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SPN News Updates, January / February 2007


Published on Thursday, February 01, 2007
ARTICLES

Alaska

As part of its continuing work with the Sustainable Development Working Group of the Arctic Council, the Institute of the North is collaborating on an Arctic Information & Communications Technologies Assessment for the eight nations comprising the Arctic Council. The assessment is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2008.  Interim co-chairs for the report include representatives from the University of Lapland (Finland) and the University of Alaska (USA).  A draft table of contents includes chapters on access - availability of ICTs in the Arctic, application, and the human dimension, including cultural and language issues, local needs and demand.  Case studies will help to identify gaps and trends, leading to recommendations for policy options.  As one of two secretariats - Canada hosts the other - the Institute was invited by CISCO Systems to showcase the project in Scandinavia as part of the Nobel Prize festivities.  AICTA goals for a connected Arctic are: to increase the human and social capital in the North, to contribute to sustainable economic development in the High North and to improve the quality of life in the Arctic. www.institutenorth.org

Arizona

The Goldwater Institute is proud to announce the launch of a Spanish language outreach initiative. A new website, www.institutogoldwater.org, will make Goldwater Institute research available in Spanish. At the end of 2006, Goldwater released two first-of-their-kind studies. "Defining the Fundamental Principles of the Arizona Constitution" provides a blueprint for consistent interpretation of the State Constitution in favor of limited government and individual liberty. "How to Win the War on Poverty: An Analysis of State Poverty Trends" examines the relationship between tax rates and poverty levels in each state during the 1990s. Author Matthew Ladner, PhD found states with low tax burdens were more successful at reducing poverty than high tax states. An interactive map at www.goldwaterinstitute.org assigns letter grades to all 50 states for overall performance in poverty reduction. Another Institute first was "Dinner on the Infield," a gala event held on Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. At the dinner, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist George Will received the 2006 Goldwater Award. The previous Award winner was Chilean economist Dr. José Piñera.

Arkansas

Incoming Democratic Gov.-elect Mike Beebe told news media his proposal to phase-out the state sales tax on groceries is "non-negotiable." Phasing out the grocery tax over a multi-year period is the first priority in a 12-point plan released by the Arkansas Policy Foundation in December. Mr. Beebe cited the Policy Foundation's research in a 2005 opinion while serving as Arkansas attorney general. Other points in the Policy Foundation plan include dynamic scoring of the grocery tax phase-out, cyclical analysis in revenue estimation, performance-based budgeting and performance reviews. The plan argues against turning back the clock on recent progress on charter schools and public school transparency in Arkansas. www.reformarkansas.org

California

The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) recently celebrated its annual gala dinner in San Francisco with keynote speaker Christopher Buckley, author of Thank You for Smoking and Forbes Life magazine editor.  PRI's Sally Pipes provided a critique of the new Massachusetts health plan in the policy paper, "Questionable Cure for a Questionable Crisis."  PRI's Environmental Studies department released "Sense and Sequestration," a policy paper explaining the carbon sequestration cycle.  In addition, PRI hosted a school board training seminar in San Francisco in conjunction with the California School Board Association. www.pacificresearch.org

Connecticut

The Yankee Institute released a new study in January, "Free College for High School Students," by executive director Dr. Lewis M. Andrews.  It recommends that every high school student who finishes his or her graduation requirements in three years be granted a full scholarship to any of Connecticut's twelve community colleges.  When the cost of two years of community college ($5,000) is subtracted from the per pupil cost of Connecticut high schools, the savings to taxpayers can be as high $10,000 for every student who receives a scholarship.  Further, the policy can be implemented by most school boards without any enabling legislation from the state. Copies are available for $2.95 each; call (860) 297-4271 or write info@yankeeinstitute.org. In December, Yankee released "The Fiscies," the Institute's annual awards for the best and worst in Connecticut fiscal policy. In February 2007, Yankee will release the first-ever analysis of media coverage of Nutmeg State taxes and spending. Later in the year, the Institute will examine the failures of Connecticut's "economic development" programs. www.yankeeinstitute.org

Florida

Launching James Madison Institute's star-studded month of October, Steve Moore of the Wall Street Journal editorial board headlined the Tampa Member Luncheon.  Following close on its heels, the Institute partnered with Florida State University's Stavros Center for the Advancement of Free Enterprise and Economic Education to host best-selling author and ABC news correspondent John Stossel for a limited-seating luncheon and evening student event. Activities in November and December focused on policymakers.  James Madison staff and scholars testified before the U.S. Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service regarding oil drilling in the Gulf and before the Florida Property Tax Reform Committee regarding free market solutions to curb escalating property taxes.  Closing the year on an inspiring note, the Institute had the honor of hosting Larry Reed, president of Michigan's Mackinac Center, for several days in which he shared his wealth of experiences and insights with board members and staff.  In many ways, 2006 was a record-setting year for The James Madison Institute and the potential for 2007 looks even better, as we celebrate 20 years of spreading the message of liberty! www.jamesmadison.org

Georgia

How do we improve on 2006, a year we hosted the national "Preserving the American Dream" conference, President Bush, Gov. Mitt Romney and U.S. Senator John McCain, among other noteworthy events? In between, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation found time to testify on statewide video franchising, TABOR, health care reform, eminent domain and to release a massive transportation study with the Reason Foundation on congestion relief for Atlanta. The Foundation's award-winning "Report Card for Parents" will be out soon, followed by the much-anticipated announcement of the "No Excuses Schools." Education expert Holly Robinson and the Best Practices Committee of the Governor's Finance Task Force completed the state's Elementary School Model, now posted at www.ie2.org. A rural K-12 charter school the Foundation is helping establish has earned local approval and awaits a state OK. For 2007, the Foundation will help legislators develop a case for eliminating Georgia's income tax and continue our work on health care, education, video franchising, TABOR and transportation, energy and water policies. And, oh, yes, we'll continue our campaign for less government and more freedom! www.gppf.org

