Institute Updates-Aug 2008

Published on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
ARTICLES

ALABAMA

The Alabama Policy Institute just completed its first year of the Policy Leadership Forum for young Alabama business leaders. On June 27, API hosted a one-day seminar taught by Michael DeBow, a Cumberland School of Law professor and API adjunct fellow. The seminar introduced the basic structure of the American legal system, and gave attendees a set of powerful tools for understanding and working with the law. While pursuing a master's degree in public administration, Jackie Arinaitwe worked at API assisting in research for publications and the "Stand and Deliver" project. She graduated and continued her internship with API through the summer with the SPN/IHS Koch Summer Fellow program. In the fall, Jackie will attend the University of Kentucky-Lexington to pursue a Ph.D. in public policy with a concentration in public finance and economic policy. Arinaitwe's goal is to work in policy planning and implementation in her home country of Uganda. alabamapolicy.org

ALASKA

Chris Nelson and Nils Andreassen have joined the staff of the Institute of the North. Nelson is the new security and defense program consultant. He served as the State of Alaska's missile defense coordinator from 2000 to 2003 during the construction of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system at Fort Greely, then worked as missile defense consultant to The Aleut Corporation to support the home porting of the Sea Based X Band Radar at Adak. A retired U.S. Army Reserve lieutenant colonel, Nelson has held several senior staff positions with the Alaska Legislature. Andreassen served as one of the Institute's fellows and organized its successful Spring Dialogue at which emerging leaders developed a better understanding of Alaska's public policy issues. As research associate, he will work to continue and expand that program. Prior to joining the Institute staff, Andreassen served as Rural Planning Coordinator at RurAL CAP. Governor Sarah Palin presented the Institute with the first Alaska Governor's North Star Award for International Excellence in the field of international transportation advancement. institutenorth.org

ARIZONA

For supporters of limited government, federalism is a topic near and dear to the heart. But these days the pendulum has swung out of balance in favor of federal encroachment over state sovereignty. A new Goldwater Institute study, "Arizona's Struggle for Sovereignty: The Consequences of Federal Mandates," finds that states pay a dear price for ever-expanding federal programs. By opting into federal programs, states surrender authority to Washington. And, while states can opt out of program participation, they can't opt out of tax payments for those programs. The report recommends Congress remedy the situation by providing citizens and businesses of non-participating states a credit against their income taxes. On July 16 the Goldwater Institute welcomed three prominent conservative authors - David Boaz, Al Regnery, and Mickey Edwards - for a panel on "The Future of American Conservatism." The Goldwater Institute proudly welcomes Michelle Fowler aboard as an office administrator. goldwaterinstitute.org

ARKANSAS

Arkansas' experiment with performance pay for K-12 public school teachers - a 1998 recommendation of the Murphy Commission, an Arkansas Policy Foundation project - continues to advance with the funding of alternative pay plans in two districts. The Cross County and Lincoln school districts will receive funding under a 2007 law signed by freshman Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe that allows performance pay experiments in up to 12 school districts. The measure allows 40 to 60 percent of teacher pay to be based on performance, including student scores on standardized tests. The Policy Foundation's most recent school district rankings report gave Cross County a "D" and Lincoln a "C-minus" grade for student performance on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. The annual report issues letter grades to every Arkansas K-12 public school district. Little Rock, Arkansas's largest school district, experimented with performance pay earlier this decade, a development noted by The Wall Street Journal. arkansaspolicyfoundation.org

CALIFORNIA

Pacific Research Institute's recent study, "Ending the Revenue Rollercoaster: The Benefits of a Three Percent Flat Income Tax For California," shows how a flat tax would provide a more stable flow of revenue for the state and help avoid future budget crises. The results were announced during a panel discussion in Sacramento for legislators and media. PRI's senior director of education studies, Lance T. Izumi, promoted school choice as a member of a panel of education experts on the PBS television documentary, "California Schools: America's Future." The show will air on major California PBS stations throughout summer. PRI is looking forward to presenting the Sir Antony Fisher Freedom Award to Jerry Hume at the Institute's Annual Gala Dinner in San Francisco on Nov. 12. The evening's featured speaker is George F. Will. pacificresearch.org

COLORADO

Former U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton delivered a keynote speech this spring to the largest Independent Women's Luncheon crowd ever. She talked about energy issues facing America and the world. Evergreen Freedom Foundation's Steve Maggi joined Independence Institute members and friends at the Colorado showing of "Flunked." Many Colorado candidates for state office recently attended the Independence Institute's "Candidates' Briefing," an all-day seminar where they heard experts discuss the major issues facing Colorado. Research fellow Benjamin Powell's recent paper discusses "The Faulty Economics of Colorado's Climate Change Action Plan." Gary Young recently published "Corn Ethanol: Right Problem, Poor Solution." Policy analyst Ben DeGrow takes on Gov. Ritter and unions in his paper, "A Shaky Foundation, A Potential Threat: Analyzing Colorado State Union ‘Employee Partnerships.'" Research director David Kopel published "Taiwan's 2008 Presidential Elections: An Analysis of What Happened and What May Happen Next." i2i.org

CONNECTICUT

In June, the Yankee Institute released "The Coming Showdown with Public Labor." Written by Yankee's executive director Lewis M. Andrews, Ph.D., the study argues, with the cost of government at all levels soaring, politicians will soon be forced to pass laws making the public sector more efficient and effective. In Connecticut, the study received rave reviews from the state's largest talk radio shows and newspaper articles appeared statewide. Nationally, Yankee's paper received much attention after a free download was offered on RealClearPolitics.com. Thousands flocked to the Institute's website, and Yankee received nearly 50 new sign-ups to receive information. yankeeinstitute.org

DELAWARE

According to the 2007 Delaware Fiscal Notebook, over the past decade inflation-adjusted Delaware general fund expenditures per capita have increased 15 percent while real revenue per capita has increased 11 percent. Real State debt per capita has increased 20 percent. In other words, Delaware has a spending problem. The Caesar Rodney Institute is committed to helping Delawarean's overcome such abuse from their elected officials. The Institute is embarking on a "Del-Awareness" campaign highlighting the community impact of spending abuse. In January 2009, while the legislature is in session, the Institute will sponsor a number of "Spending Clinics" outlining solutions based on individual initiative and voluntary agreement. caesarrodney.org

FLORIDA

Over 400 attendees from across the nation explored the means to reform America's "eight-track education system" in order to meet the needs of today's "iPod world" at the Excellence in Action: National Summit on Education Reform - co-hosted by the James Madison Institute and the Foundation for Excellence in Education. JMI's work with Florida's Taxation and Budget Reform Commission yielded two proposed amendments to the state Constitution: 1) Remove language that prohibits the state from directly or indirectly funding sectarian institutions, and 2) Require 65 percent of school district funding be spent in the classroom and grant the legislature the authority to fund private alternatives to public schools. July's Backgrounder, "An Evaluation of the Pilot Project to Reform Florida's Medicaid Program," by research fellow Dr. Michael Bond, will be joined later this summer by a Backgrounder on the potential economic impact of climate change legislation and a Policy Brief on alternative energy sources in Florida. jamesmadison.org

