000 jobs
• Governor spares Kansas Neurological Institute
• Furlough idea for legislators is dropped
• Declines slow in Kansas, regional economies
• Kansas unemployment unchanged in December
• Maryland Public Policy Institute
• Michael Steele flunks his own 12-step program
• Mercatus Center
• The Costs and Consequences of Unemployment Benefits on the States
• Perverse Incentives of Economic "Stimulus"
• National Taxpayers Union
• Study: Despite "Spending Freeze," State of Union Proposals Cost Taxpayers $70 Billion in Cold Cash
• An Open Letter to theU.S.House of Representatives: Cosponsor H.R. 4255
• An Open Letter to theNew YorkLegislature: Tax Hikes and More Spending Are Not the Answer
• Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research
• Failure to Thrive
• An Interim Report Card on Massachusetts Health Care Reform Part 1: Increasing Access
• Reason Foundation
• Related: Reason's Analysis of the California High-Speed Rail Plan
• What Should Republicans Do About Health Care?
• The Democrats' Five Stages of Grief Over Health Care
• Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell on Privatization
• Reason's Annual Privatization Report
• Florida's High-Speed Rail Line Will Require Big Annual Subsidies
• Video: Katherine Mangu-Ward on MSNBC on Bank Execs
• Overpaying for Green Power
• Tax Foundation
• Tax Policy Blog: Tax Foundation Staff Economist Mark Robyn on Film Tax Credits
• Tax Policy Podcast: Joe Kristan on Film Tax Credits in Iowa
• Tax Policy Blog: Michigan Debates Expensive Film Tax Credit Program
• Tax Policy Blog: Trying to Nip It in the Bud: Rhode Island Democrats Attack the New Alternative Flat Tax
• Washington Policy Center
• Olympia Policy Watch and WashingtonVotes.org: Two Indispensible Tools for Following the LegislativeSession
• Lawmakers Cannot Count on Sin Taxes for Budget Relief

Transparency

• Americans for Tax Reform
• Obama's First Year: Transparency - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
• Center for Fiscal Accountability
• New Online Transparency Tools in Missouri

State News

Alabama

• AL: RSA wants teacher benefits plan revised by Alabama Education Department,Mobile Register, 1.28.10
• AL: Alabama gets federal funding for rail study,Montgomery Advertiser, 1.29.10

Alaska

• AK: 500-mile road to Nome could cost $2.7 billion,Juneau Empire, 1.28.10

Arizona

• AZ: Ariz. fails to get high-speed rail money,azcentral, 1.28.10
• AZ: House OKs bill to spur job creation,Arizona Republic, 1.31.10
• AZ: Tax cut bill zips through House, heads to Senate,azcapitoltimes, 1.28.10

Arkansas

• AR: Lawmakers split on fundraising during fiscal session,Arkansas News, 1.28.10

California

• CA: Teachers pension fund is $43 billion short,LA Times, 1.29.10
• CA: Stimulus money seeds big rail plans in California,Wall Street Journal, 1.29.10
• CA: Stimulus money will spur construction on California high-speed rail project, officials say,LA Times, 1.29.10

Colorado

• Legislature kicks off 2010 with "Stop eTax Campaign!",stopetaxes.com, 1.28.10
• CO: Colo. legislature plunges into bruising budget fight,Denver Post, 1.29.10

Connecticut

• CT: State unions to meet with Rell administration,Republican American, 1.29.10
• CT: Rail link to western Mass. gets $40M,theday.com, 1.29.10
• CT: Putting a positive spin on state's $40 million high-speed rail grant,Hartford Courant, 1.28.10

Delaware

• DE: No new taxes in Markell budget,delawareonline.com, 1.29.10
• DE: State workers take bad with the good,delawareonline.com, 1.29.10