Hawaii

Want to live and work in Hawaii? The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is expanding its efforts and is now recruiting for a full-time executive director. Contact Dick Rowland at (808) 591-9193. One military charter school startup has been stymied by the government education establishment. The recent election has resulted in a resurrection of the race-based Akaka bill, which will require major efforts.  We have established the Director Center for Science, Climate and Environment headed by Michael Fox, PhD who has spent an earlier 30-year career in nuclear energy. He is available to help you in matters of science (mfox@grassrootinstitute.org). We are using a Beacon Hill Institute STAMP model to illustrate to the legislature the benefits of tax cuts and harm of tax increases. Progress is slow but effective. Small groups seem to work best. www.grassrootinstitute.org

Indiana

The Indiana Policy Review Foundation will explore financing options for Indiana's public school system in the wake of Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels announcement in December that he would fight for all-day kindergarten as an entitlement. Previously, the Foundation argued, if proponents were sincerely interested in children, independent of special interests such as the teacher union, they could pay for the program by setting the pay for public school teachers at the regional average rather than the elevated Indiana average. www.inpolicy.org

Iowa

Public Interest Institute staff continued our efforts to promote limited government and free market principles by traveling around the state this fall and speaking to various organizations.  Institute president Dr. Don Racheter spoke to the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce and the Republican Central Committee of Mahaska County.  Senior research analyst Amy Frantz and research analyst John Hendrickson spoke before Rotary Clubs in Pella and Mt. Pleasant.  The Public Interest Institute also distributed over 4,000 copies of Iowa Government and Politics to high school students this year.  This 12-unit curriculum, authored by Dr. Racheter, is part of the Institute's Iowa Civics Project which began in 1996 to help educators help students learn about state and local government in Iowa.  The Institute will provide a copy of the Iowa Civics Project, at no charge, for each student, for any government teacher, school (private or public) or parent of home schoolers in the state. Civic education is important to the future civic involvement of today's students - who are tomorrow's leaders. www.limitedgovernment.org

Kansas

In November, the Flint Hills Center for Public Policy opened offices in Wichita, giving the virtual organization a physical location.  The new address is 250 N. Water, Wichita, Kansas 67201. Our outreach efforts have continued to build support for health care and education reform. This fall, Flint Hills' op-eds appeared more than fifty times in newspapers throughout the state. Greg Schneider's latest policy brief summarizes other states' approach to Medicaid reform and points the way towards reform in The Sunflower State.  Flint Hills continues to enlarge its Medicaid Handbook providing a comprehensive tool for Medicaid reform in Kansas.  John LaPlante's paper "Charter School Primer: A Variety of Options Can Serve Students, Education" will be released this month.  The Center is building a charter school initiative and continues to expand its efforts to promote charter school policy during the coming legislative session. www.flinthills.org

Kentucky

A November 17 New York Times article that featured Lawrence W. Reed of the Mackinac Center and mentioned the Bluegrass Institute created quite a stir in Kentucky. Our largest (and arguably most liberal) newspaper, the Louisville Courier-Journal, is preparing to publish the "rest of the story" very soon. In a two-hour interview with our director of policy & communications Jim Waters, the reporter made it patently clear that he is trying his best to denigrate our credibility for his readers. As Brer Rabbit once advised his adversary, "Go ahead...throw me in that briar patch, Brer Fox!" Kentucky's 30-day legislative session begins in January in which we will be prepared to promote/defend why: parents of special-needs children deserve public scholarships; Kentucky's minimum wage should not be increased; the administration of the state's prevailing wage system should be reformed; Kentucky's eminent domain legislation should prevent "blight" from being used by municipalities to easily take private property with little or no compensation; and the Bluegrass State's Certificate of Need (CON) law should be abolished. www.bipps.org

Maine

The Maine Heritage Policy Center (MHPC) is proud to announce the addition of two full-time staff members.  In August, Heather Noyes joined MHPC as director of development,  executive assistant Sandy Cleveland came aboard in September. MHPC published two new Maine View reports, "How Local Government Can Thrive with Spending Limits" and "Maine Personal Income: An Analysis of the Private and Public Sector Components." Additionally, one Maine Issue Brief was printed, "Higher Property Taxes for Seasonal Residents is Bad Tax Policy." Copies of the Maine Economic Atlas are now available. MHPC put the wraps on the two-year research project that highlighted nearly 100 economic indicators for each of Maine's 497 municipalities. The Atlas used proprietary software to map the data, providing for a user-friendly data book.  Write info@mainepolicy.org to obtain a copy. www.mainepolicy.org

Massachusetts

The single most productive year in the history of the Pioneer Institute was 2006. Among the papers released was: "An analysis of competitive, long-term leasing of state ice rinks to private entities," which concluded, through private maintenance and operation, rinks are open longer, used more and have received more capital investment than when they were operated by the state. We published two analyses of the Commonwealth's public employee pension system. The conclusions: loopholes have added approximately $3 billion to the state's $13 billion unfunded liability and, by operating 106 separate pension systems, local retirement boards have squandered potential investment gains amounting to $1.6 billion due to returns consistently lower than those earned by the state's Public Retirement Investment Trust (PRIT). Also published were two analyses of local school district evaluations that were compiled by the state Office of Educational Quality and Accountability. The conclusion: after 13 years and $40 billion of education reform in Massachusetts too many districts have not met Education Reform Act mandates. Districts have taken the money, but bucked accountability. www.pioneerinstitute.org