GEORGIA

With the campaign season reaching its height, the 2009 Candidate Briefing Book has become the center of attention at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. This work-in-progress is posted online and delivered to political candidates in Georgia to give them an understanding of the issues and the market-oriented solutions possible for the challenges facing Georgia. As the school year ended, the Foundation released the 2008 Report Card for Parents, a searchable database of statistics on Georgia's public schools, and the list of Georgia's 35 "No Excuses" schools - schools with above-average percentages of low-income students with significantly higher academic scores than statistical projections. The Georgia Public Policy Foundation, along with the Black Alliance for Educational Options and Center for an Educated Georgia, held a joint event to celebrate Milton Friedman Day on July 31. gppf.org

HAWAII

In May, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii welcomed Tom McAuliffe as communications director. McAuliffe is hard at work on new media, including a podcast series, a "Grassroot TV" channel on YouTube, video press releases and Grassroot content for public access television, in addition to handling traditional media. McAuliffe's previous experience includes community relations, journalism and state legislative work. Three summer interns at the Institute are Pearl Hahn, Justin Rouzaud and Ryan Hew - all of whom are doing excellent work on GRIH's transparency and accountability initiative. Grassroot is seeking policy and development interns for the fall semester. Grassroot recently put Honolulu's mayor on the defensive, inspiring him to spend more than $20,000 on attack ads defending his $6 billion light rail initiative. The Grassroot Institute and its president, Jamie Story, are truly influencing transportation policy debates in Hawaii, and have been highlighted on numerous television and radio programs and in print and online articles. grassrootinstitute.org

ILLINOIS

The Illinois Policy Institute's first luncheon dedicated to school choice drew a sell-out crowd of more than 75 attendees in Chicago June 11 to hear Institute education specialist Collin Hitt and the Cato Institute's Andrew Coulson discuss better educational options for children in Illinois. This summer the Institute is particularly focused on government transparency, partnering with citizens around the state to promote open books on the state and local level. The Institute's team of Liberty Leaders - Illinois volunteers who work for more accountable government - is also growing. Institute policy briefs and press conferences are helping spread the word about liberty-based public policy solutions for health care, the state budget, the gas tax and more. This fall, the Institute will launch a quarterly newsletter and new website features. Richard Lorenc is the new outreach director. Catherine Rook and Matt Gerken are the Institute's intrepid summer interns, and Steve Brown is a new board member. illinoispolicyinstitute.org

INDIANA

Indiana Policy Review Foundation staff have begun commissioning academic work on a project that will weigh, sift and generally get its arms around public-private partnerships and the new corruption in the state. Beginning with the Indiana Central Canal, which bankrupted the state in the 1800s, and working through modern sports stadiums, convention centers, subsidized hotels and downtown "development," the Foundation will analyze and illuminate all the most outrageous boondoggles that have fleeced taxpayers' since the state's founding. The summer Foundation Journal features the work of Andrea Neal, former editorial page editor of the Indianapolis Star, on the rising costs of colleges and universities. inpolicy.org

IOWA

The Public Interest Institute is pleased to announce two new staff members. Stephen M. King joined the Institute July 1 as research vice president. Dr. King has taught many years in Christian higher education, most recently as an associate professor of government at Patrick Henry College in Virginia. He earned a master's degree and a doctorate in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a B.S. from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Doug Stout recently joined the Institute as a research analyst. Stout has a master's in political science, a J.D. from the University of Iowa Law School, and an M.B.A. from Iowa State University's College of Business. He has taught business classes as an adjunct professor at William Penn College for Working Adults, and previously served on the staffs of Iowa Senator Charles Grassley and former Rep. Greg Ganske. Stout replaces research analyst Jon Miltimore, who now writes for the Panama City News Herald. Additionally, Justin Jenkins, a student from Patrick Henry College, is an Institute intern this summer. limitedgovernment.org

KANSAS

The Flint Hills Center for Public Policy continues to expand its publications in the areas of health care and education. Recently, senior fellow Matthew Hisrich dissected the evolution of medical homes and cautioned against their overuse. Sarah McIntosh, vice president of programs, outlined the growth and benefits of in-store health clinics as an alternative to emergency rooms and government-run clinics. Education policy fellow John LaPlante continued chronicling public education's dismal state with a policy paper analyzing Kansas drop-out rates. In June, the Center hosted friends and supporters for an evening with Orange County Register columnist Steven Greenhunt, who discussed the role of think tanks and journalists in spreading the philosophy of freedom. Jessica Johnson, a recent political science graduate of Missouri State University, has joined Flint Hills as a 2008 SPN/IHS Koch Summer Fellow. flinthills.org

KENTUCKY

Logan Morford joined the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions in mid-June as its new wiki project manager. Morford graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the University of Kentucky. He'll be responsible for developing and maintaining information to educate interested citizens about issues important to them. A meeting ground to share ideas and encourage participation from Kentuckians of all ages and from all economic and educational backgrounds, the single most important aspect of the wiki is that it can be used and understood by everyone who comes into contact with it, Worford said. bipps.org

LOUISIANNA

The Pelican Institute is pleased to introduce Jeb Bruneau as vice president for policy. Jeb served as president of his neighborhood civic improvement association during Hurricane Katrina. His Lakeview neighborhood was devastated by the storm, but Bruneau rose to the occasion and helped his friends and neighbors begin the recovery process. He's now focused on increasing Louisiana government transparency - a worthy challenge in the wake of Katrina. Louisiana lawmakers recently passed, and Gov. Bobby Jindal signed, a modest school choice program. Institute president Kevin Kane lauded school choice in the New Orleans Times-Picayune and Baton Rouge Advocate and on a New Orleans radio station. "We hope this is the first step down the path to greater freedom of choice, and increased competition and innovation in our schools," Kane said. pelicaninstitute.org

MARYLAND

Maryland families must contend with an increasing tax burden, due to the tax hike championed by the state's liberal governor and passed by the General Assembly last fall. As part of its overall government transparency effort, the Maryland Public Policy Institute is preparing to release a research report that contradicts arguments for spending increases. The Institute is comparing trends in state government employment and compensation with those of the private sector. The analysis will show that Maryland state employees are compensated well above the national average and, in many cases, far more than their private sector counterparts. A second report will describe the failure of Baltimore City schools and make the case for school choice programs. The report was distributed to policymakers at the July 31 Friedman Legacy of Freedom event hosted by the Institute in Annapolis. mdpolicy.org

MAINE

The Maine Heritage Policy Center cites new data showing the state and local tax burden on Maine people is now over 14 percent! No wonder there's a People's Veto effort to roll back the latest tax increase (ironically passed on April 15). The state-run Dirigo Health plan, started five years ago to cover Maine's 128,000 uninsured people, was the reason for the Tax Day tax increase. The sponsors believed the program, named for the state motto "I lead," would be a benchmark for other states to follow. Instead, the pool has been closed to new enrollment for 10 months, and the heavily subsidized plan has yet to reach four percent of its goal. Education policy director Steve Bowen issued a study on student outcomes improvements when teachers receive incentive-based compensation packages. The Center's website is being extensively redesigned to include an all-new online transparency application. mainepolicy.org