Florida

• FL: Crist -- Economy rebounding,Miami Herald, Tallahassee.com, 1.29.10
• FL: Rail gets `down payment',Miami Herald, 1.28.10
• FL: Obama addresses raucous Tampa crowd,Miami Herald, 1.29.10
• FL: Spend $100 million more next year on Florida universities, Crist says. Legislators say, what $100 million?,St. Petersburg Times, 1.29.10
• FL: Crist presenting final Fla. budget recommendations,USA Today, 1.29.10

Georgia

• GA: Lawmakers hope incentives help businesses, unemployed,Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1.28.10
• GA: North Carolina invests, wins rail money; Georgia doesn't,Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1.28.10
• GA: DOT board holds fast to accounting reversal,Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1.28.10

Hawaii

• HI: Governor, mayor at odds over financing for rail,Star Bulletin, 1.29.10

Idaho

• ID: ID House panel clears bill to block health reform,Times-News Magic Valley.com, 1.28.10
• ID: Luna sketches out cuts to public education,Times-News Magic Valley.com, 1.28.10

Illinois

• IL: Illinois on track for faster trains, new stations,thesouthern.com, 1.29.10
• IL: Local officials hope high-speed rail grant is just first installment,SJ-R.com, 1.28.10
• IL: Eight candidates for governor seeking unenviable job,SJ-R.com, 1.28.10
• IL: Chicago business leaders launch 'Illinoisisbroke.com' to highlight state money woes,Chicago Tribune, 1.28.10

Indiana

• IN: lliana bill not likely to go far,Post-Tribune, 1.29.10

Iowa

• IA: MHI in Clarinda now targeted for closure,Radio Iowa, 1.28.10
• IA: Culver to Sioux City -- 'Hang in there',Sioux City Journal, 1.28.10
• IA: Proposal nixes federal income tax payment deduction in Iowa,Quad-City Times, 1.28.10
• IA: Governor meets with Electrolux workers,Quad-City Times, 1.28.10
• IA: Home-schoolers to rally support for law,Des Moines Register, 1.28.10
• IA: Review -- Job training costs excessive,Des Moines Register, 1.29.10
• IA: Report questions Culver budget assumptions,Des Moines Register, 1.29.10

Kansas

• KS: Documents disclose federal audit of Kansas GOP,KansasCity.com, 1.28.10
• KS: Audit says state could save millions by consolidating judicial districts; local judge critical,Lawrence Journal-World, 1.28.10

Kentucky

• KY: Jury begins deliberations in bid-rigging trial,Kentucky.com, 1.29.10
• KY: University presidents impress legislators with funding request,Kentucky.com, 1.29.10

Louisiana

• LA: Spending plan hits wall,2theadvocate.com, 2.1.10

Maine

• ME: Rail officials hope to expedite Maine expansion of Amtrak,Bangor Daily News, 1.28.10

Maryland

• Boost in cigarette taxes a boon for smugglers, Baltimore Sun, 1.27.10

Massachusetts

• MA: Tribe eyes Fall River,Cape Cod Times, 1.29.10
• MA: Speaker DeLeo -- No to new taxes, yes to gaming jobs, Boston Herald, 1.28.10

Michigan

• MI: Michigan to delay dozens of road, bridge projects,Detroit Free Press, 1.28.10
• MI: Michigan seeks more train funds,Detroit News, 1.29.10
• MI: Brookings Institution plans to boost Great Lakes region with new VC fund,Crain's Detroit Business, 1.29.10

Minnesota

• MN: High-speed Chicago-to-St. Paul rail line gets first federal grant for planning,TwinCities.com, 1.28.10
• MN: Geithner gives the green light for green jobs,TwinCities.com, 1.28.10

Mississippi

• MS: Mississippi public universities may shed 1,000 jobs,Commercial Appeal, 1.29.10

Missouri

• MO: Rivals to tax plan coalesce,Columbia Daily Tribune, 1.28.10
• MO: Mo. revenue agency encourages online tax filing,Stltoday.com, 1.29.10