Michigan

The Mackinac Center and the free-market movement received international attention in The New York Times when president Lawrence W. Reed was touted for his role in mentoring think tanks around the globe. The November 17 and 18 series, at nearly 4,000 words, included a front-page, above-the-fold story and was the culmination of nearly a year's effort on the part of reporter Jason DeParle, who accompanied Reed and Mackinac Center executive vice president Joseph G. Lehman to Nairobi, Kenya. Scholarship by senior legal analyst Patrick J. Wright, senior environmental analyst Russ Harding and policy analyst Kenneth M. Braun addressed ballot measures, and Michigan voters subsequently passed a property rights initiative and rejected a mandatory K-16 annual school funding increase on Election Day. MichiganScience, a Mackinac Center quarterly science and policy journal, premiered November 15, while Diane S. Katz, director of science, environment and technology policy, co-authored a policy brief examining a directive from Gov. Jennifer Granholm calling for mercury emissions reductions. In November, the Center filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in two Washington education cases, Davenport v. Washington Education Association (WEA) and Washington v. WEA. www.mackinac.org

Mississippi

The Mississippi Center for Public Policy is preparing for its "Governing by Principle" campaign to coincide with the 2007 campaigns for governor, lieutenant governor, the entire legislature and other statewide and regional offices. The goal is to ensure all candidates - as well as the media and the general public - understand the principles that should underlie the policy decisions made by public officials. MCPP will publish quick-read materials and distribute them throughout the campaign, and will conclude with a policy seminar in November for newly elected legislators. www.mspolicy.org

Missouri

The Show-Me Institute continued to receive media attention for the two minimum wage studies it published last October. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other Missouri newspapers quoted vice president of operations Jason Hannasch and board member Michael Podgursky about the pernicious effects of minimum wages. The studies' authors appeared on three television and four radio stations. One of the studies has received 27,000 web hits since publication, and former White House advisor Gregory Mankiw linked to it on his weblog. National hotel and restaurant associations covered the study in their trade publications. Immediately before the November elections, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran an op-ed by the Institute's editor Tim Lee and Justin Hauke. Lee and Hauke proposed a state-level earned income tax credit as a better-targeted alternative to the minimum wage. In December, the Institute brought the Wall Street Journal's senior economics writer Stephen Moore to Missouri to unveil his study on repealing the state's income tax. Moore and co-author Richard Vedder, PhD show how Missouri could phase out this economically harmful tax in fourteen years. www.showmeinstitute.org

New Mexico

The Rio Grande Foundation is becoming a force to be reckoned with in New Mexico's policy debates. Recently, despite the strong support of the mayor and most of Albuquerque's City Council, the Foundation and a newly-organized group of taxpayer activists succeeded in stopping a plan to spend $270 million on a streetcar system.  Data provided by the Foundation, such as pointing out that the streetcar would cost $30 million per mile while the City spends $35 million annually on its entire bus system, was widely credited as making the difference. Within weeks, the council and mayor postponed the streetcar plan indefinitely. In addition, the Rio Grande Foundation has been making the case for constitutional taxpayer protections for New Mexicans. Tax and expenditure limits will be introduced this legislative session. The Foundation also hosted Mackinac Center president Lawrence W. Reed for a series of events with donors and policymakers. Another recent event featured the Cato Institute's director of Health Policy Studies Michael Cannon, who discussed ways to reform New Mexico health care. www.riograndefoundation.org

New York

The Empire Center for New York State Policy posted on its website a comprehensive analysis breaking down legislative salaries by state. The posting - which also included a state-by-state look at per-member spending and a comparison of legislative budgets nationwide - preceded the New York State Legislature's return to Albany for a special session on December 13. With the 2006 election behind them, some state lawmakers were pushing for a pay raise, their first in nearly a decade. The Empire Center analysis, using data from the National Conference of State Legislatures, showed lawmakers in New York receive the third-highest base salaries nationwide, at $79,500. The information attracted the attention of New York's media and was cited in numerous news stories statewide. Meanwhile, there was no action taken by lawmakers on December 13 to raise their pay. www.empirecenter.org

North Carolina

John Locke Foundation research continues to poke holes in proposals to increase North Carolina state government power. Recent reports have targeted overly broad mercury regulations, hidden electricity taxes, proposed sales tax hikes and public school testing failures. Local governments also take a beating for subsidizing golf, planning traffic roundabouts and pushing wasteful school construction programs. JLF Headliner events help Tar Heels discuss major issues with well-known speakers. Journalists John Fund and Matthew Continetti recently shared insights about federal government waste and corruption. John Gizzi and David Keene helped make sense of November election results, while Anthony Zinni offered his prescription for success in Iraq. Juan Williams offered thoughts about phony African-American leaders. The foundation's sister group, The John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, has added staff as it expands its reputation as a university watchdog. JLF has doubled its suite of regional websites, with additions in North Carolina's Triad and Triangle regions. Investigative reporters from the monthly Carolina Journal newspaper have raised questions about suspect land deals involving state government. www.johnlocke.org