MARYLAND

Free State Foundation president Randolph May testified in June on universal service reform before the U. S. House Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee. There's now an 11.4 percent surtax on every interstate telephone call to fund various subsidies for telecommunications services, and it has continued to grow. Many consumers are just beginning to pay attention to the size of this Federal Universal Service Charge on their telephone bill. May told the committee, "The existing universal service regime needs serious reform if telecommunications services are going to be provided in the most cost-effective and economical manner so that overall consumer welfare is enhanced. The fact of the matter is that new competitive entrants and new technologies have rendered the existing system wasteful, inefficient, and competition-distorting." Before offering specific suggestions for reform, May set forth two fundamental principles that should guide reform: "First, market forces rather than subsidies should be relied on to the greatest extent possible. Second, if there are to be subsidies they should be targeted narrowly and financed broadly." freestatefoundation.org

MASSACHUSETTS

Climate change mitigation, state tax policy and reforming Massachusetts's expensive police details system are just a few of the topics keeping the Beacon Hill Institute busy this summer. The Institute continues to be a reliable source for challenging costly and anticompetitive Project Labor Agreements, particularly in New York and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, BHI is hosting three outstanding individuals from the SPN/IHS Koch Summer Fellow program. Josh McCabe, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; John Macek, Boston College; and Kathleen Sheehan, Capitol University, are contributing to a number of forthcoming BHI studies, including an analysis of a libertarian-sponsored ballot question calling for the elimination of the state income tax. They are also providing background work for two studies now underway: the perverse measurement of prevailing wage laws and its costs, and the burden of telecommunications taxes. Over the summer, BHI expects to release a critique of climate change policy in South Carolina. The Boston Globe recently published an opinion editorial by BHI executive director David G. Tuerck criticizing the Bay State's unique reliance on police details on construction projects. BHI research on police details has drawn the attention of the governor's office. beaconhill.org

For its 17th year, the Pioneer Institute's Better Government Competition set its sights on the most innovative and creative education reforms from across the country. Out of 140 entries, the Florida Virtual School, an online curriculum alternative, emerged as the winner. The winner, runners-up and special recognition awardees were honored June 25 at the annual Awards Dinner in Boston. This event recognized the best minds for education reform in America. The keynote speaker, Washington, D.C. Chancellor of Schools Michelle Rhee, is at the forefront of those minds, restructuring and revitalizing one of the nation's lowest-performing districts. Chancellor Rhee was selected as the speaker because she brings a vigorous new approach to reform, refusing to let bureaucratic obstacles stand her in way. She sets goals for her district and takes every possible step to meet them. It is this dedication to education that Pioneer sets as a standard for its research and the commonwealth. Only through such minds can the best be achieved. pioneerinstitute.org

MICHIGAN

Mackinac Center adjunct scholar Marc Holley's groundbreaking study on teacher quality in Michigan, the fourth in the Center's school management series, generated legislative interest and media coverage when it was introduced at a June "Issues & Ideas" forum in Lansing. The primer notes that of all the factors schools can control, teachers matter most, and it recommends reforms like performance pay, differential pay and alternative teacher evaluation methods. The Center's Property Rights Network continued to take the lead in identifying assaults on private property and helping landowners protect themselves against regulatory abuses. In "Hart Enterprises: A Wetland Case Study," PRN director Russ Harding explains how Michigan's regulatory climate is costing jobs and analyzes how laws and regulations can be amended to provide greater protections for property owners. The president of Hart Enterprises, a growing medical device manufacturer, was one of four speakers addressing the need for regulatory reform on a PRN panel in Lansing. Four of the Center's enterprising interns - Hannah Mead, Lauren Ruhland, Josh Rule and Jim Vote - are SPN/IHS Koch Summer Fellows. mackinac.org

MINNESOTA

The Center of the American Experiment has launched a new program of research and advocacy aimed at countering the self-defeating determination of key Minnesota leaders to ignore pivotal cultural and social impediments to equality and progress. Led by Center founder and president Mitch Pearlstein, "Filling the Gaps" is in direct response to a high-profile report known as "Mind the Gap," promulgated by influential players in and out of business, which continues to highlight large disparities in wealth and income among racial and ethnic groups in the state, along with their implications for the region's economic competitiveness. This is unquestionably a profound and legitimate issue, but even more consequential than the points and ideas raised by the report are those which it persistently evades. For example, while the word "race" is cited 45 times in the document and "class" appears 22 times, there isn't a single reference to words and terms such as "marriage," "married," "fathers," "fatherhood," "out-of-wedlock" or "self-help." Ever since opening its doors in 1990, American Experiment has sought to counter intellectual and policy omissions like these. "Filling the Gaps" will accelerate that work. americanexperiment.org

The Freedom Foundation of Minnesota hosted Karl Rove at its spring benefactors' reception. The May 31 event allowed Foundation friends, donors and legislators the opportunity to speak "off the record" with one of the country's smartest political tacticians. Rove outlined a conservative agenda for the future that involves greater education accountability and freedom, and health care reform. Jonathan Blake joined the Foundation in June as vice president, focusing on research. Blake, an accomplished writer with an extensive public policy and research portfolio, will lead transparency projects. Blake's first report focuses on municipal liquor monopolies and their cost to Minnesota taxpayers. Three energetic summer research interns on staff are Rob Cohen, Colgate University; Nate Swanson, University of Minnesota-Morris; and SPN/IHS Koch Summer Fellow Christina Pajak, Wheaton College. All are diligently gathering and analyzing data necessary for three local government transparency projects currently underway. freedomfoundationofminnesota.com

MISSISSIPPI

A transparency bill drafted by the Mississippi Center for Public Policy was signed into law by Gov. Haley Barbour at the end of the 2008 legislative session. MCPP is also working to encourage transparency at the local level. Madison County became the first in Mississippi to place its spending reports online after MCPP staff met with the county treasurer and urged him to do so. MCPP is also launching a new initiative to improve Mississippi's charter school law and ensure that such schools are widely available and successful throughout Mississippi. Since Mississippi's current charter school law is due to expire next year, there is a window of political opportunity to pass a new law in the 2009 Legislative Session. MCPP has developed a strategic plan to build a grassroots movement for charter schools.mspolicy.org

MISSOURI

The Show-Me Institute has opened a satellite office in Columbia, allowing it to expand its operations in central Missouri. The Institute already had ties to the area: Michael Podgursky, an Institute board member, is an economics professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, as is Joseph Haslag, executive vice president for Show-Me. The Columbia office's close proximity to the Capitol in Jefferson City will make the Institute's studies and research more accessible to policymakers and other leaders who want to stay informed about market solutions for Missouri public policy. A new series of interactive tools is available at ShowMeLiving.org. "Show-Me: The Taxes" and "Show-Me: The Grades" provides citizens easily accessible data for making informed decisions about life in Missouri. Other interactive tools are currently in development. The Institute also released a new policy study in May that compares judicial selection to several alternatives, including partisan and non-partisan elections. showmeinstitute.org

