SPN Fiscal Policy Exchange: Volume 8, Issue 6
Published on Monday, February 06, 2012
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's Casino Posts Strong Gains in 2011
Solving PAT's Financial Woes: State Problem or Local Issue?
Americans for Tax Reform
Road not taken: the unrecognized harm of excessive regulation
Chairman Kline Unveils GOP Vision to Fix No Child Left Behind
Alternative Futures for a Fractured American Culture
The Top Five Tax Polling Questions Anyone Would Ever Need to Know
ATR Applauds House Republican Energy Policy
ATR Applauds Indiana Right to Work
The One Percent Solution: Tax Revenues Under Faster Economic Growth
Three Things to Know About the CBO Budget Report
Bureau of Labor Statistics Releases 2011 Report
Oklahoma and Kansas: Moving in the Right Direction on Tax Reform
Obama Bureaucrats Owe Billions in Taxes While Wanting to Raise Yours
ATR: Opposed to Rhode Island Sales Tax Increase
Idaho Has a Surplus; Why Raise Taxes?
Cascade Policy Institute
Animal abuse agents looking to have state police commissioning authority
Cascade Policy Institute Report predicts 110,000 jobs for Oregon with enactment of a Right-to-Work Law
QuickPoint! - Help Children Learn Today-More Will Graduate Tomorrow
Governor speaks before committee to lobby for his education reforms
Health care committee hears flu prevention bill
Free State Foundation
Saying NO to Maryland Tech Tax
Stifling the Spectrum Market
Goldwater Institute
Save Taxpayers Tens of Billions of Dollars: End Government-Sector Collective Bargaining
Truth is Graver than Fiction
Important Reforms Don't Always Require a Grand Vision
Kansas Policy Institute
House committee raises proposed limits for risky Kansas pension investments
New food stamp rules draw more fire in Kansas
Maryland Public Policy Institute
Cost Shifting of Teacher Pension Contributions in Maryland
Myth versus Fact on the Gas Tax Increase
Transportation Policy Experts Blast O'Malley Gas Tax Plan
Report: O'Malley gas tax hike hits poorest the hardest
Moving Money Around
Nevada Policy Research Institute
President Obama leaves event promoting clean energy in a motorcade of 22 fossil-fueled vehicles
It's time to free the West
Reason Foundation
Is there a crisis in the conservative movement?
Learning From Kodak's Demise
Gary Johnson Braves the ACLU
Indiana Will Prove a Tipping Point in the Fight for Right-to-Work
Washington Policy Center
The Washington Policy Center Public School Accountability Index
An Opportunity to Tailor Health Plans
WPC's Recommendations on the State's 2012 Transportation Tax Package, Part II
Lifting the State Ban on Charter Schools
'Toxics' Proposals Would Prioritize Ignorance over Science and Increase Environmental Risk
Purchasing Health Insurance across State Lines
State News
Alabama
AL: Alabama senator calls teacher pay raises unbiblical, defends raise for legislators, The Birmingham News, 2.2.12
Alaska
AK: Parnell rips traditional retirement system, Juneau Empire, 2.2.12
AK: Alaska Dems go against Supreme Court on spending, Juneau Empire, 2.2.12
AK: Lawmaker seeks end to tax break benefiting Baptist Temple, Anchorage Daily News, 2.2.12
Arizona
AZ: Arizona border-wall fund -- Few donations from politicians, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), 2.1.12
AZ: Senate approves motion picture tax credit, Arizona Capitol Times (Phoenix), 2.2.12
Arkansas
AR: Ark. revenues up in January, Arkansas News Bureau, 2.2.12
California
CA: CalSTRS' gap rises as return forecast falls, The Sacramento Bee, 2.3.12
CA: Can Facebook IPO help solve a state budget crisis?, The Christian Science Monitor, 2.2.12
CA: High-speed rail tapped state funds for unusual lobbying contract, San Jose Mercury News, 2.3.12
CA: Lawmakers want to tap special funds to prevent shortfall, Los Angeles Times, 2.2.12
CA: Unions howl at details of Jerry Brown's pension overhaul, The Sacramento Bee, 2.3.12
CA: CalSTRS' gap rises as return forecast falls, The Sacramento Bee, 2.3.12
Colorado
CO: Colorado may revive circumcision funding, The Denver Post, 2.2.12
CO: Reasonable steps on enterprise zones, The Denver Post, 2.3.12
Connecticut
CT: Tax officials clarify debit card benefits, Connecticut Post (Bridgeport), 2.2.12
Delaware
DE: State's colleges bracing for war on costs, The News-Journal (New Castle-Wilmington), 2.2.12
DE: Board of Parole asks finance committee to restore funding, The News-Journal (New Castle-Wilmington), 2.3.12
Florida
FL: Lawmakers weigh bills to create online sales tax, The Miami Herald, 2.2.12
FL: Casino bill appears headed for House defeat, The Miami Herald, 2.2.12
Georgia
GA: Ga. House expects vote on $18.6B state budget, Athens Banner-Herald, 2.2.12
GA: House spending plan would boost transportation, education, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2.2.12
Idaho
ID: Idaho panel sets priorities for tobacco money, The Idaho Statesman (Boise), 2.2.12
ID: Idaho lawmaker- Make it even tougher to hike taxes, The Idaho Statesman (Boise), 2.2.12
Iowa
IA: Branstad urges renewed PTC for wind, The Des Moines Register, 2.2.12
IA: GOP budget asks workers to share insurance cost, Muscatine Journal, 2.2.12
IA: Tax credit change would aid 500,000 Iowans, Muscatine Journal, 2.2.12