Ohio

The many Ohio politicians searching for their principles, at the recent urging of voters, are finding the Buckeye Institute to be a good place to begin their hunt. For example, the Institute's recently released 2006 Ohio Piglet Book is now the most frequently viewed Buckeye product by web browsers with state government IP addresses. Together with our Porker of the Month, Ohio Spend-o-Meter and new state spending limit, the Buckeye Institute is changing for the better the way Ohio politicians think about taxes and spending.  Ohio continues to be a leader in school choice.  Close to 80,000 Ohio children are enrolled in either a charter school or one of three education voucher programs, and Buckeye works daily to grow this number. Our scholars proposed changes in Ohio's statewide K-12 voucher program to make it more parent-friendly. These were adopted into law with the result that the "EdChoice" program enjoyed one of the best first-year sign up rates of any voucher program in the nation. Our latest policy project, a special education voucher modeled after Florida's McKay Scholarship, is at the top of Buckeye's legislative agenda for the 2007 session. www.buckeyeinstitute.org

Oklahoma

This spring, every college-bound high school senior in Oklahoma is eligible to win thousands of dollars in scholarships for penning a prize-winning essay. The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) is holding its eighth annual Citizenship Essay Contest, which will present a total of $12,000 to five winners. The contest question asks students to select their favorite American hero and explain the importance of this individual. Since the contest's inception, OCPA has presented nearly $75,000 in scholarships. Numerous colleges and universities partnered with OCPA to match scholarships as part of the popular program. In 2006, OCPA continued to publish its flagship publication, Perspective, which is circulated to thousands of citizens and opinion leaders every month, and OCPA's award-winning website (www.ocpathink.org) had thousands of visitors each week and continued to be an effective communication tool. During the upcoming 2007 legislative session, the Council's policy objectives are: comprehensive lawsuit reform, income tax relief and an online searchable database of government expenditures. To help in these endeavors, OCPA recruited four outstanding interns from colleges across the region.

Oregon

Over the past few months, Cascade Policy Institute has released a number of policy papers which were distributed to all Oregon lawmakers and state media outlets, as well as the general public.  Highlighting the work of our individual policy centers, these reports covered: tobacco tax revenues, tourism taxes, prevailing wage laws, Oregon's judiciary, sin taxes, health insurance, health care, carbon trading, natural area bond measures, low income mobility, assets and inequality, alternative energy, social security and safety nets.  Throughout the spring, Cascade will continue to release policy papers on taxes, health care, social security, education reform and asset building in low-income communities to supplement the grassroots advocacy work conducted by the Institute's team of program directors.  Cascade also has maintained a regular presence in the state capitol offering public policy presentations and education programs to legislators and capitol staff. www.cascadepolicy.org

Oregon Better Government Project

The Oregon Better Government Project's (OBGP) mission is to improve the accountability, prioritization and transparency of government in Oregon. OBGP will fulfill its mission by promoting the effective use of tools available to citizens, among them the ability to monitor the activities of governments through public records and open meetings laws, and the power to propose changes at the ballot. Currently, the OBGP has three main activities. The Open Government Initiative educates and assists Oregonians in the use of freedom of information requests. This will allow citizens to uncover instances where public resources have been misused and act on behalf of the public where necessary. The Unfunded Liabilities Databank catalogs public entities' compliance with new accounting standards for disclosure of unfunded liabilities and funding plans. Finally, The Initiative & Referendum Resource provides information to citizens concerning I & R rules at the Oregon state and local levels. By providing education on the effective use of these tools we will foster greater citizen involvement, a necessity in maintaining government integrity. http://www.bettergovernmentproject.blogspot.com/

Pennsylvania

The Allegheny Institute's analysis and recommendations for improving efficiencies and reducing costs for Allegheny County's transit system played an important role in the Governor's Transportation Reform and Funding Commission's findings.  The Commission recommends outsourcing, cutting service on low-volume routes, fare hikes and other important efficiency measures long-advocated by the Allegheny Institute.  It will no longer be business as usual with the transit system simply going to the state capital and asking for emergency bailouts. www.alleghenyinstitute.org

The year 2006 was a watershed year in Pennsylvania politics.  As a result of voter dissatisfaction with the political status quo, 32 incumbent legislators decided to retire instead of risking defeat at the ballot box, 17 ended up losing in the May primary election and another eight were removed from office in the November general election.  When members of the House and Senate return for a new legislative session in 2007, the Commonwealth Foundation is well positioned to influence a newly made-over General Assembly.  On the policy agenda are spending limits, public-private partnerships in transportation, educational choice, pensions and retiree health care reform and welfare and Medicaid reform.  In January, the Commonwealth Foundation launched a weekly radio program on the largest station between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, WHP 580 AM.  "The Box: Inside, Outside, and On with Matt Brouillette" can be heard live every Saturday morning from 8:00-9:00am on the Internet at www.TheBoxProgram.com.  www.commonwealthfoundation.org

In January, the REACH Foundation released its latest version of "Transforming Education in Pennsylvania: The Latest Facts About the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program."  Foundation staff members anticipate wide use of the information in order to help educate the 55 new General Assembly members coming to Harrisburg at the start of the new two-year legislative session.  The Foundation also plans to host a new member orientation session focused on school choice in early February to educate freshmen legislators on the benefits that school choice can bring to the citizens of Pennsylvania.  REACH started the New Year by welcoming Stacy Henninger as its new director of communications.  Before joining REACH, Ms. Henninger held top communications positions at the American Lung Association, Goodwill Industries and United Way of Clarion County (PA).  REACH will hold its annual school choice rally at the capital on Tuesday, May 8.  Last year's rally saw over 1,600 children, parents and school choice supporters attend a day of celebration and outreach with their elected officials. www.paschoolchoice.org

South Carolina

South Carolina Policy Council (SCPC) president Ed McMullen participated in a televised statewide debate on property tax relief, which has was a major issue in the state in 2006, and will continue to be debated in the 2007 legislative session.  SCPC also held a briefing with key policy makers and members of the business community to discuss Medicaid and outline ideas for major reform policies.  On the education front, an SCPC study was quoted heavily in a statewide story about South Carolina's achievement gap.  In November, SCPC hosted its annual board of directors' retreat, at which legislative leaders discussed key issues for the upcoming legislative session. www.scpolicycouncil.com

