SPN State Fiscal Policy Exchange – Volume 3, Issues 44 & 45

Published on Thursday, November 15, 2007
FISCAL POLICY

SPN State Fiscal Policy Exchange - Volume 3, Issues 44 & 45

Please send any suggestions or news updates (include web link) to Amber Gunn at agunn@effwa.org.

Studies/Policy Updates

Budget and Tax Reform

• Alabama Policy Institute:
  • Liberals Mislead the Public on SCHIP
  • LOST: Good for the U.N., Bad for the U.S.

• Allegheny Institute:
  • Economic Development Spending: Misguided and Wasteful
  • Flag Thrown on Steelers' Tax Payment Claims

• Americans for Tax Reform:
  • Congress agrees to extend the internet taxation moratorium for 7 years. ATR continues to advocate for a permanent ban on internet taxation
  • ATR urges support for permanent ban on the Fairness Doctrine
  • ATR applauds South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford for his executive order creating a government spending website

• Bluegrass Institute:
  • Leaner government? Treasure the thought
  • Cooking the ‘books' Jerry's way
  • What the devil does the doctor mean?

• Buckeye Institute: Give Individuals Control of Their Healthcare

• Citizens Against Government Waste:
  • CCAGW Unveils Earmark Reform Pledge
  • Pork Alert: Indefensible Defense Pork
  • FRESH Ideas on Farm Reform

• Empire Center:
  • Crunch Time for the TWU
  • NY needs more volunteer clinics
  • How Rangel's tax "reform" would hurt NY

• Evergreen Freedom Foundation:
  • Rethink Transportation
  • Large property tax hikes even more likely
  • What happens to my tax bill now?
  • The Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Proposition 1 - Time for Plan B
  • EFF's Letter To The Governor Calling For A Special Session On I-747

• Flint Hills Center for Public Policy: A History of Consumer-Driven Health Reform in Kansas

• FreedomWorks:
  • FreedomWorks Joins Tax Relief Coalition Letter to Congress
  • FreedomWorks Launches Online Campaign to Stop HillaryCare
  • 2007 FreedomWorks Liberty Summit
  • The Mother of All Tax Hikes
  • The Mother of All Tax Hikes on Small Businesses

• Free State Foundation:
  • This Maryland Tax Doesn't Compute
  • Net Neutrality, Freedom, and First Principles

• Georgia Public Policy Foundation:
  • Priorities should drive transportation policy
  • Wising Up to Georgia's Water Woes
  • Slow-Growth Plans and Regulations Lose the Way for San Jose

• Goldwater Institute:
  • Arizona's Tax Bite: Better Than California Does Not a Tax Policy Make
  • Is there a statute of limitations on vindicating constitutional rights?
  • Tracking government spending is no child's play
  • Drinking from the Public Trough

• Heartland Institute: December 2007 Budget & Tax News

• Illinois Policy Institute: 2 Reports Show Need for Budget Reform

• John Locke Foundation: Few counties and school districts receive donations, even from pro-tax residents

• Mackinac Center for Public Policy:
  • Where's the Crisis?
  • State Government Needs Structural Change, not Reorganization
  • Michigan's Crisis and Opportunity

• Maine Heritage Policy Center: Impact of Term Limits in the Maine House of Representatives

• Maryland Institute for Public Policy:
  • O'Malley tax increase bilks taxpayers, ignores history
  • Maryland's Competitiveness Would Fall Sharply, Tax Burden Rise Under O'Malley Tax Plan
  • Tax Cuts Are Not To Blame For Maryland's Budget Woes

• National Taxpayers Union: Shaking the Money Tree: The 110th Congress Through the Fall Recess

• Nevada Policy Research Institute: There they go again: The latest budget battle is a strange but familiar episode

• Tax Foundation:
  • New Issue of Tax Watch Available
  • Tax Foundation Offers a First Look at the Rangel Tax Reform Legislation

• Texans for Fiscal Responsibility:
  • Texas Fiscal Responsibility Index
  • Tax Equity
  • Keffer's Return

• Texas Public Policy Foundation: Texas' competitiveness in a global economy

• Washington Policy Center:
  • Small Business Owners Offer Solutions to Improve Business Climate
  • One percent back from the dead
  • Sounds like the Governor heard the voters
  • Are voters stupid?
  • The triumph of fiscal discipline
  • Save today or pay tomorrow
  • Washington flunks public records test
  • Well I'll be a Monkey's Uncle; A Tax Congress Doesn't Like
  • Tax principles

Education

• Bluegrass Institute: CATS in Decline: Federal Yardstick Reveals Kentucky's Testing Program Continues to Deteriorate

• Buckeye Institute: Does government funding equal government strings?

• Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute: Focus Standards of Quality on Children

• Georgia Public Policy Foundation: Toward a "learning paradise for students"

• Goldwater Institute:
  • New book highlights failure of public schools to educate middle class students
  • Are Charter Schools the Death Knell of Inner City Private Schools?
  • Fourth grade reading scores are up, achievement gaps closing

• Nevada Policy Research Institute: Lessons from Texas: We should recognize the benefits of end-of-course exams

• Texans for Fiscal Responsibility: San Antonio Voters Reject School Tax Increases, Official Doesn't Get Message

• Texas Public Policy Foundation: Math and Science Reform Agenda

State News Updates

Alabama

• State nears cap on recruiting funds, The Birmingham News, November 12, 2007
• Medicare Part D open enrollment begins, seniors offered assistance, Mobile Register, November 12, 2007
• Trustees seek 15% increase in state funds, Birmingham News, November 10, 2007

Alaska

• 'I'll Sell My Soul to the Devil', Washington Post, November 12, 2007
• House reinstates hike in oil tax bill, Juneau Empire, November 12, 2007

Arizona

• State panel suggests ways to cut budget, Arizona Daily Star, November 11, 2007

Arkansas

• Severance tax increase debate moves from sideline to front burner, Arkansas News Bureau, November 11, 2007
• Former Felsenthal treasurer and recorder charged with theft, Arkansas News Bureau, November 10, 2007
• Athletic expenses up, lawmakers told, Arkansas News Bureau, November 10, 2007

California

• UC chancellors' pay could increase up to 17% in 2008, San Diego Union-Tribune, November 10, 2007

Colorado

• Legislator to push for prison, despite voters' opposition, Pueblo Chieftain, November 8, 2007
• Ritter's big union gamble, Denver Post, November 4, 2007

Connecticut

• Panel to hold hearing on helping hospitals with money problems, Hartford Courant, November 11, 2007
• Lawmakers pushing for more veterans benefits, Hartford Courant, November 11, 2007

Delaware

• Overtime pay takes big bite of budget, The News Journal, November 11, 2007

Florida

• With pay reaching $726,000, 3 Fla. educators among highest paid in U.S., The Sun-Sentinel, November 12, 2007
• Medicaid toughens rules for aid to pay for nursing home care, The Sun-Sentinel, November 12, 2007
• Public employee unions target plan to overhaul property taxes, The Sun-Sentinel, November 12, 2007
• Property tax plan's support slim, The Palm Beach Post, November 12, 2007
• Crist talks crime with Colombian president, Tallahassee Democrat, November 12, 2007

Georgia

• Richardson tax plan creates payday for lobbyists, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 12, 2007

Hawaii

• State ponders plan for building, Honolulu Star Bulletin, November 10, 2007

Idaho

• Luna wants E. Idaho scholarship idea to be statewide, Idaho Statesman, November 10, 2007

Illinois

• TIF programs need reform: Civic Federation, Crain's Chicago Business, November 10, 2007

Iowa

• Coaches, professors top state's payroll, Des Moines Register, November 11, 2007

Kansas

• Endowment funds on the rise, The Topeka Capital-Journal, November 12, 2007

Kentucky

• Beshear names Miller to state Cabinet post, Lexington Herald-Leader, November 10, 2007

Louisiana

• Regents formula will cost La. more, The Advocate, November 12, 2007

Maryland

• House passes tax increases, now to look at budget cuts, Baltimore Sun, November 12, 2007
• Maryland delegates fine-tune tax plan, The Washington Time, November 11, 2007
• 2 senators support tax-plan changes, Baltimore Sun, November 11, 2007
• Senate votes for tax package, budget reconciliation bill, The Capital, November 10, 2007