MONTANA

The Montana Policy Institute continues to extend its presence in Big Sky Country by promoting its flagship programs and expanding its outreach program.Talks are ongoing with key executive department personnel and legislators to lay the groundwork for transparency legislation during the 2009 session.In the fall MPI intends to put up its own site focusing on school spending as a demonstration project. MPI is extending its outreach through public and media appearances, including an hour-long segment on Montana's only state-wide radio network.The goal is to introduce Montanans to their new liberty-minded, limited-government think tank, identify significant issues and let folks know what the Institute is up to. The reception so far has confirmed the notion that there's a market for free-market advocacy in the Treasure State. montanapolicy.org

NEBRASKA

Using the momentum gained from the release of its first study in April, the Platte Institute for Economic Research has continued to spark ideas and conversations throughout the state. In May the Institute launched its e-newsletter, "Platte Chat." In June it released a timely report, "Nebraska's Motor Vehicle Tax: Time for an Overhaul," which coincided with a major law enforcement crackdown on individuals illegally registering vehicles in neighboring states. The report detailed how much more Nebraskans pay than their neighbors. It also exposed that 60 percent of vehicle-tax revenue goes to education, and none of it to funding-starved infrastructure. Darren Ivy, a journalist since 1996 and author of the book, Untold Stories: Black Sports Heroes Before Integration, joined the Institute in May as a senior policy analyst. In June, Brett Barstow and Alek Blankenau joined the institute as interns. Barstow will be a senior at Truman State University; Blankenau will be a junior at Harvard University. platteinstitute.org

NEW MEXICO

The Rio Grande Foundation recently hosted showings of "Mine Your Own Business," a film that exposes the dark side of the environmentalists' agenda. The showings in Albuquerque, Roswell and Farmington drew 200 people and included an informative discussion by energy and environment expert Paul Driessen that garnered coverage in several media outlets. The Foundation recently hired a veteran investigative reporter with the Albuquerque Journal who will produce one hard-hitting investigative piece a month. Several New Mexico media outlets have carried our message. Most notably, a Foundation op-ed appeared in several papers around the state arguing that New Mexico should consider adopting free-market health care reforms similar to those recently adopted in Georgia. In a recent article the Foundation connected New Mexico's truancy problem and high dropout rate to its monopolistic, government-run education system, and argued that recent minimum wage hikes at both the state and federal levels have contributed greatly to driving up youth and minority unemployment. riograndefoundation.org

NEVADA

The Nevada Policy Research Institute will hold its 17th Anniversary Dinner Sept. 23 at the Venetian Resort∙Hotel∙Casino in Las Vegas. Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review, a syndicated columnist, "Fox News" commentator and best-selling author, will deliver the keynote address. The Institute will also take the occasion to honor Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons for his action on government transparency in the state. NPRI founder Judy Cresanta will be honored as well. NPRI will also hold its first Education Conference on Jan. 14 at The Orleans in Las Vegas, bringing together some of the nation's leading educational experts to discuss the Silver State's more pressing needs in education policy. npri.org

NEW HAMPSHIRE

After more than a year of warnings about the looming state budget crisis, the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy has changed from a Cassandra to being hailed as a prophet and slowly forcing policymakers to act. The governor's health care initiative was not scuttled, but the most egregious of the price-fixing mechanisms was removed following the Center's warnings. To help reform the state highway fund, large majorities adopted a spending cap to ratchet-down the diversion of highway fees out of the fund. A hike in the wholesale gas tax was abandoned after the Center pointed out beneficiaries of the oil fund were large multinationals that could afford tank replacement without state subsidy. Bartlett's study of state gas tax revenues found that gasoline consumption in New Hampshire has not declined even in the last three months. In fact, the rate of increase in fiscal year 2008 is the highest of any year this decade despite record high gasoline prices. jbartlett.org

NEW YORK

In late May, the Empire Center for New York State Policy unveiled NYPublicPayrollWatch.com, a daily blog dedicated to examining news and issues related to government employment in the state. Senior policy analyst Lise Bang-Jensen is providing commentary for the site, which has garnered statewide media attention. A June 25 post about legislation awaiting Gov. David Paterson's signature that would give public employee unions the power to veto any attempt to alter retiree health benefits - even if a government employer found a way to offer the same benefits for less money - was among the posts that earned media coverage. Another bill, which got scant public notice until covered by NY Public Payroll Watch, would require the use of independent hearing officer proceedings when government employers want to fire unionized employees. "Will Governor David Paterson say 'yes' to a union-giveaway that Governors Eliot Spitzer, George Pataki and Mario Cuomo vetoed eight times?" the blog asks. empirecenter.org

NORTH CAROLINA

Voters across North Carolina rejected 22 of 24 proposed county tax increases in May, thanks in part to John Locke Foundation research showing most counties could prioritize spending more effectively. JLF analysts also urged increased budget transparency for state and local government. New transparency report cards gave most agencies poor grades. A new "City-County Issue Guide" offered local governments suggestions for improving services while controlling costs. Other JLF research fought myths about affordable housing, sustainable growth, energy use, power plant emissions, tax increment financing and the economics of climate change. JLF kept tabs on state budget proposals and touted potential benefits from new tax credits for special-needs students. JLF blogs earned four of the top five spots in the BlogNetNews.com political influence rankings during primary election week. Speaking of elections, The Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes helped a JLF audience in Raleigh make sense of national political races. Five years of investigative reports in JLF's Carolina Journal paved the way for the first indictment in a North Carolina ethanol permitting scandal. johnlocke.org

The North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law, best known for a series of lawsuits challenging corporate welfare, recently filed a lawsuit against three individuals, including Randy Parton (brother of singer Dolly Parton) and several businesses, for fraud and conspiracy. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants fraudulently induced a small town to take out $21.5 million in bond debt to finance the construction of a music entertainment theater so the defendants could personally profit at the expense of taxpayers. NCICL also recently filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court in a case challenging the enactment of the state lottery in 2005. In a split decision earlier this year, the state appeals court affirmed a lower court ruling dismissing a lawsuit in which NCICL maintained the lottery's adoption violated state constitutional requirements for the enactment of revenue bills. Meanwhile, NCICL continues prosecuting its corporate welfare lawsuits, challenging so-called economic development incentives, including a lawsuit against the state and Google challenging $260 million in "incentives" given to the internet search giant.

