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SPN State Fiscal Policy Exchange – Volume 4, Issue 21

Published on Tuesday, June 10, 2008
FISCAL POLICY

 

SPN State Fiscal Policy Exchange - Volume 4, Issue 21

Please send any suggestions or news updates (include web link) to Brian Zapotocky at bzapotocky@effwa.org.

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Studies/Policy Updates

 

Budget and Tax Reform

• Alleghany Institute for Public Policy:
• PAT Costs Still Out of Line With Other Bus Systems
• Governor Buys into Seriously Flawed Costing Out Study

• Americans For Prosperity:
• Americans for Prosperity Calls Cap-and-Trade Defeat a "Great Victory" but Vows to Continue Grassroots Campaign Against $1.2 Trillion Climate Tax Hike
• Survey: Kansas voters disagree with taxpayer funded lobbying; prefer reducing spending to tax increases
• A Look Back...And A Look Forward
• Above the fold: Tax savings could vanish
• Stop the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act

• Americans For Tax Reform:
• Gas Tax Freeze Eases Pain at the Pump
• Putting a Face on the Largest Tax Increase Ever #1

• Buckeye Institute:
• Vouchers Needed to Keep Kids Safe
• BuckeyeVoices: Cincinnati COAST Fights Red Light Cameras

• Cascade Policy Institute: Effective Asset-Building Coalitions Diversify

• Empire Center:
• Shrinking the workforce (Round I)
• Amending the Triborough Amendment
• Cap Those Taxes! - New York Post!

• Evergreen Freedom Foundation: Union to taxpayers: Would you like salt in that wound?

• FreedomWorks:
• Prudence Pays for Profligacy
• Carl Mumpower signs the No Earmarks Pledge
• Key Vote "No" S. 3036: the Lieberman-Warner "Climate Security Act"

• Free State Foundation:
• Maryland's Budget System: An Imbalance of Power?
• Broadband Policy, Dollars and Sense
• FSF Urges Universal Service Reform in FCC Comments

• Goldwater Institute:
• Federal Programs Limit Legislature's Budget and Policy Options
• Solving Traffic Problems Requires New Ways of Thinking

• Grassroot Institute of Hawaii: Why Subsidize?

• Heartland Institute:
• Unique Opportunity Is at Hand for Far-Reaching Federal Tax Reform
• Governor Sends Higher Bills to Arizona Property Tax Payers
• Md. Millionaires Hit by Tax Bracket for Wealthy

• Heritage Foundation: The Lieberman-Warner Climate Change Act: A Solution Worse Than the Problem

• John Locke Foundation:
• House budget ignores structural problems
• New JLF guide urges policies promoting freedom

• Mackinac Center for Public Policy: What's the Purpose of a Tax?

• National Taxpayers Union: An Open Letter to Congress: Taxpayers Oppose Title III of the Farm Bill

• National Taxpayers Union Foundation: As Presidential Campaign Pace Quickens, Candidates Race Ahead with Bigger Federal Budget Promises, Updated Study Shows

• Nevada Policy Research Institute: Right for the wrong reason

• Public Interest Institute: No Income Tax: The Key to Economic Growth

• Texans for Fiscal Responsibility:
• Flying High... With Your Money
• Hutchison On Taxes: "We've got some problems"

• Texas Public Policy Foundation:
• Money Makes the World Go 'Round: And the Fed Makes Money
• Business taxes and state competitiveness - PolicyCast

• The Tax Foundation: Tax Foundation Study: Obama Plan to Lift Social Security Wage Tax Ceiling Would Hit High-Income States

• Washington Policy Center:
• Transportation taxes are up, but traffic congestion is worse
• Agencies told to focus on performance

Education

• Americans For Prosperity: School Vouchers Okay When Tied to Spending; Crist Still Strong, Poll Shows

• Buckeye Institute: Still A Nation at Risk?

• Evergreen Freedom Foundation: Washington State Teacher Salaries

• Texans for Fiscal Responsibility: And apparently the Earth isn't flat...

• Texas Public Policy Foundation: Texas Higher Education System: Success or Failure?

Transparency

• Americans For Tax Reform: ATR Supports S.3077, Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act, and Recommends Additional Improvements

• Evergreen Freedom Foundation:
• Using "Seattle" and "open government" in the same sentence
• Defending transparency at the local level

• Heartland Institute: Momentum Keeps Building for Spending Transparency Movement

• National Taxpayers Union: Taxpayers Support the "Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act"

• Texans for Fiscal Responsibility: Roadway Sunlight

• Washington Policy Center: Obama/McCain propose improvements to federal transparency website

 

State News Updates

Alabama

• Alabama Education Trust Fund grows less than expected, Birmingham News, June 7, 2008

Alaska

• State legislators ponder override of Palin vetoes, Juneau Empire, June 5, 2008

Arizona

• State sues to get hands on funding for health, Arizona Republic, June 6, 2008
• As deficit balloons, even Dems accept major budget cuts, Arizona Daily Star, June 4, 2008

Arkansas

• May revenue for state down $23.1 million, Arkansas Democrat & Gazette, June 4, 2008

California

• Schwarzenegger plans to borrow from smog, nail salon funds to ease deficit, Sacramento Bee, June 8, 2008
• Dems want to borrow from lottery to help close budget deficit, Sacramento Bee, June 6, 2008
• Schwarzenegger's lottery proposal not such an easy sell after all, Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2008
• Dan Walters: S.F. shows how to cure budgetary headache, Sacramento Bee, June 2, 2008