Montana

• MT: Regents approve $7.65M in cuts to Montana University System,Missoulian, 1.29.10
• MT: Agencies to submit spending cuts,Billings Gazette, 1.28.10
• MT: Montana Department of Labor warns businesses not to buy free posters,Billings Gazette, 1.28.10

Nebraska

• NE: Caseworkers worry about ACCESSNebraska's effect on some clients,Journal Star, 1.28.10
• NE: Officials disagree on who can make Medicaid decision for illegals,Journal Star, 1.28.10

Nevada

• NV: Nevada's high-speed rail plan deemed ineligible for stimulus funds,Las Vegas Review Journal, 1.29.10
• NV: Nevada's suicide crisis -- Mental health services struggle to meet demand,Nevada Appeal, 1.29.10
• NV: State, feds point fingers as Nevada misses rail funding,Las Vegas Sun, 1.29.10

New Hampshire

• NH: Rank and file to vote on court furloughs,Concord Monitor, 2.1.10
• NH: Lawmakers scrambling for solution,Concord Monitor, 2.1.10

New Jersey

• NJ: N.J. libraries, post offices halt state tax-form service,NJ.com, 1.29.10
• NJ: N.J. Gov. Chris Christie meets with cabinet for first time,NJ.com, 1.28.10
• NJ: N.J. Chamber of Commerce train arrives in Washington, D.C.,NJ.com, 1.28.10
• NJ: State mediation program aids Bergen, Passaic homeowners facing foreclosure,NorthJersey.com, 1.28.10

New Mexico

• NM: Hundreds show up to protest bill that pulls money from brick-and-mortar projects,New Mexico Independent, 1.28.10
• NM: Job losses push NM unemployment to 8.3 percent,New Mexico Business Weekly, 1.28.10

New York

• NY: Comptroller rejects bid, slaps DOT,timesunion.com, 1.29.10
• NY: Local leaders happy with $151 million grant for high-speed rail, Democrat and Chronicle, 1.29.10
• NY: Gov. Paterson wants to pull troopers off school details,Democrat and Chronicle, 1.29.10

North Carolina

• NC: State gets $545 million to beef up rail service,News Observer, 1.29.10

Ohio

• OH: Ohio's rail plans back on track,Columbus Dispatch, 1.29.10
• OH: Columbus State divvies up surplus,Columbus Dispatch, 1.29.10
• OH: Governor's Fast TRAC approved,Columbus Dispatch, 1.28.10
• OH: Social Security commissioner says Ohio losing federal money by furloughing SSA workers,Cleveland.com, 1.28.10
• OH: Rail station to bring jobs, service by 2012,Dayton Daily News, 1.29.10

Oklahoma

• OK: High-speed plan derailed,Tulsa World, 1.29.10

Oregon

• OR: Special session short on substance,Statesman Journal, 1.29.10
• OR: Public pension board to vote on employer rate increases,OregonLive.com, 1.29.10
• OR: Telephone town hall draws 1,800 people,Statesman Journal.com, 1.28.10

Pennsylvania

• PA: State policy for teacher quality gets 'D',Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 1.29.10
• PA: Rail stimulus paltry for Western Pennsylvania,1.29.10

Rhode Island

• RI: Carcieri counting on stimulus money to help small businesses,projo.com, 1.29.10

South Carolina

• SC: Realtors say poll supports change,The Post and Courier, 1.27.10
• SC: South Carolina gets cash to replace school cited by Obama, USA Today, 1.27.10

South Dakota

• SD: Lawmakers examine business, ag project tax refunds,Capital Journal, 1.29.10

Tennessee

• TN: Bredesen wants to tap into reserves,The Tennessean, 1.29.10

Texas

• TX: Perry deflects criticism of Enterprise Fund management,Statesman.com, 1.28.10
• TX: Paperless medicine -- Training the eworkforce,Texas Tribune, 1.29.10

Utah

• UT: Senator wants fat trimmed for sake of education,Deseret News, 1.29.10
• UT: Utahns speak with one voice -- No water deal,Salt Lake Tribune, 1.29.10