NORTH DAKOTA

In April, the North Dakota Policy Council launched SunshineonSchools.org, an interactive website containing vital K-12 school district budget data. The response to the project has been extremely positive. The Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction visits the site, and his political opponent has suggested that DPI implement Sunshine on Schools on their own. The website has also been a hit with reporters. NDPC's new transparency project director is Kelly Green, also a graphic artist. In June, NDPC began implementing an investigative journalism program. policynd.org

OHIO

The Buckeye Institute's Center for Transparent and Accountable Government has been working to upgrade and reorganize the Institute's website to include video, interactive database capability, Flash and Wiki software. Center director Mike Maurer has produced podcasts detailing local citizen group activity, including a Cincinnati initiative to ban red light traffic cameras, a city council ordinance in opposition to the state capital budget, a biennial pork-fest, and interviews with Americans for Prosperity. Staffers have also been collecting state and local expenditure data and public records policies that will ultimately be displayed at BuckeyeInstitute.org and the CTAG wiki. A White Paper on transparency is forthcoming. buckeyeinstitute.org

OREGON

Cascade Policy Institute welcomed two new staff members in July. Todd Wynn, an economist from San Francisco, will serve as a policy analyst overseeing climate change and energy policy research. Jeff Alan, former news director of KOIN-TV in Portland, will work as an investigative journalist focusing on government waste, fraud and abuse. Cascade also hosted six summer interns, three of whom were SPN/IHS Koch Summer Fellows. The interns studied a variety of issues, but primarily focused on transit-oriented developments and carbon-offset scams. Their work will be published in the fall. President John Charles was a panelist at Washington Policy Center's Climate Change & Ecofads Conference in Seattle. In June, Cascade's publications director Kathryn Hickok attended Acton University in Michigan. Over the summer, Cascade sponsored several events, including a luncheon featuring Dr. Steven Horwitz, who discussed his research on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, "The Government vs. the Private Sector Response." Cascade, in partnership with the Friedman Foundation, also hosted the Milton Friedman Legacy of Freedom luncheon at the Kennedy School in northeast Portland. cascadepolicy.org

PENNSYLVANIA

Allegheny Institute research and policy recommendations are being used in the preparation of several pieces of legislation in Pennsylvania. These recommendations include removing the Port Authority of Allegheny County's monopoly on mass transit, having the state offer financial incentives to municipalities that wish to consolidate services, and strengthening the financial requirements for slots license applicants. The Institute's work on opposing a city-county merger has prompted a Pennsylvania Senate resolution urging cooperative-service agreements between Pittsburgh and Allegheny County before consideration of a full-blown government merger. alleghenyinstitute.org

Pennsylvania is on the verge of engaging in the nation's largest public-private partnership ever on the historic Pennsylvania Turnpike.Despite regularly disagreeing with Gov. Ed Rendell, the Philadelphia Democrat's proposal to lease the 537-mile toll road would obviate the need for higher gas taxes, new tolls on Interstate 80, and billions in bonded debt.To help educate policymakers and inform the public about the benefits of the lease opportunity, the Commonwealth Foundation launched TurnpikeFacts.com and a major media campaign to drive people to the website for more information.In addition to Frequently Asked Questions, the Foundation also produced a series of PIKE TV videos on YouTube to expose the misuse and abuse of power at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. In January 2009, the Commonwealth Foundation looks forward to launching PennsylvaniaVotes.org, a much-needed and long-awaited service for the people of Pennsylvania.Then in April 2009, Commonwealth will welcome Ted Nugent for its first "LiveFreePA" event.While we do intend to enjoy our Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, we are little less proud of our vices than Jon Caldara. commonwealthfoundation.org

RHODE ISLAND

All aboard! The Ocean State Policy Research Institute unveils its transparency project, the "Transparency Train," a website that contains budgets, payrolls, employee contracts, check registries, and even contract evaluations and public school test scores for each Rhode Island municipality and school district. All the needed information to keep an eye on your government is available in a one-stop-shopping format. One of the other unique features of this website is the cross-document search feature. Searching public information often requires examination of individual documents but with our website you can search the entire inventory of documents with one click. As an example, type in "Blue Cross" and you will find the nearly 200 employee contracts that specify that insurance carrier (subsequently blocking competition). Or type in your school committee chairperson's last name and see if he/she has a relative working in your school. Imagine the power of placing this information in the hands of those who pay the bills! oceanstatepolicy.org

SOUTH CAROLINA

The South Carolina Policy Council held its annual Council of Governors Dinner with members of the South Carolina House and Senate. President Ashley Landess moderated a ranging debate on transparency, spending caps, energy independence, school choice and zero-based budgeting. SCPC published its annual legislative recap in July highlighting how bills passed by state lawmakers impacted individual liberty, free enterprise and limited government. The document serves to raise awareness about the negative economic impacts of bills that expand government. Dr. Sven Larson joined SCPC as research director in June. He previously consulted with several state policy think tanks, and his research has been published by The Heritage Foundation, Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, Center for Freedom and Prosperity and others. A native of Sweden, Larson holds a doctorate in social sciences with an economics major from Roskilog University in Denmark. scpolicycouncil.com

TENNESSEE

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research again made international headlines when it discovered Al Gore's electricity consumption increased 10 percent after he installed solar panels and renovated his Nashville home in the interest of increasing energy efficiency. In the week following the revelation, TCPR's website attracted 5.2 million hits from 171 countries. TCPR was featured by The Wall Street Journal, FoxNews and Rush Limbaugh. TCPR president Drew Johnson appeared on more than 50 radio programs. TCPR's government accountability project recently completed the largest public records request in state history. The Center requested and received receipts and billing statements related to every credit card used by every city, county and school district in Tennessee - more than 600 governments in all. TCPR is pleased to announce the addition of Shaka Mitchell as the Center's executive vice president. Mitchell previously served as the Institute for Justice's outreach coordinator and as associate director of policy at the Center for Education Reform. He earned a law degree from Wake Forest University and a B.S. from Belmont University in Nashville. tennesseepolicy.org

TEXAS

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility launched a new online petition website in June, TexasTaxpayers.com. Thousands have already signed petitions calling for a stronger spending limit, abolition of the school property tax and elimination of the new state business tax. At the 2008 Texas Republican Convention, the group generated excitement around fiscal issues and growing the organization's grassroots component. TFR is partnering with lawmakers and other conservative organizations on several initiatives, including efforts to replace the burdensome school property tax with the existing sales tax. empowertexans.com

The Texas Public Policy Foundation and Texas Gov. Rick Perry hosted a higher education summit May 21. The summit, attended by a significant majority of the regents from Texas' major university systems and covered by all major Texas newspapers and two Austin television stations, focused on seven "breakthrough reforms" that will improve education quality while reducing costs. Visit the Foundation's new website, TexasHigherEd.com, to learn more. The Foundation also unveiled TexasBudgetSource.com, the definitive resource on state and local budgets and spending in Texas. It combines the Foundation's fiscal policy research with links to the state's "Where the Money Goes" website, online budget information for cities and counties, and check registers for more than 150 school districts. Senior fellow Joe Nixon's work on Texas tort reform was featured in the May 5 National Review and the May 17 Wall Street Journal. It was subsequently highlighted by media in several other states and dozens of Internet blogs. Foundation vice president of policy Mary Katherine Stout has joined Gov. Perry's staff as director of budget, policy and planning. texaspolicy.com