Tennessee

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research (TCPR) influenced three policy successes in 2006. After leading the charge against wasteful and ineffective military sponsorships in NASCAR, the Marines and Coast Guard decided to discontinue their involvement in auto racing, saving taxpayers $8.5 million a year. Following TCPR's recommendation that the governor end the practice of using gas tax money to pay for waste in the state budget, Gov. Bredesen agreed to reserve all gas tax revenue for road maintenance and repair projects.  A year after TCPR exposed the cost of subsidizing expensive, state-owned golf courses, the Tennessee Legislature is seriously considering closing insolvent courses. TCPR launched its Tax Burden Calculator. This online tool allows the user to compare their yearly local tax amount with what they would pay if they moved to a nearby region, and encourages tax rate competition between municipalities. Visit www.tennesseepolicy.org to see the calculator. On February 7, TCPR hosts John Stossel, who will highlight education reform solutions to legislators and activists in Nashville.

Texas

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility recently launched in Austin with Michael Quinn Sullivan as president. TFR's mission is to create and sustain a system of strong fiscal stewardship within state government, through cultural and political change. "With so many vested interests lobbying to spend the taxpayers' dollars, the hard-working Texans asked to foot the bill need to be represented," said Sullivan, formerly vice president of Texas Public Policy Foundation. TFR will initially be engaged in seeking to ensure the $15 billion surplus is returned to taxpayers in the form of tax relief. Further, TFR will promote a series of budget and tax reforms, including: reducing the impact of the new business tax; reforming the spending cap; protecting "dedicated" revenues for their designed purposes; requiring lawmakers to provide greater budget detail; enacting reforms to the current appraisal system; and, promoting transparency in spending. The organization's website and blog is at www.empowertexans.com.

Three current Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) staffers have been promoted: Bill Peacock, vice president of administration; Mary Katherine Stout, vice president of policy; and Shari Hanrahan, vice president of outreach. Bill and Mary Katherine will continue as research directors for Economic Freedom and Health Care, respectively, and Shari will continue as director of development. The Foundation is also adding a new director of media and government relations and a second policy analyst in the Center for Economic Freedom.  In December, TPPF held Policy Primer events in Houston and San Antonio to share the urgency of strengthening eminent domain laws. Steven Anderson with the Institute for Justice and Bill Peacock shared the podium in both cities. Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz gave opening remarks in San Antonio, where Leonard Gilroy with the Reason Foundation joined the panel.  Legislators, including several House of Representative committee chairs, played a major role in both standing-room only presentations. TPPF's most recently released papers examine career and technology education, parole and prison crowding, and private property.  Foundation publications in 2006 topped 80! www.tppf.org

Utah

The Sutherland Institute has launched Defining Conservatism, an original series designed to help shape the identity and elucidate the meaning of conservatism in Utah.  "We believe that most Utahns, like most Americans, are conservative in their hearts," observes Paul T. Mero, president of Sutherland.  "The irony is that many don't really understand what that means.  This allows politicians and business leaders to shroud themselves in the label when useful, even if the policies they pursue are not conservative ones."  The Defining Conservatism series includes short biographies of key historical figures, especially those from the American conservative intellectual movement.  It also focuses on authentic conservative principles of government and on the analysis of public policy from a conservative perspective.  These essays can be read at www.sutherlandinstitute.org. In October, Sutherland welcomed Lyall Swim to the Institute team as the new director of operations.  Prior to Sutherland, Lyall was a human resources manager at Proctor & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He began his career doing investor and public relations in the software and semiconductor industries.

Vermont

On December 7 the Ethan Allen Institute released its new report, Off the Rails, at a state capital news conference. The report, produced with the help of 23 state business and economic leaders, spells out the consequences of demographic changes under way. Vermont will soon become the nation's oldest state; the proportion of its population in the productive 21-64 working years will steadily shrink. But very generous education and human service spending will require ever-higher revenues from a stagnant tax base. By 2030 the public school cost per pupil is projected to be $33,400 in current 2005 dollars. These two categories will consume essentially 100% of all state revenues. The report offers strategies for preventing this outcome. The most obvious is to curb state spending, refrain from creating new programs, lower tax rates and reduce onerous regulation to produce taxable economic growth. Over the next three months the Institute will host meetings throughout the state to discuss the report's findings and the possible strategies for avoiding a catastrophic outcome. The Institute's January 18 State House Round Table presented the issue to legislators. www.ethanallen.org

Virginia

Earlier this year, The Heritage Foundation and the Virginia Institute for Public Policy held a news conference in the Virginia Capitol to release a jointly published report, 21st Century Highways: Innovative Solutions to America's Transportation Needs.  The Speaker of the House of the Virginia General Assembly was so impressed with this report that he invited three of the authors who contributed to the study to speak at a meeting of the Republican Caucus.  In September, the Virginia Institute and its sister organization, Tertium Quids, a 501(c)4, hosted a conference in Colonial Williamsburg that outlined the critical need for political leaders to articulate a vision.  First, we took a retrospective look at the Contract with America - what was intended, what was accomplished, where it fell short.  The rest of the conference introduced a direction for fiscal policy, property rights and education reform in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Speakers at the conference included Sandy Froman, president of the National Rifle Association, former Congressman Dick Armey, U.S. Senator George Allen and syndicated columnist Cal Thomas. www.virginiainstitute.org

