SPN Fiscal Policy Exchange: Volume 7, Issue 48
Published on Monday, December 19, 2011
FISCAL POLICY
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 noon (PT) Friday to spn@washingtonpolicy.org.
Taxes & Budget
Allegheny Institute
Pittsburgh Region Jobs Picture is Looking Up
The Assessment Nightmare Before (and After) Christmas
American Enterprise Institute
Public sector pensions in Nebraska
Closing the achievement gap, but at gifted students' expense
Crossing to the dark side?
The Class Warfare We Need
Political Report, December 2011
Americans for Tax Reform
One Year to Go Until Largest Tax Hikes in History
Americans for Tax Reform Foundation Releases Second Edition "Tax Bites"
Obama's War On Domestic Oil Production
Senator Levin's Irrational Fear of Repatriated Capital Continues
ATR Supports S. 1506, A Bill To Protect Foreign Deposits
President Obama Accepts Reality on Collective Bargaining
ID: Rep. Dennis Lake, "Errand Boy" for the Tax Hike Lobby
Norquist: Tax Reform in Georgia is About Reducing Marginal Rates
How the Government Stole Christmas
Cascade Policy Institute
State Auditor follows up with the Oregon Commission for the Blind: Finds "some improvement" with new problems
Oregon Supreme Court bounces ballot title back to the Attorney General
New Oregon Law Okays Pocketing Other People's Money
Blended Learning: Making Technology Work for Students
Save the Mail! - Delivery to Slow as Debt Crisis Looms
Oregon health care taxes bring in $414 MIL from hospitals and insurers
Goldwater Institute
Public sector collective bargaining threatens right to work states too
Freedom is the key to jobs
Kansas Policy Institute
KPI On Governor's Finance Plan, "Incomplete"
City of Wichita Spends $2 million, Rebuffs Citizen's Transparency Request
Why Obama's Stimulus Failed: A Reason Case Study
Ethics Commission to require mileage logs for legislators' travel reimbursements
Kansas school funding plan shifts power to taxpayers
Kansas legislators seek meeting with Boeing about Wichita jobs
Kansas panel opts for higher cost state retirement plan
Maryland Public Policy Institute
Why the Stimulus Failed
Toothless audits
Nevada Policy Research Institute
Brookings study waves the flag for crony capitalism
Legislative ‘police powers' said to trump U.S. Constitution
‘A total lack of common sense' at health district?
Reason Foundation
Christopher Hitchens, RIP
The Never-Ending Budget Battle
The Quantified Self
Washington Policy Center
Eco-Fads: The High Environmental Cost of the Local Food Movement
Common Core Standards allow Washington state to supplement only 15% of curriculum standards
Response to concerns about enhanced budget cutting authority for governor
Greens Say "We Were All Duped"? Speak for Yourselves.
Legislature sets stage for 2012 Special Session(s)
Christmas comes early for reformers
State News
Alabama
AL: Jefferson County bankruptcy hearing has Wall Street's attention, The Birmingham News, 12.15.11
Alaska
AK: State budget has money for new ferry, Anchorage Daily News, 12.14.11
AK: Governor proposes housing aid for victims of violence, Anchorage Daily News, 12.14.11
Arizona
AZ: Arizona taxpayers funding firms to run online schools, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), 12.13.11
California
CA: Budget cuts will cost us later, Los Angeles Times, 12.15.11
CA: Private funds for Calif. public parks questioned, San Francisco Chronicle, 12.14.11
CA: California Democratic Party's John Burton files tax proposal, The Sacramento Bee, 12.15.11
Connecticut
CT: GOP chief blasts Malloy's Governors Association role; Democrats fire back -- at Rowland, Hartford Courant, 12.14.11
CT: Utility puts price tag on better safeguards against power outages, The Connecticut Mirror, 12.14.11
Florida
FL: Charter school mess is no surprise, The Miami Herald, 12.14.11
FL: Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi walks back casino money-laundering claim, The Miami Herald, 12.14.11
Hawaii
HI: Audit- Honolulu EMS spent $16M in non-holiday overtime between fiscal years 2008 and 2010, The Republic (Columbus, Ind.), 12.14.11
Illinois
IL: Ill. incentives come with few strings, Quad-City Times, 12.14.11
IL: More tax breaks for businesses on horizon?, Northwest Indiana Times (Munster, Ind.), 12.14.11
IL: Dems, GOP push plans to roll back biz tax hikes sooner, Illinois Statehouse News, 12.14.11
IL: Quinn says he's eager to sign tax breaks package, Northwest Indiana Times (Munster, Ind.), 12.14.11
Indiana
IN: Indiana budget leaders get outlook on fiscal health, Evansville Courier & Press, 12.14.11
IN: Indiana revenue will be $516 million higher than original forecast, Evansville Courier & Press, 12.14.11
IN: State approves funds for Kankakee River flood control, Northwest Indiana Times (Munster), 12.14.11