UTAH

The Best of State organization named the Sutherland Institute Utah's top education/advocacy organization for its innovative program, the Transcend Series. This is the third year in a row the program has won top honors in this category. Sutherland created the Transcend Seriesto address the desire ofcivic leaders to become better informed, equipped and skilled to serve in their respective roles. Sutherland welcomed Matthew Piccolo to the Institute team as a policy analyst.Piccolo will develop research in support of the Institute's policy priorities.He brings to Sutherland a specialty in economics and American politics.He received a master's of public policy degree from Pepperdine University in April 2008, where hefounded the Pepperdine Policy Review. In 2007, he was an SPN/IHS Koch Summer Fellow at the Pacific Research Institute in Sacramento.Piccolo previously worked at the Heritage Foundation and the Family Health International. sutherlandinstitute.org

VERMONT

When the Vermont Legislature adjourned May 7, the Ethan Allen Institute observed in the state's largest newspaper: "The majority came to Montpelier with a Grand Vision. Its liberal leaders vowed to make Vermont #1 in the war against the Menace of Global Warming, determined to convert Catamount Health into their beloved single payer system, licked their lips at the prospect of new programs and new taxes, and advocated more government regulations over the lives of Vermonters...Most of those dreams died in the legislature they controlled. [On the other hand,] legislators of both parties faced up to the darkening fiscal picture. The majority abandoned most of its grandiose plans, declined to raise tax rates, resisted most of their regulatory urges, balanced the budget, and went home in good time." For the nation's most liberal state, this was a highly commendable outcome. EAI will hold its second Milton Friedman Day Dinner July 31 in Rutland. The Institute is working on a kit of educational materials to distribute to legislative candidates. ethanallen.org

VIRGINIA

Thomas Jefferson Institute staff continue to educate the Governor's Climate Change Commission about new scientific data pointing towards possible cooling of our atmosphere and free-market solutions to environmental challenges. The Institute released a 13-point proposal on transportation, offering steps that should be taken before talk of a state-wide tax increase is put on the table in Richmond. TJI president Mike Thompson followed this up with meetings with legislative leadership, including the Virginia House Speaker. Along with the Institute for Policy Innovation, the Jefferson Institute released a "Guide to Communications Policy," explaining in plain language the issues and opportunities facing policymakers considering the future of the U.S. communications industry. Also recently released was the ninth annual Virginia Economic Forecast, a yearly analysis of Virginia's economy that is highly regarded and sought after for the insights it offers. thomasjeffersoninst.org

The Virginia Institute for Public Policy and its affiliate organization,Tertium Quids, have made a number of important strides in advancing the cause of limited, accountable government in Virginia. Tertium Quids is the driving force behind an effort to conduct an independent performance audit of the state's department of transportation. Working closely with the Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and key legislative leaders, the Institute has put the idea at the center of the Virginia transportation debate. We are also increasing our outreach efforts, with the addition of podcasting to our blogging and social networking activities. In July, we will expand these efforts again, as we begin hosting a weekly online radio program for Virginia's free-market advocates. Our legislative operations continue to grow rapidly. Krystal Slivinski has joined us as vice president for government affairs, where her duties include managing legislative contacts, gathering support for and monitoring legislation and coordinating efforts between the grassroots and our supporters in the General Assembly. Slivinski has an extensive public policy background and is a trained economist. virginiainstitute.org

WASHINGTON

The Evergreen Freedom Foundation has published To Protect and Maintain Individual Rights, a 116-page book discussing the rights of citizens contained in the Washington State Constitution. The book was written by EFF attorneys Jonathan Bechtle and Michael Reitz, with a forward by Washington Supreme Court Associate Justice Charles W. Johnson. EFF's education reform movie, "Flunked," has been given sneak peeks in Portland, Sacramento, Denver and Orlando, among other places. It also will be shown in September at SPN's Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, and in Washington, D.C., in a joint effort with the Heritage Foundation. Seven high schools in the state of Washington lost out on a $13.2 million math and science grant because of state collective bargaining laws and union opposition. EFF turned the story national and kept it alive for six weeks. Fox News, CNN and The Wall Street Journal all got involved. Washington was the only state to lose its grant. Six others got theirs. EFF discovered 16,000 "voters" between 2000 and 2008 who were underage when they registered. effwa.org

Grace-Marie Turner keynoted Washington Policy Center's 6th Annual Health Care Conference on May 15. The event drew more than 300 policymakers and health industry professionals. Peter Neupert, vice president of Microsoft's Health Solutions Group, keynoted the health information technology panel. The Heritage Foundation's Dr. Ronald Utt spoke at WPC's annual transportation breakfast in June about how Washington can follow other states' lead and ease traffic congestion. Attendees included lawmakers and the secretary of the state Department of Transportation. WPC transportation director Michael Ennis is writing a piece for the Heritage Foundation on the state's performance audit of its transportation department. On July 15 Bjørn Lomborg keynoted WPC's annual Environmental Policy Luncheon. Vaclav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic, is the featured speaker at WPC's annual dinner Oct. 1. Last year's dinner drew more than 1,000 people. WPC's Center for Small Business has released the first in a series of studies on the state's Business & Occupation Tax, and WPC's Center for the Environment has released "How Incentives to Cheat Undermine Cap-and-Trade." washingtonpolicy.org

WYOMING

The Wyoming Liberty Group expects to have its offices painted and furnished, and its 501(c)3 application submitted, by Aug. 1 when the first full-time staff member starts work. WLG is adapting Ben Barr's Goldwater Institute study, "Arizona's Struggle for Sovereignty: The Consequences of Federal Mandates."The Goldwater study shows that the Arizona legislature has control of only 25 percent of its budget, and that federal money increases state and local taxes.

NATIONAL

The newest addition to the Acton Institute's Christian Social Thought Series, Slitting the Sycamore: Christ and Culture in the New Evangelization, by Eduardo J. Echeverria, seeks to clarify an often confusing area: how to live a genuine Christian life amid the social, economic and political realities of our time. The finalists for the 2008 Samaritan Award, created to honor grassroots nonprofit organizations, have been announced by the Acton Institute. After scoring was completed by a team of social science experts at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, the top 10 applicants will now compete for the $10,000 grand prize to be announced in early August. All finalists will be visited by World magazine journalists and profiled in a special issue on Aug. 15. The Samaritan Award is given to a highly successful, privately-funded charity whose work is direct, personal and accountable. Its purpose is to encourage charities that, like the Good Samaritan, get intimately involved with individuals and work to bring about real change in the lives of those in need. acton.org

The Alliance for School Choice recently recognized leading advocates of education reform with its 2007 awards. Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Edward G. Rendell was awarded the State Executive of the Year honor by the Alliance, and State Representative Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia) received the State Legislator of the Year award. Under their leadership, Pennsylvania's Educational Improvement Tax Credit program has grown to be the nation's largest private school choice program, with more than 38,000 students participating in 2007-2008. Georgia Senate President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) was the 2007 national Legislator of the Year for his leadership in successfully passing the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship program. Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education cofounder Sara Eide was 2007 Advocate of the Year for her outreach efforts that resulted in the passage and expansion of Iowa's Individual School Tuition Tax Credit Program. allianceforschoolchoice.org