IA: House, Senate leaders issue state budget spending targets, Sioux City Journal, 2.2.12
Kansas
KS: Auditors may revisit Kansas Biosciences report, Lawrence Journal-World, 2.2.12
Louisiana
LA: Proposed business tax breaks could produce 10,000 jobs, Gov. Bobby Jindal says, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans), 2.2.12
LA: In Katrina's wake, New Orleans' schools reinvent themselves around competition, The Seattle Times, 2.1.12
Maine
ME: State cuts in Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management threatening federal funds, Bangor Daily News, 2.2.12
ME: Lawmakers hand LePage new DHHS budget proposal, Bangor Daily News, 2.2.12
ME: Maine releases estimates of how much money each school district will receive, Bangor Daily News, 2.2.12
Michigan
MI: Michigan Democrats are taking 1st shot at corporate funding with proposed ethics, campaign finance reform, mlive.com, 2.2.12
Minnesota
MN: Plans approved for conservation projects, Minnesota Public Radio (St. Paul), 2.2.12
Mississippi
MS: Community colleges fear funding cut, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson), 2.2.12
MS: Budget proposals not entertaining, Hattiesburg American, 2.2.12
MS: Universities say financial aid running short, Hattiesburg American, 2.2.12
Missouri
MO: University of Missouri campuses seek tuition increases, The Kansas City Star, 2.2.12
Nevada
NV: Health care program for state employees shows $43 million surplus, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1.30.12
New Hampshire
NH: Judge rejects law seeking to reform state pensions, New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester), 2.3.12
New Jersey
NJ: Gov. Christie discusses gay marriage, tax reform at Morris County town hall, The Star-Ledger (Newark), 2.2.12
New Mexico
NM: NM House approves tax measure for Tres Amigas grid connection project, The Republic (Columbus, Ind.), 2.2.12
NM: Albuquerque group seeks more funding from state lawmakers to help women succeed, The Republic (Columbus, Ind.), 2.3.12
NM: House approves expanded property tax notice, Santa Fe New Mexican, 2.2.12
New York
NY: Bloomberg -- Use last rainy-day funds in budget plan, Times Union (Albany), 2.2.12
NY: Workers' comp cost joins sick list, Times Union (Albany), 2.2.12
Ohio
OH: Impose windfall tax on 'fracking,' group says, The Columbus Dispatch, 2.3.12
Oklahoma
OK: Early filing date presents challenges for Oklahoma legislators, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City), 2.3.12
Oregon
OR: Without timber money, budgets face buzzsaw, The Wall Street Journal, 2.3.12
OR: Governor backs bill siding with Facebook, Statesman Journal (Salem), 2.2.12
Pennsylvania
PA: DCNR Secretary- Recent changes were based on cost efficiency, The Patriot-News (Harrisburg), 2.3.12
PA: Taxpayer money- If state-related universities want public funds, governor is right that they should open up, The Patriot-News (Harrisburg), 2.3.12
PA: Some of Pennsylvania's budget woes harken back to corporate tax change, The Patriot-News (Harrisburg), 2.3.12
Rhode Island
RI: Taveras -- Without help from retirees and tax-exempts, Providence will be 'forced into bankruptcy', The Providence Journal, 2.2.12
RI: Chafee seeks automatic raises for his top directors, The Providence Journal, 2.2.12
South Carolina
SC: Haley signs law creating state inspector general, The State (Columbia), 2.3.12
SC: 'Pay-for-play' scheme probed at state's $25 billion retirement system, The State (Columbia), 2.2.12
Tennessee
TN: TN lawmakers discuss reducing sales tax, The Tennessean (Nashville), 2.3.12
TN: Planned Parenthood sues Tennessee Health Department over funding loss, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), 2.2.12
TN: Governor Bill Haslam hints at second Chattanooga Amazon facility, Chattanooga Times Free Press, 2.3.12
Texas
TX: Texas gave out $25 million in film, TV incentives in 2011, Austin American-Statesman, 2.2.12
TX: LIttle agreement on how to fix school finance system, The Texas Tribune, 2.3.12
TX: Texas' haul from BP spill -- $100 million, and counting, The Texas Tribune, 2.3.12
TX: Message of a new crop of Republican candidates -- It's not just about cuts, The New York Times, 2.2.12
Utah
UT: Is higher education in Utah getting enough state funding?, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2.2.12
UT: Pinching prescription meds saves millions for Utah Medicaid, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2.2.12
UT: AG office spent $85,000 defending HB497 in 2011, The Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 2.2.12
Washington
WA: In Katrina's wake, New Orleans' schools reinvent themselves around competition, The Seattle Times, 2.1.12
WA: House GOP's budget spends $580M more on education, The Olympian (Olympia), 2.2.12
WA: Looks like liquor prices to go up, over fees from Initiative 1183, The Seattle Times, 2.2.12
WA: Gregoire's oil fee lacks traction in Legislature, The News Tribune (Tacoma), 2.2.12
WA: Legislators drop proposed $1.50 fee on barrel of oil, The News Tribune (Tacoma), 2.3.12
WA: GOP claims to spare K-12, The News Tribune (Tacoma), 2.3.12
U.S.
US: States seek currencies made of silver and gold, CNN Money, 2.3.12
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