IN: State was warned about tax collections, Northwest Indiana Times (Munster), 12.14.11
IN: Request denied for outside review of misplaced $320 million, Northwest Indiana Times (Munster), 12.14.11
Kansas
KS: Kansas to pay $350,000 to settle lawsuit against Phill Kline, The Kansas City Star, 12.14.11
KS: Brownback unveils school plan that would allow districts to raise more money locally, The Kansas City Star, 12.15.11
KS: Kansas leaders tout initiative to recruit and retain engineering students, Lawrence Journal-World, 12.14.11
Kentucky
KY: A bet on tax reform, The Courier-Journal (Louisville), 12.14.11
Louisiana
LA: State to begin preparing $198 million in additional budget cuts, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans), 12.14.11
LA: Louisiana Civil Service Commission changes system for evaluating workers, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans), 12.14.11
Maine
ME: Obama -- It's OK for Maine to take health care dollars while suing to stop law, Bangor Daily News, 12.14.11
ME: Crowds pack State House to oppose MaineCare cuts, Bangor Daily News, 12.14.11
Maryland
MD: Mishandling of state contracts prompts call for resignation, The Capital (Annapolis), 12.15.11
Massachusetts
MA: Casino pitch -- tax revenue of $10m, The Boston Globe, 12.15.11
MA: UMass trustees request $502M in state funding, Boston Herald, 12.14.11
Michigan
MI: Michigan House strips out 'Obamacare' grant from spending bill, mlive.com, 12.14.11
MI: New study gives Michigan a D+ for not creating quality jobs with corporate giveaways, mlive.com, 12.14.11
Mississippi
MS: Freeze, adjust PERS benefits, group says, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson), 12.14.11
Missouri
MO: Mo. woman recovers $6.1M in unclaimed property, Jefferson City News Tribune, 12.14.11
Montana
MT: Montana farmers get hail insurance refund, Great Falls Tribune, 12.14.11
Nebraska
NE: Disconnect pipeline, payroll tax cut, Lincoln Journal Star, 12.14.11
Nevada
NV: What's Ross Miller trying to say with that money?, Las Vegas Sun, 12.15.11
New Hampshire
NH: Money for refugee services released, New Hampshire Union Leader, 12.15.11
New Jersey
NJ: NJ Turnpike Authority OKs 2012 operating budget, The Record (Bergen County), 12.14.11
NJ: Many in N.J. face hit if alternative tax isn't adjusted, The Record (Bergen County), 12.14.11
NJ: N.J. Attorney General blocks public knowledge of State Police overtime pay, The Star-Ledger (Newark), 12.14.11
NJ: N.J. comptroller's office pinches funds on contractor spending, The Star-Ledger (Newark), 12.14.11
Ohio
OH: State will have one primary March 6, The Columbus Dispatch, 12.15.11
Oregon
OR: Oregon spent more than $1 of every $3 in state funds on education in 2010, a typical rate, feds say, The Oregonian (Portland), 12.14.11
Pennsylvania
PA: Corbett- Failure to borrow will shut down state construction projects, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 12.15.11
Rhode Island
RI: Advocates for developmentally disabled to protest at RI State House over budget cuts, Providence Journal, 12.14.11
RI: Chafee to ask RI General Assembly for $2.6-million Central Falls bailout for CF retirees, Providence Journal, 12.15.11
South Carolina
SC: Police, firefighters still could retire after 25 years, The State (Columbia), 12.14.11
SC: Republican Party has decided taxpayers should pay for primary, Spartanburg Herald-Journal, 12.14.11
South Dakota
SD: More money encourages colleges, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls), 12.15.11
Tennessee
TN: Thousands of households face cuts in energy aid, The Tennessean (Nashville), 12.15.11
TN: TN grants to help Amazon build in 2 counties, GM train in Spring Hill, The Tennessean (Nashville), 12.15.11
Virginia
VA: State approves revised Richmond jail plan, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 12.15.11
VA: McDonnell proposes $100M funding boost for Va. colleges, The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk), 12.15.11
Washington
WA: Legislature adjourns 17-day special session in Olympia, The News Tribune (Tacoma), 12.15.11
WA: State legislators settle on plan for down payment on shortfall, The Seattle Times, 12.14.11
WA: State Senate passes early-action budget bill; end of session near, The News Tribune (Tacoma), 12.15.11
WA: Task force says state needs billions for transportation, The Olympian (Olympia), 12.14.11
WA: Approval of $480M budget gap bill paves way for special session to end, The Olympian (Olympia), 12.13.11
West Virginia
WV: PEIA board cuts health care benefits for state workers, Charleston Daily Mail, 12.14.11
WV: State buys $98 million computer system from Canadian firm, The Charleston Gazette, 12.14.11
Wisconsin
WI: Wisconsin shakes up health funding, The Post-Crescent (Appleton), 12.14.11
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