Every year Americans for Tax Reform updates its Cost of Government Day index, which calculates the number of days the average American must work to pay for the cost of government spending and regulation. This year, Cost of Government Day fell on July 16, four days later than the revised 2007 date.People toil on average 197 days out of the year just to meet all costs imposed by government.In other words, the cost of government consumes 53.9 percent of national income. Going forward the Center for Fiscal Accountability will produce the Cost of Government Day index. CFA, headed by Sandra Fabry, will shed light on government expenditures and promote fiscal accountability, fiscal restraint and free-market principles at all government levels. The Hypocrisy Caucus, a special project of ATR, was unveiled in June. The Hypocrisy Caucus is comprised of members of Congress who voted for the one-year ban on the "Fairness Doctrine" but have refused to sign onto a permanent repeal. To see where each member of Congress stands on free speech, visit hypocrisycaucus.org. atr.org

Alan B. Smith is the American Legislative Exchange Council's new executive director. "As ALEC continues to grow, improve, and promote free market public policy in the states, Alan Smith is the best candidate to lead this national organization" said Arkansas Senate Democratic Majority Whip Steve Faris, ALEC's national chairman. Smith has been involved with ALEC for more than two decades and a member of ALEC's Private Enterprise Board since 1992. Smith, a former president of the State Government Affairs Council, also served two terms on the Strategic Planning Committee of the Council of State Governments. In 1990 he represented the National Conference of State Legislatures through the Parliament-to-Parliament exchange with the recently unified German states. Smith served as chief minority counsel in the Ohio House of Representatives, a former head of the enforcement section of the Ohio Division of Securities, and as an FBI special agent from 1969-1974. alec.org

A REAL ID rebellion is under way among the states. Gov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) visited the Cato Institute in May to explain why REAL ID represents a threat to privacy, will not help our security, and will end up costing states about $11 billion in unfunded mandates. Jim Harper, who has testified around the country on the problems with REAL ID, is your Cato contact on this issue. Don't miss out on Gene Healy's book, The Cult of the Presidency, a critique of the growing power of the presidency. George Will recently called it "the year's most pertinent and sobering public affairs book." Co-penned by Chip Mellor of the Institute for Justice and Cato's Bob Levy, The Dirty Dozen takes on the 12 worst U.S. Supreme Court cases in history, and is a similarly sobering read. Cato welcomed Khristine Brookes, former director of media services at the Heritage Foundation, as vice president for communications. Cato's 7^th Annual Constitution Day conference is Sept. 17 in Washington, D.C. cato.org

The Competitive Enterprise Institute released its "10,000 Commandments" report exposing the burden of federal regulations. To collaborate on a state version, contact Wayne Crews (wcrews@cei.org). Former communications vice president Jody Clarke is now vice president for development. Ryan Radia also joined the development team as a technology policy research associate. CEI's Warren T. Brookes Fellow in Journalism, Lene Johansen, will complete her successful fellowship in August. Journalists with a free-market perspective and interest in environment and regulatory issues may apply by contacting chall@cei.org. Drew Tidwell joined CEI as producer of CEI Studios. He brings many years experience in the film industry and replaces Erin Wildermuth, who will attend the London School of Economics this fall. Pete Eyre is the new Bureaucrash "Crasher-in-Chief." Eyre replaces Jason Talley, who now works for the Atlas Economic Research Foundation. cei.org

The Center for Education Reform brought together seven leading education experts from across the country June 2 for a bipartisan education reform forum. The panel included former Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich, former District of Columbia Councilman Kevin P. Chavous, former Pennsylvania Education Secretary Eugene Hickok, Wyoming State Rep. Amy Edmonds (R-Cheyanne), Missouri State Rep. Rodney Hubbard (D-St. Louis), Florida State Rep. John Legg (R-Port Richey) and CER president and founder Jeanne Allen. The discussion uncovered common obstacles to advancing strong charter school laws throughout the U.S. and provided a framework of best practices for others to deal successfully with those hurdles. A new publication offering a detailed look at the nation's 41 charter school laws was released during this year's National Charter Schools Week. The "Charter School Laws Across the States" study shows that strong charter school laws truly matter. States with strong laws create successful charter schools with fewer operational closures. edreform.com

This year the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute is celebrating 15 years of serving America's women.Since its founding in 1993, the Institute has worked to change the lives of thousands of women through mentoring, networking and educational programs. In August the Institute is hosting its National College Mentoring Luncheon in Washington, D.C. featuring guest speaker Bay Buchanan. In August and every month, the Institute partners with the Heritage Foundation to host the Conservative Women's Network, a regular event for conservative D.C.-area ladies to network, learn about top issues from conservative women leaders and enjoy a free lunch. This fall Women's Activism Seminars will be held at the Institute headquarters in Herndon, Virginia. The seminars are open to women student leaders from schools across the country. Applications are currently being accepted for spring and summer 2009 internships. Luce Policy Institute internships are paid, full-time positions. To learn more or to register for any of these events, visit cblpi.org. While you're there, be sure to check out our new "About Us" video featuring the Luce Ladies!

FreedomWorks has been leading the fight against government bailouts. AngryRenter.com has garnered more than 56,000 signatures, and attention from media outlets both large and small across the nation. Glenn Beck called AngryRenter.com "absolutely fantastic" on CNN. Over at Fox, Neil Cavuto called the campaign a "very good site." And hundreds of blogs and stories linked to the website uniting people from the left and right,and all corners of the country, in their opposition to mortgage industry bailouts. "What this country needs is sound money, flatter income taxes, and no more taxpayer subsidies," wrote one man. "I am a Democrat; but if this is the FreedomWorks agenda, I am for it." FreedomWorks hopes to mirror this success with its new GasPriceProtest.com, a site that has been growing each day by hundreds of signers demanding real solutions to America's energy problems. FreedomWorks joined with eight other organizations, including National Taxpayers Union, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, the Club for Growth and RedState.com to push for good energy policy, like expanding our resources, as a united front. freedomworks.org

Health care is a hot presidential campaign issue, and the Galen Institute is continuing to inform the debate on the candidates' positions: Will we see a larger role for government or a functional private marketplace? Institute staff gave dozens of speeches and interviews across the country and wrote several papers and articles this spring examining the competing visions of health reform offered by the leading candidates. For example, Grace-Marie Turner spoke at the Consumer Health World conference in Las Vegas, at the Washington Policy Center's Sixth Annual Health Care Conference in Seattle, and she traveled to Milan to speak about what Americans and Europeans can learn from each other about reform at a seminar hosted by our Italian sister think tank, the Instituto Bruno Leoni. Turner also testified before the House Budget Committee this spring about refundable tax credits for health insurance, and before the Energy and Commerce Committee on Medicaid fraud and abuse. galen.org

The Heritage Foundation's Center for Data Analysis issued a study demonstrating the negative economic impacts caused by the Lieberman-Warner global warming bill, legislation that would impose the largest tax increase in history. Heritage economist David Kreutzer determined the impact of Lieberman-Warner on the economy would be equivalent to 35 major hurricanes per year hitting the U.S. Yet, the legislation would have virtually no measurable impact on the Earth's temperature. It's all economic pain for no environmental gain. In June, Heritage launched voicesofschoolchoice.org - a Web site dedicated to personal stories of families who benefited from the Washington, D.C. Opportunity Scholarships. This new media tool uses video testimonials to put a face on the public policy debate surrounding school choice. Heritage is also producing "A Legacy of Debt" - a 10-minute educational film designed to spark a conversation between you and your friends and neighbors about the problems facing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and how to solve them. To receive a free DVD packet, including research and discussion materials, please call (800) 544-4843. heritage.org