Virginia

• VA: Va. Democrats press McDonnell for plan to balance budget,Washington Post, 1.29.10
• VA: New track funded,Fredericksburg.com, 2.1.10
• VA: Virginia lawmakers ponder 'green' bills,Fredericksburg.com, 1.29.10
• VA: Va. falls far short of goal in federal rail funds,Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1.31.10
• VA: Teachers association predicts 'disaster' under proposed Va. budget,Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1.29.10

Vermont

• VT: The Vermonter gets healthy boost, but Burlington rail overlooked,Burlington Free Press, 1.29.10

Washington

• Is it time to restructure higher education?, Olypolicywatch.com, 1.28.10
• Lawmakers won't rule out borrowing to bridge cash-flow crisis, kuow.com, 1.27.10
• Public deserves 72 hours to see how money is spent, The Olympian, 1.25.10
• Lawmakers plates are full, but there's no need to rush,The Daily News, 1.25.10
• Senator propose government restructuring commission, Olypolicywatch.com, 1.25.10
• WA: Sources-- McGinn ready to unveil 520 preferences,Seattle
• P-I.com, 1.29.10

West Virginia

• WV: State officials defend travel policies,Sunday Gazette-Mail, 1.28.10
• WV: State-funded MATRIC lost $500,000 with bankrupt former partner,Charleston Gazette, 1.28.10

Wisconsin

• WI: Day-care provider falsified records to get more state funds, documents say,JSOnline, 1.31.10
• WI: Doyle, mayors laud high-speed rail plan,JSOnline, 1.31.10

Wyoming

• WY: Legislature's budget committee okays new southeast Wyo tourism center money,Cowboy State Free Press, 1.28.10
• WY: Demand for Wyo water projects outpaces funding,Cowboy Free Press, 1.28.10
• WY: More local government money?,Trib.com, 1.29.10

US

• Weekly wrap: Govs seek to prop up budget reserve funds,Stephen C. Fehr,
• Stateline.org Staff Writer, 1.29.10
• US: New England outgunned on US rail funds,Boston.com, 1.29.10
• Oregon tax vote poses fresh test for Dems,John Gramlich,
• Stateline.org Staff Writer, 1.26.10
• US: Obama to seek up to $4B in new education spending,1.28.10

SPN Research Forum Listserv

The research forum listserv is an email-based conversation hosted by the John Locke Foundation. Post messages and get responses to issues of importance in your state and across the country. With participation from other SPN think tanks and associate member organizations, the Forum can help with background for your papers or ideas on what's worked in other states. Learn from other think tanks. Share your research ideas. Discuss timely issues. To join the conversation, email Daren Bakst dbakst@johnlocke.org.

Links of Interest

• Alliance for Workers Freedom
• American Legislative Exchange Council
• American Shareholders Association
• Americans for Limited Government
• Americans for Prosperity
• Americans for Prosperity Texas Blog
• Americans for Tax Reform
• BNA State Tax Highlights
• Budget & Tax News: Heartland Institute
• BusinessNevada
• Carolina Journal Online
• CATO-Taxes & Budget
• CATO-Downsizing Government
• Citizens Against Government Waste
• Council On State Taxation
• EFF Updates
• EFF Blog
• FreedomWorks
• Foundation for Economic Education
• Independence Institute Updates
• Insider Online
• Media Freedom Project
• National Tax Limitation Committee
• National Taxpayers Union & National Taxpayers Union Foundation
• Nevada Policy Research Institute
• PolicyBot
• Property Rights Alliance
• Ronald Reagan Legacy Project
• Sam Adams Alliance
• State Policy Network Blog
• State Tax Updates (ATR)
• State Tax Bites (Institute for Policy Innovation)
• The Tax Foundation
• Townhall.com
• Washington Policy Center's Blog
• You Choose Not Them - Financial Crisis
• Young America's Foundation

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