Colorado

• CSU, Metro also hike tuition, Rocky Mountain News, June 4, 2008

Connecticut

• Rell: Gas Tax Hike Could Wait, The Day, June 4, 2008

Delaware

• Cuts aimed at seniors, education, News Journal, June 5, 2008

Florida

• Word change ups chances for school vouchers, Miami Herald, June 4, 2008

Georgia

• Ga. taxpayers footing bill for motorists who run out of gas, Macon Telegraph, June 5, 2008
• State seizing federal stimulus checks for back taxes, Atlantic Journal-Constitution, June 4, 2008
• Perdue suspends gas tax increase, Atlantic Journal-Constitution, June 2, 2008

Illinois

• Despite unifying, lawmakers still can't pass capital plan, Chicago Tribune, June 6, 2008
• Earmarks largely absent in state spending plan, Rockford Register Star, June 4, 2008
• One plan to fix state's debt: Get workers to give back, Chicago Sun-Times, June 2, 2008
• Governor: State budget is 'out of whack', needs work, Daily Herald, June 2, 2008
• Budget funds pay hikes for top elected officials, State Journal-Register, June 1, 2008
• Illinois Constitution requires balanced budget, Rockford Register Star, June 1, 2008

Indiana

• State revenues still beating forecast, but . . ., Indianapolis Star, June 8, 2008
• Religious tax exemption ruling gets overturned, South Bend Tribune, June 2, 2008

Louisiana

• House passes $300 million tax cut, News Star, June 5, 2008

Maryland

• Md. Keeps a Lid on Tuition, Washington Post, June 5, 2008
• State plans to buy Shore parcels, Baltimore Sun, June 3, 2008

Massachusetts

• Taxpayers tagged for no insurance, Boston Herald, June 3, 2008

Michigan

• Michigan braces for another messy fight over budget, taxes, Detroit News, June 2, 2008

Mississippi

• State leaders take a recess, Daily Journal, June 5, 2008
• Taxpayers continue to foot session bill, Hattiesburg American, June 2, 2008

Missouri

• State revenue growth in line to meet budget projections, Columbia Missourian, June 4, 2008

Nevada

• Justices to consider tax cap plan appeal, Las Vegas Review-Journal, June 4, 2008
• Commission approves tax amnesty provisions, Las Vegas Review-Journal, June 3, 2008
• Gibbons weighs selling tobacco payments to plug budget gaps, Las Vegas Sun, June 3, 2008

New Hampshire

• House session approves bonds to balance budget, Concord Monitor, June 5, 2008
• Budget shortfall spurs special session, Concord Monitor, June 4, 2008

New Jersey

• Budget talks continue, but vote may be delayed, Star-Ledger, June 3, 2008

New York

• Tax Cap is in Trouble, New York Post, June 4, 2008
• New York cigarette tax rises to $2.75, highest in U.S., Democrat and Chronicle, June 3, 2008
• Panel Urges 4% Tax Cap on Property in New York, New York Times, June 3, 2008
• Pension Costs Off by $500 Million, City Finds, New York Times, June 3, 2008

North Carolina

• Marriage, divorce fees may rise, Charlotte Observer, June 3, 2008
• N.C. teachers, workers want raises bumped up, News & Observer, June 3, 2008
• Senior advocates push for more funding, News & Observer, June 2, 2008

North Dakota

• Jump in taxable sales reported, Bismarck Tribune, June 4, 2008

Oklahoma

• Transportation officials laud legislative funding boost, Journal Record, June 3, 2008

Pennsylvania

• State seeks $18 million for jobs not created, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, June 6, 2008
• State cyber school reform bill pushed, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, June 4, 2008
• If managers goof up with Turnpike, state can break lease, Morning Call, June 3, 2008

Rhode Island

• Combining agencies doesn't always cost less, legislators told, Providence Journal, June 4, 2008
• Cigar purveyors want tax limit made permanent, Providence Journal, June 4, 2008

South Carolina

• S.C. Senate candidates take aim at state spending, Spartanburg Herald-Journal, June 4, 2008
• Sanford: Legislature wants to spend in red, Greenville News, June 3, 2008
• Some State House candidates sign pledge, State, June 1, 2008

South Dakota

• State teacher-pay program on hold, Argus Leader, June 3, 2008

Tennessee

• Nashville gov shrinking fleet by 10 percent to save fuel, Knoxville News Sentinel, June 3, 2008

Texas

• Fewer lottery dollars for public schools?, Austin American-Statesman, June 9, 2008
• Texas officials still using tax-funded air fleet, Dallas Morning News, June 3, 2008

Vermont

• 20 cent cigarette tax hike hits July 1, Times Argus, June 8, 2008

Virginia

• Kaine pushes transportation plan at Virginia Beach meeting, Virginian-Pilot, June 4, 2008
• Compromise in Doubt For Va. Roads Funding, Washington Post, June 2, 2008

Washington

• Praise agency's audit response, The Olympian, June 4, 2008
• Official: Too soon to tell if turnover slowing, The Olympian, June 4, 2008

Wisconsin

• UW Regents to okay tuition hikes, Wisconsin Radio Network, June 4, 2008
• Property taxes jump 3.8%, most in 3 years, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 2, 2008

U.S.

• Mass transit demand rises, costs soar, Christian Science Monitor, June 4, 2008
• State jobless benefits reserves low, Stateline.org, June 2, 2008
• Taxpayers May Face Hurricane Tab, Wall Street Journal, May 31, 2008

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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
• EFF Blog
• 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
• Sam Adams Alliance
• SPN blog
• State Tax Updates (ATR)
• Tax Bytes (Institute for Policy Innovation)
• Tax Foundation
• Townhall
• Washington Policy Center Blog
• Young America's Foundation

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