Washington

The Evergreen Freedom Foundation's First Amendment cases against the state teachers' union are now before the U.S. Supreme Court (Davenport v. Washington Education Association [WEA] and Washington v. WEA). The state attorney general and a group of nonunion teachers (with help from EFF and National Right to Work Foundation) sued the WEA for illegally using nonmember union dues for political purposes, without getting permission as required by law. The New York Times hailed the cases as the "most prominent" of those granted review earlier this year, and the Wall Street Journal said "[It] could be the most important First Amendment decision in years." Michael Barone writes, "Congratulations to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, which has fought to get the law implemented over the powerful opposition of the WEA." Over 30 prominent individuals and organizations filed amicus briefs in support of the nonunion teachers, including the United States Solicitor General, six state attorneys general and numerous public policy organizations and public interest law firms. Oral arguments took place on January 10. Information about the case is available at www.teachers-vs-union.org. www.effwa.org

Washington Policy Center (WPC) was active during the election season publishing studies on all state ballot issues. Our Center for Small Business & Entrepreneurship concluded a month-long small business forum tour throughout the state. The seven forums were attended by over 500 small business owners and covered issues facing businesses including health care, taxes, regulations and the ballot initiatives. The forums were held with the cooperation from Chambers around the state. Greg Porter of Berntson Porter & Company, PLLC was elected as the new chairman of the board. Mr. Porter began his two-year term in December He has served on WPC's board since 2003 and has chaired its last three annual dinners, which set records for attendance and revenue.  In 1985 he co-founded Berntson Porter & Company in Bellevue, one of the largest CPA firms in the Puget Sound region. Visit www.washingtonpolicy.org for current projects and upcoming legislative issues, including WPC's call for a tax cut by the legislature given our state's $2 billion surplus and a new study on eminent domain reform with the Institute for Justice.  

West Virginia

We are pleased to announce the formal launch of West Virginia's first free market think tank, The Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia. A nonprofit research and education organization that conducts scholarly research and analysis of state and local issues, the Foundation's mission is to advance sound policies based on the principles of free enterprise, individual liberty, limited government and traditional American values. Our first project is the book Unleashing Capitalism in West Virginia, with expected publication in mid-February. We are honored to have enlisted scholars and experts such as: Russell Sobel, PhD and Pete Leeson, PhD both of West Virginia University, whose work has been published by the Cato Institute, and from Marshall University Mike Hicks, PhD and Fulbright Scholar Rob Capehart, who previously served as the state's secretary of Tax and Revenue. www.westvirginiapolicy.com

National

The Acton Institute recently published a new monograph, The Good That Business Does. One of the major political challenges of the modern era has been to manage the integration of business into the life of the civil community. Similarly, Christian social thinkers have struggled to integrate business activity into their account of morality, justice and the common good. While the disciplines of economics and law teach us much about the character of contemporary business, their descriptions are limited. Drawing on the natural law tradition's concept of goods, this monograph offers a fuller treatment of the role of business in society and its moral obligations. It upholds the importance of business's fulfillment of private goods, and also outlines the ways in which it contributes to the common good.  The monograph can be purchased for $6 at www.acton.org/bookshoppe.

Alliance for School Choice reports, after a year packed with victories for school choice across the country, the holidays ended on a high note with a win for students in Washington, DC.  In mid-December, Congress approved legislation raising the household income eligibility renewal limit for students - meaning more than 300 schoolchildren will be able to keep their scholarships.  In addition to the D.C. victory, the year boasted victories in education reform from Arizona to Ohio with expansion of existing programs and new programs passed for low-income, foster care and special needs students. Due in no small part to the collaboration of non-profits and organizations in every state, the Alliance for School Choice thanks the State Policy Network for your support of better educational options for children. Here's to each of you and the many more victories to come! www.allianceforschoolchoice.org

The Cato Institute continues to expand its reach with several new scholars.  In October, Andrei Illarionov, who served as chief economic adviser to the Kremlin from 2000 to 2005, joined Cato as a senior fellow as part of the newly launched Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, which will expand Cato's role in promoting economic freedom around the world. Other recent additions are Sigrid Fry Revere, director of bioethics studies, and Adam Schaeffer, policy analyst for the Center for Educational Freedom. During the month of November alone over a million listeners tuned into Cato's daily podcasts.  They can be heard through iTunes or www.cato.org. The New York Times and The Economist have recently covered the Cato policy analysis "The Libertarian Vote" by executive vice president David Boaz and David Kirby, which analyzes polling data and finds a significant number of voters with libertarian views.  In early 2007, Cato will publish two significant books in its fight for limited government and free markets: Leviathan on the Right by Michael Tanner and The Improving State of the World by Indur Goklany. www.cato.org

The Claremont Institute offers two annual fellowship programs for ambitious conservatives interested in learning more about the principles of the American Founding and constitutional government. The Publius Fellowship program brings together highly qualified college seniors, recent college graduates and graduate students pursuing careers in politics, scholarship or journalism. Publius Fellows meet with Claremont Institute senior fellows and other distinguished visiting scholars to study American political thought and American politics. The 2007 seminar runs June 22-July 6. Applications may be downloaded from www.claremont.org/publius, and are due March 9. The Lincoln Fellowship program is a week-long seminar on the principles of the American Founding for ambitious, civic-minded professionals who work in the area of national public policy. The 2007 seminar is August 4-12. Applications may be downloaded from www.claremont.org/lincoln, and are due April 28.  Both programs will be held at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach, California. Up to fifteen fellows will be awarded for each program, which includes a stipend, travel expenses, lodging and meals.  For more information, please call (909) 621-6825 or write programs@claremont.org. www.claremont.org  

