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SPN State Fiscal Policy Exchange – Volume 4, Issue 23

Published on Monday, June 30, 2008
FISCAL POLICY

 

Studies/Policy Updates

Budget and Tax Reform

• Allegheny Institute for Public Policy: State Pension Aid System is Fair to Pittsburgh

• Americans For Prosperity:
• State agencies to reduce FY 2009 budgets
• AFP Applauds Rejection of Kaine Tax Hike – Condemns Proposed Gas Tax Hike
• Worst budget we've ever seen... But good news on HCR 2072
• Americans For Tax Reform: So This is What the End of the Era of Earmarks Looks Like?

• Arizona Free Enterprise Club:
• Arizona's Special Interest Laundry List
• Budget Produced by Arizona Senate Highlights Lack of Leadership

• Buckeye Institute:
• BuckeyeVoices: Gahanna city councilman fights pork barrel spending
• The Family is a Fiscal Issue

• Citizens Against Government Waste:
• Pork Alert: Military Construction
• Pork Alert: Financial Disservice
• CAGW Names Sen. Chris Dodd Porker of the Month
• CAGW Updates FY 2009 Earmark Request Database

• FreedomWorks:
• Congress Uses Same Offset Twice to Cheat Budget Rules
• Stop Senator Charles Grassley from Snooping on America!
• Scandal Fuels Housing Bill Opposition
• Want to buy an overpriced house in Las Vegas? You’re about to!
• Key Vote No H.R. 6275: Still Temporary Relief for Some, Permanent Tax Hikes for Others

• Free State Foundation:
• Eleven Point Four. We Won't Pay!
• FSF President Testifies on Universal Service Reform

• Georgia Public Policy Foundation: Nuclear Power Re-energized in Georgia

• Goldwater Institute:
• Goldwater Institute Challenges $48.2 million APS Rate Charge
• Eliminating Tax Cuts will Dampen Economy
• Arizona Legislature Should Reject Jobs Creation Package

• Heritage Foundation:
• CBO's Warning on Raising Taxes to Pay for Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security
• AMT Patch Bill Disguises a Tax Hike, Again

• Illinois Policy Institute: Budget Cuts More Political Theater

• National Taxpayers Union:
• An Open Letter to the Virginia General Assembly: Taxpayers Reject Governor Kaine's $1 Billion Tax Increase
• Taxpayer Group Applauds Bush Plan to Expand Domestic Energy Production, Lower Costs for American Consumers
• Taxpayers Support the Roadmap for America's Future
• Taxpayers Support the Eminent Domain Tax Relief Act

• Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs: Oklahoma Income Tax Revenues Continue to (Fall) Rise

• Texans for Fiscal Responsibility:
• Margins Tax Strikes Sour Note for Kids Learning Instruments
• Taxed Into Awareness

• Texas Public Policy Foundation: The Importance of Business Friendliness

• The Tax Foundation: First Hard Numbers on Obama Tax Plan Show Dramatic Tax Redistribution

• Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy:
• Economic Forecast: Sluggish in 2008, Improvement in 2009
• A Transportation Reform Agenda

• Washington Policy Center: Constitutionality of I-601

• Washington Research Council: June Reduction to Revenue Forecast Widens 2009–11 Budget Gap

Education

• Americans For Prosperity: Extend the lifeline for dropouts: include all qualified providers

• Evergreen Freedom Foundation: More Money for the WEA, Courtesy of Taxpayers

• Mackinac Center for Public Policy:
• Universities Would Benefit from Private Sector's Expertise
• MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST June 24, 2008

• Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs: Oklahoma’s Opinion on K-12 Education and School Choice

Transparency

• Americans For Tax Reform: Hamilton County Transparency Scores Home-Run

• Cascade Policy Institute: Lack of Transparency at the Oregon Health Plan: Simple Questions, Difficult Answers

State News Updates

Alabama

• State: No standing for plaintiffs in tax assessment case, Mobile Register, June 24, 2008

Arizona

• Hard-fought budget sent to Napolitano, Arizona Republic, June 27, 2008
• Legislature ironing out final budget, Arizona Republic, June 25, 2008
• State budget agreement nears, Arizona Republic, June 24, 2008
• Senate approves $23 fee for off-highway vehicles, Arizona Republic, June 24, 2008

Arkansas

• No fuel tax increase likely, road program advocate says, Arkansas News Bureau, June 25, 2008
• Beebe to request more money for incentives fund, Log Cabin Democrat, June 24, 2008

California

• California budget delayed at a cost, San Jose Mercury News, June 25, 2008
• Flurry of state fees - new or higher - pushed as budget boost, Sacramento Bee, June 23, 2008

Connecticut

• Rell Orders Spending Cuts, Hartford Courant, June 25, 2008

Florida

• Water officials: No tax hike needed to buy out U.S. Sugar, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, June 24, 2008
• Many lining up to fight 'tax swap' idea with summer blitz, Orlando Sentinel, June 24, 2008