Massachusetts

• The check-off's in the mail, Boston Herald, November 11, 2007

Michigan

• Food vouchers lure Detroit Medicaid patients, Stateline.org, November 9, 2007
• Services tax dying: What next?, Detroit Free Press, November 8, 2007
• Michigan Senate requests pay cut, The Detroit News, November 8, 2007
• State budget deal reached, The Detroit News, October 31
• Lawmakers reach budget deal, Detroit Free Press, October 31

Minnesota

• MnDOT fires manager accused of improper travel, Minnesota Public Radio, November 9, 2007
• MnDOT falls far short on goals for hiring women and minority contractors, Minnesota Public Radio, November 9, 2007

Mississippi

• Black farmers await Senate action on compensation, Clarion Ledger, November 12, 2007
• Housing crunch leaves many with few options, The Sun Herald, November 9, 2007

Missouri

• Property tax rollback does not live up to its promise, St. Louis Post Dispatch, November 12, 2007

Nebraska

• Schools law faces renewed challenges, Omaha World Herald, November 11, 2007

New Jersey

• A staggering price tag for illegal drinks, Asbury Park Press, November 12, 2007

New Mexico

• Task force: Pump more money into N.M. schools, Santa Fe New Mexican, November 11, 2007

North Carolina

• Transfer tax goes winless in N.C., Charlotte Observer, November 12, 2007

Ohio

• Strickland yet to act on school funding, The Enquirer, November 11, 2007
• Columbus school-board candidates like merit pay, Columbus Dispatch, November 4, 2007
• The U.S. Is Unhappy With Its Health Care, WTOV, November 1, 2007

Oregon

• Tobacco firms flex muscles in Oregon, Statesman Journal, November 12, 2007
• State awards $307,000 to settle men's claims of inadequate care, Statesman Journal, November 12, 2007
• Measure 49's midwife gets to implement it, The Oregonian, November 10, 2007

Texas

• Auctioning the Old West to Help a City in the East, New York Times, November 11, 2007
• Other states are watching Texas' road policies, Dallas Morning News, November 5, 2007

Washington

• Court tosses I-747, but 1 percent cap should stick, Yakima Herald Republic, November 9, 2007
• Public Officials of the Year--Christine O. Gregoire: Negotiator-in-Chief, Governing Magazine, November 9, 2007
• Higher taxes? Court clears way, Seattle Times, November 9, 2007
• The Oklahoman: NBA Commissioner David Stern criticizes Seattle politicians, Seattle Times, November 9, 2007
• A great big dose of antiestablishmentarianism, Crosscut, November 7, 2007
• Politicians revise stock disclosures, Tacoma News Tribune, November 6, 2007
• It's their task to put a price tag on education, Tacoma News Tribune, November 6, 2007
• Be fair and tax them all, Wenatchee World, November 2, 2007
• Federal Way schools victim of 'disparate funding,' judge rules, Tacoma News Tribune, November 2, 2007

U.S.

• Increased Compensation Puts More College Presidents in the Million-Dollar Club, New York Times, November 12, 2007

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

Links of Interest

• Alliance for Workers Freedom
• American Legislative Exchange Council
• American Shareholders Association
• Americans for Limited Government
• Americans for Prosperity
• Americans for Prosperity Texas Blog
• Americans for Tax Reform
• BNA State Tax Highlights
• Budget and Tax News
• BusinessNevada
• Carolina Journal
• Citizens Against Government Waste
• COST Tax Updates
• EFF Updates
• FreedomWorks
• Foundation for Economic Education
• Independence Institute Updates
• Insider Online
• Media Freedom Project
• National Tax Limitation Committee
• National Taxpayers Union
• PolicyBot
• Property Rights Alliance
• Ronald Reagan Legacy Project
• SPN blog
• State Tax Updates (ATR)
• Tax Bytes (Institute for Policy Innovation)
• Tax Foundation
• Townhall
• Young America's Foundation