Consumers for Health Care Choices (CHCC) held its first annual Awards Banquet in Washington, DC on December 10, along with its second Annual Members Meeting and a Consumer Education Workshop on December 11.  Award winners were Mark McClellan, MD, PhD for Pioneer in Public Policy; John Goodman, PhD for Pioneer in Health Economics; Robert Berry, MD for Pioneer in Medical Practice; and J. Patrick Rooney for Lifetime Achievement. CHCC is interested in working with state-based think tanks to take its Consumer Education Workshop on the road in 2007. For more information, see our website or contact Greg Scandlen at greg@chcchoices.org. www.chcchoice.org

Until this summer, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), a major accreditor of America's schools of education, required would-be teachers to demonstrate "dispositions" that proved they were "guided by beliefs and attitudes related to values such as caring, fairness, honesty, responsibility, and social justice." This language may sound unobjectionable to some, but these vague and politically loaded "dispositions" allow schools to evaluate students based on their political beliefs. "Social justice" is a subjective concept; one person's social justice may be another's totalitarianism. For a school to mandate a common vision of social justice violates both a student's freedom of conscience and his fundamental right to seek his own truth.  Under pressure from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), the National Association of Scholars and American Council of Trustees and Alumni, NCATE withdrew a commitment to "social justice" from its evaluative criteria this June. This past fall, FIRE focused its efforts on eliminating similar "disposition" requirements enforced by Columbia University's Teachers College and the Council on Social Work Education. www.thefire.org

The Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment (FREE) has designed a new conference series, Environmental Stewardship for Religious Leaders, modeled on its 16-year-old program for federal judges. There is growing awareness among religious groups that environmental stewardship is important. Unfortunately, many religious leaders don't understand the complementarities between a market economy and environmental conservation. FREE's focus is on the incentives and information generated by alternative policy proposals. Some have profoundly negative consequences for social well-being; others better harmonize environmental quality with responsible liberty and economic progress.  Our goal for this program is to increase the understanding of religious leaders as they approach environmental policy. These leaders are influential nodes in a network of congregations, providing a conduit to disseminate market-based environmental ideas consistent with American ideals. With them, we will explore how a culture that values secure property rights, civil society and responsible prosperity can foster a healthy environment and promote social justice. For more information, contact Pete Geddes at (406) 585-1776 or pgeddes@free-eco.org. www.free-eco.org

FreedomWorks is pleased to announce that Steve Forbes, a former presidential candidate and publisher of Forbes magazine, has joined its board of directors. Forbes will lend his voice and efforts to our mission of promoting lower taxes, less government and more freedom.  Forbes will work with Chairman Dick Armey to promote the 2007 Freedom Agenda throughout the country. Forbes stated, "I expect great things from this organization as it reenergizes the American conservative movement and helps to define the 2008 presidential campaign under the excellent leadership of Dick Armey." www.freedomworks.org

Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute, has been working for the past 18 months as a member of the federal Medicaid Commission to bring fresh ideas for reform to this joint federal-state program that is seriously in need of modernization.  The Commission accepted many of the recommendations offered by the Galen Institute that are designed to give states more flexibility to match the needs of their citizens with the resources of the state.  We recommended measures that would reform the crazy financing scheme that states use to game the system, proposals that would encourage more private insurance rather than further expansion of Medicaid, and coordinating care for the poor elderly who often get stuck in a bureaucratic trap between Medicare and Medicaid. Visit www.galen.org/statehealth.asp?docID=935 to learn about the innovative Medicaid Advantage program we developed, which is a centerpiece of the report.  The Medicaid Commission's final report was issued December 31, 2006.  We encourage our colleagues to make governors and legislators aware of it so they can advocate for change. www.galen.org

The Lucy Burns Institute recently joined SPN as an associate member. Named after the American suffragette and women's rights advocate, who lived from 1879 to 1966, the Institute's mission is to: help citizens identify and combat waste, fraud and corruption occurring within local taxing entities such as cities, counties and school districts; promote awareness about taxpayer-funded lobbying and campaign efforts conducted by local and state taxing entities; enhance understanding of the ways in which taxpayer-funded lobbying may lead to the promotion of special-interest agendas over the public good; and conduct research and issue public policy studies regarding ways to enhance ethics, transparency and accountability at local and state levels of government.

Is America becoming a nation of separate and unequal families?  Manhattan Institute William E. Simon Fellow and City Journal contributing editor Kay S. Hymowitz explores this question in her well-researched collection of essays titled Marriage and Caste in America. She examines the breakdown in marriage over the past 40 years and shows how the separation of marriage from children is intricately connected to the high rate of poverty and inequality in America.  For example, 36 percent of female-headed families are below the poverty line compared with six percent of married-couple families in poverty. For more information, visit www.manhattan-institute.org/marriage_and_caste.  Manhattan Institute scholars Jay P. Greene and Marcus Winters are released a new study on January 31, "How Much Are Public School Teachers Paid?" In December, Editorial Projects in Education, the publisher of Education Week, released a study naming Jay P. Greene's graduation rate research as the 11th most influential study in education. www.manhattan-institute.org

The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) is pleased to announce that Robert D. McTeer, Jr. joins the National Center for Policy Analysis as a distinguished fellow. McTeer, currently chancellor of the Texas A&M University System and former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and a member of the Open Market Committee, will lead the NCPA's work on economic policy issues ranging from fiscal and monetary policy to tax reform.  McTeer will also work periodically on education issues. www.ncpa.org