Hawaii

• Lingle swings ax on state budget, Star Bulletin, June 25, 2008

Illinois

• Blagojevich balks at budget, Chicago Sun-Times, June 25, 2008
• Busted Budget: Mounting tax load is a burden to Illinois residents, Daily Journal, June 24, 2008
• Kirk fears bickering will cost Illinois $9 billion, Chicago Sun-Times, June 24, 2008
• Busted Budget: Illinois' neighbor diligent with its funding, Daily Journal, June 23, 2008

Iowa

• Flood recovery: Lawmakers debate dip into emergency reserve, Des Moines Register, June 25, 2008
• State approves $4 million in emergency match funds, The Gazette, June 24, 2008

Kansas

• Governor warns of revenue shortfall, Wichita Eagle, June 28, 2008
• Sebelius seeks budget cuts amid revenue concerns, Wichita Eagle, June 27, 2008
• Kansas tries to bridge $30 billion gap, Kansas City Star, June 25, 2008
• State has $58 billion roadmap, Wichita Eagle, June 24, 2008

Kentucky

• Companies capitalize on paving contracts, lack of competition, Courier-Journal, June 29, 2008
• Governor signs Kentucky pension legislation, Kentucky Post, June 27, 2008

Louisiana

• Session includes ‘Stelly tax’, pay raise, The Advocate, June 24, 2008
• Legislature approves construction budget overhaul, News Star, June 24, 2008

Massachusetts

• The Monday morning Briefing, Boston Herald, June 29, 2008
• State set to OK $3.5 million tax break for JPMorgan’s Boston move, Boston Herald, June 24, 2008

Michigan

• Lawmakers approve $44B plan for budget, Lansing State Journal, June 29, 2008
• Legislature wraps up budget, Detroit Free Press, June 27, 2008
• Prison food takes $83 million bite out of state budget, Detroit News, June 24, 2008

Minnesota

• Nonprofits receive reprieve on property tax issue, Minnesota Public Radio, June 23, 2008

Mississippi

• Funding woes fuel dilemma, Clarion-Ledger, June 24, 2008

Montana

• Tax plan fails to make ballot, Billings Gazette, June 24, 2008

Nebraska

• Gas tax increase in Nebraska bucks trend, Omaha World-Herald, June 23, 2008

Nevada

• Analysis: The real budget crunch hasn’t arrived yet, Nevada Appeal, June 29, 2008
• Gibbons calls for action while lawmakers meet to iron out budget plan, Nevada Appeal, June 25, 2008
• On college campuses, talk is all about budget cuts, Las Vegas Sun, June 23, 2008
• Leaders seek common ground on budget crisis, Nevada Appeal, June 23, 2008

New Jersey

• Corzine creates fund to pay down debt, Philadelphia Inquirer, June 26, 2008
• Corzine signs law designed to cut workforce, Philadelphia Inquirer, June 25, 2008
• Legislators approve cuts in N.J. spending, Philadelphia Inquirer, June 24, 2008

New York

• State takes no action on Colonie tax, Times Union, June 25, 2008
• Time short for tax cap, Times Union, June 23, 2008

North Carolina

• State warns schools of budget shortfall, News-Record, June 25, 2008
• Legislators try to lend helping hand as gas prices rise, Star-News, June 23, 2008

Ohio

• Strickland vetoes 13 items in Ohio budget, Plain Dealer, June 25, 2008

Oklahoma

• Sales tax extension to go to vote of people, Shawnee News-Star, June 25, 2008

Oregon

• Interstate 205 bridge over the Columbia River may get tolls, The Oregonian, June 28, 2008
• Tax increases, more logging proposed to rescue counties, Register-Guard, June 24, 2008

Pennsylvania

• State budget could be 'early' this year, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 23, 2008

Rhode Island

• College tuition, fees hikes expected, Providence Journal, June 29, 2008

South Carolina

• Falling gas-tax fund may make road fixes rough, DOT official says, Greenville News, June 25, 2008

South Dakota

• State roads decay as gas tax dollars decline, Argus Leader, June 29, 2008

Tennessee

• Tax breaks for business escape major changes from state committee, Memphis Commercial Appeal, June 30, 2008
• Bredesen signs Tenn. annual spending plan into law, Tennessean, June 24, 2008

Texas

• Capitol stirring again with calls for bigger sales tax, Austin American-Statesman, June 24, 2008

Utah

• Sales tax increase hits the ballot, Daily Herald, June 19, 2008

Virginia

• Legislators Are at Standstill Over Transportation, Taxes, Washington Post, June 29, 2008
• State panels OK increase in gas tax, tolls to fix roads, Virginia Pilot, June 25, 2008
• Roads session starts today, Free Lance-Star, June 23, 2008

West Virginia

• W.Va. Supreme Court to decide on lawmakers' pay, Charleston Gazette, June 25, 2008
• Gas tax hike would be delayed, Charleston Gazette, June 24, 2008

Wyoming

• Divert dollars from savings? Millions could be shifted to highways, state treasurer suggests, Casper Star-Tribune, June 23, 2008

U.S.

• Property tax deduction included in housing bill, Des Moines Register, June 26, 2008
• States Spend More on Student Aid, Chronicle of Higher Education, June 25, 2008
• Across U.S., schools feel budget pinch, Christian Science Monitor, June 24, 2008

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.

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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
• Business Nevada
• 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
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• 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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