The U.S. Supreme Court's historic decision in the case of District of Columbia vs. Heller confirms that the Second Amendment does indeed protect the individual right to keep and bear arms. This ruling was based on the pioneering work of a number of legal scholars. Among those especially cited in the case is Dr. Stephen P. Halbrook, Independent Institute research fellow and author of The Founders' Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms. The first book-length account of the origins of the Second Amendment, based on the Founders' own statements in newspapers, correspondence, debates and resolutions, Dr. Halbrook's Institute-sponsored book offers comprehensive analysis of the arguments behind the drafting and adoption of the Second Amendment and the intentions of the men who created it. As one of the key players in this landmark case, Dr. Halbrook was responsible for filing the amicus brief on behalf of 55 U.S. Senators, the Senate President and 250 members of the House of Representatives. independent.org

The Institute for Justice launched its fourth state chapter in Austin, Texas with the filing of a case that seeks to free computer repair shops and technicians from unnecessary regulation. Presently thousands of computer repair techs are required to obtain a private investigator's license to solve customers' routine problems. The broad Texas law also criminalizes customers who knowingly use an unlicensed company to perform some repairs. This case is the opening salvo in IJ's efforts to vindicate liberty in The Lone Star State. The Castle Coalition released two new publications in the "Perspectives" series. "Baltimore's Flawed Renaissance" and "Simplify, Don't Subsidize" argue that government-driven redevelopment efforts actually hinder the revitalization of the nation's cities. Both reports are available at castlecoalition.org and ij.org. Finally, IJ launched an appeal on behalf of parents and students participating in Arizona's scholarship program for special needs and foster children. IJ continues fighting for the right to choose the school of your choice for all Americans. ij.org

The Manhattan Institute's Center for Medical Progress released a new report, "The Truth About Drug Innovation," co-authored by Joseph DiMasi and Christopher-Paul Milne of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, and Institute senior fellow Benjamin Zycher. They examined case histories for 35 important pharmaceutical innovations to assess the relative contributions of the private industry, as opposed to those from publicly-funded sources. They conclude that National Institute of Health-sponsored and private-sector drug research are complementary to one another, and are equally necessary in order to provide patients with better care and treatment. City Journal editor Brian Anderson and Adam Thierer, from the Progress & Freedom Foundation, are releasing a new book, A Manifesto for Media Freedom, in September 2008 through Encounter Books. They examine the serious threat that free political speech is facing in America today. Many are working to stifle political discourse through media regulations that purport to establish "fairness" but that in practice would lead to a much less diverse and open media universe. manhattan-institute.org

John Goodman, president of the National Center for Policy Analysis, recently went toe-to-toe on health care policy in a debate sponsored by the NCPA and the Dallas Democratic Forum. Goodman discussed the issues with Jeanne Lambrew, University of Texas professor and American Progress senior fellow. Approximately 200 Dallas-area residents got a clear delineation of the health care policies offered by John McCain and Barack Obama. Some younger debaters, 48 high school students from across the nation, are now preparing to participate in iDebate, a five-day leadership development camp hosted by the NCPA, the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and the Academy of Leadership & Liberty at Oklahoma Christian University. The event is in early August in Oklahoma City. NCPA named Catherine Daniell director of public relations, Amber Jones Manager of desktop publishing, and Leah Gipson media relations coordinator. ncpa.org

The National Right to Work Foundation is preparing for its 14th trip to the U.S. Supreme Court. In Locke v. Karass, a group of Maine state government employees, with free legal aid from Foundation attorneys, are challenging attempts by union officials to force employees to support a national union litigation program designed to force more workers intoBig Labor's forced dues-paying ranks. Unions spend billions each year on politics, organizing, litigation, lobbying and a wide range of other ideological and non-bargaining activities. Union officials oftentimes claim non-union members must foot the bill or be fired. The Supreme Court's ruling may provide much-needed clarity to the criteria it had established previously as to what union activities employees can and cannot be lawfully forced to fund. Oral arguments are scheduled for Oct. 6, the opening day of the Supreme Court's term. The Foundation won its last Supreme Court case, Davenport v. WEA, on behalf of a group of Washington State teachers in2007. nrtw.org

The National Taxpayers Union and the NTU Foundation hosted a legacy dinner June 25 to celebrate the life and work of the organizations' late president, John Berthoud. More than 200 guests - including members of Congress and the policy community - gathered at the St. Regis hotel in Washington to honor Dr. Berthoud's advocacy on behalf of taxpayers and to ensure that his dedication to limited government and free enterprise lives on. NTU welcomes Josh Culling as state government affairs manager. Culling, a graduate of Ohio University, formerly served as a legislative assistant for the American Legislative Exchange Council. NTU has awarded thousands of dollars to help launch state and local taxpayer groups as part of its "Standing Together" Taxpayer Grant Program. NTU launched a website, NoNewEnergyTaxes.com, to educate the public on the effects of proposed energy legislation. NTUF released the third update of its "Presidential Candidate Cost Analysis" project, which found that if elected president, Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama would boost the annual federal budget by $68.5 billion and $343.6 billion, respectively. ntu.org

Back in March Sam Adams Alliance launched the first of its Samsphere conferences in Chicago. Samsphere is a New Media forum where liberty-oriented bloggers and e-activists from across the country can gather together to network and share ideas. It's specifically geared toward bloggers and e-activists who focus on local and state-level politics, and are dedicated to the principles of individual freedom and limited government. Since the first event, SAA has hosted two more Samspheres, in Denver and Kansas. The events successfully identified and linked more than 125 online activists. In September, SAA is hosting a Samsphere in Scottsdale, Arizona, which will coincide with SPN's 16th Annual Meeting & K-12 Education Reform Summit. samadamsalliance.org

Young America's Foundation hosted former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich at the Reagan Ranch Center in May. Gingrich visited the Ranch to shoot footage for a new documentary about President Reagan and the Cold War, and he also addressed a capacity audience of Foundation supporters at a President's Club breakfast. Gingrich's inspiring remarks streamed live over the Internet, and included a discussion of the Conservative Movement - past and present. A few days later Gingrich wrote, "The visit to the ranch was a surprising revelation of the simplicity and strength which President Reagan drew on throughout his presidency." Young America's Foundation sponsored a June panel on Capitol Hill, "Lessons Ronald Reagan Can Teach the Next President," attended by more than 200 Hill interns. Panelists included Arizona Congressman John Shadegg; Mark Tapscott, editorial page editor of the Washington Examiner; and Reagan administration official Rebecca Cox. Frank Donatelli, chairman of the Reagan Ranch Board of Governors and an official in Reagan's administration, moderated the panel. yaf.org