The National Institute for Labor Relations Research (NILRR) has just released two studies that make for interesting reading. In "Compulsory Unionism in Everything But Name . . . ," NILRR connects the dots between an 11-year-old AFL-CIO internal assessment on how Big Labor might destroy existing state Right to Work laws and the ongoing campaign by AFL-CIO state federations  to advance so-called "Agency Shop" legislation to require non-dues paying workers under union contracts to pay agency fees to union locals.   Another new study, "Why Are Workers Still Dangling in the 'Blue Eagles's' Talons?" questions why workers, over 71 years after the discredited National Recovery Act (NRA) was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, are still corralled into cartels similar to those the NRA established for businesses. www.nilrr.org

Despite losses in three states whose ballots featured comprehensive tax and expenditure limitation proposals, a post-election National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF) analysis showed that other initiatives fared better. Nearly 100 proposals on state ballots had an impact on taxpayers, including debt issues and government reforms; of the 46 measures that pertained only to limiting or reducing tax or spending burdens, 31 were enacted. The "New Direction for America" plan proposed by the incoming Democratic Majority points toward heavier burdens on taxpayers, according to a study that NTUF released in November Some 20 proposals carried a calculable price tag, and their enactment in total would increase the yearly federal budget by $79.1 billion. For the fifth year running NTUF sponsored an online "Tax Refund Finder" that allows citizens to search more quickly and conveniently for "lost" refunds than the IRS' version. Intense planning is already underway for National Taxpayers Conference, to be held at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC, June 14-16, 2007. This unique event focuses on training taxpayers to be effective activists in their own communities. www.ntu.org

In September, the Progress & Freedom Foundation (PFF) hosted a CEO Luncheon, featuring Comcast CEO Brian Roberts with an introduction by U.S. Senator Ted Stevens.  In his remarks, Roberts asked policymakers to focus on video competition when considering an update of the 1996 Telecom Act.  Also in September, PFF Senior Fellow and Senior Vice President for Research Thomas Lenard testified before two U.S. House Commerce subcommittees on ICANN and Internet governance.  In his testimony, Lenard warned against a multilateral governance arrangement.  PFF's Digital Age Communications Act Project released its report on institutional reform at an event in November, marking the final draft working group report to be released from the project.  Also in November, economist and scholar Scott Wallsten joined PFF as director of communications policy studies.  Also this past fall, PFF fellows filed amicus briefs in two high-profile cases: the KSR vs. Teleflex patent case and two in U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals regarding the indecency fines levied against FOX and CBS.  More information on the above activities can be found on the PFF website, www.pff.org.  

The Tax Foundation is pleased to announce that Lisa Hazlett has joined its staff as director of development. She is the founder of the Montana Policy Institute and has extensive experience working with legislators, local public officials and community leaders in a variety of areas, particularly the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, education policy and the needs of the disabled. She previously served as director of foundation strategy for the Institute for Humane Studies and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and vice president for external affairs for the Buckeye Institute in Ohio. Lisa is a native of Jacksonville, Florida and currently resides in Arlington, Virginia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Florida and a Master of Business Administration from the Davis School of Business at Jacksonville University.     www.taxfoundation.org  

The Young America's Foundation Reagan Ranch Center is another way to ensure that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise and traditional values. The 22,000 square-foot Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara includes classrooms, a theater, meeting rooms, a library of conservative resources, Reagan Ranch memorabilia, Reagan Ranch offices and more.  The Reagan Ranch Center has hosted events featuring former Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp, Attorney General Ed Meese, Reagan speechwriter and author Peter Robinson and others since opening its doors for student programs last June. Through its programs, Young America's Foundation reaches new, young audiences with the conservative ideas President Reagan so cherished. In 2007, the Foundation will host its Reagan Ranch High School Conference in Santa Barbara; a Midwest Conservative Student Conference in Minneapolis; and in Washington, DC, its 29th annual National Conservative Student Conference and 10th Gratia Houghton National High School Leadership Conference, among many other student programs. For more information about Young America's Foundation events and programs, call 800-USA-1776 or visit www.yaf.org.

 

 

National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation

The U.S. Supreme Court accepted an appeal filed by National Right to Work Foundation attorneys in Davenport v. Washington Education Association (WEA) for 4,000 Washington non-union teachers forced to pay union dues. Oral argument was heard on January 10, 2007; a ruling is expect by June.

Read more about the case...

The High Court reviewed the Washington State Supreme Court's outrageous decision creating a dangerous new precedent that union officials somehow have a First Amendment right to spend on politics the mandatory dues paid by non-union members.  The Washington court used this novel rationale to strike down the last operative provision of the well-meant, but ineffective, state campaign finance law sometimes called "paycheck protection," which intended to limit the misuse of forced dues for certain political activities. 

The dismal track record of state paycheck protection laws makes it increasingly clear that this regulatory approach is imprudent, and now Washington's law has become a platform to create an even larger problem.  If upheld, the Washington State Supreme Court decision in Davenport v. WEA may open the door for union lawyers to undermine 22 states' Right to Work laws, which make union affiliation and dues payment strictly voluntary.

While the appeal is primarily a legal rescue mission that should never have been necessary, Right to Work attorneys found an opening and went on the offensive - asking the High Court to clarify that its 45-year-old "dissent is not to be presumed" statement does not apply to non-union members. Union officials have exploited that phrase from a 1961 ruling to justify forcing employees, who resign union membership, to take the additional affirmative step of objecting annually to prevent the use of their forced dues on politics and other non-bargaining functions. A victory on this argument would significantly advance the battle for employee freedom:  Thousands of non-union members in non-Right to Work states would automatically be entitled to annual dues rebates of hundreds of dollars each. www.nrtw.org

 

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