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SPN State Fiscal Policy Exchange – Volume 4, Issue 26

Published on Monday, July 14, 2008
FISCAL POLICY

 

SPN State Fiscal Policy Exchange – Volume 4, Issue 26

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

• Allegheny Institute for Public Policy: Is The State Violating the Law?

• Americans For Prosperity:
  • Americans for Prosperity Applauds Bipartisan Rejection of Gas Tax Hike
  • Tax and Spenders of a Feather Flock Together

• Americans For Tax Reform:
  • What is Going on in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional Race?
  • California Dems Unleash Tsunami of Tax Hikes

• Arizona Free Enterprise Club:
  • What Deficit? Arizona Office of Tourism Doles out Promotional Money
  • Budget Deal Clouds Future - Arizona Capitol Times

• Bluegrass Institute: Politicians trade allegiances when it comes to what's fair

• Cascade Policy Institute: The Ranking of Oregon State and Local Spending

• Citizens Against Government Waste:
  • CAGW Opposes FCC-Imposed Net Neutrality
  • CCAGW Calls for Immediate Implementation of the Strongest Possible GSE Reform Bill
  • Pork Alert: Energy and Water
  • Pork Alert: Commerce/Justice/Science

• Empire Center: Rocky's Wreckage - New York Post

• Evergreen Freedom Foundation:
  • EFF Update July 7, 2008
  • GMAP raises question about DOT’s reporting methods

• FreedomWorks:
  • Gas Price Protest Showdown in Maryland
  • Obama Joins Growing List of Mortgage "Sweetheart Senators"
  • Mortgages Hook for Taxpayers?

• Free State Foundation: We're Number One

• Heartland Institute: TABOR, The Taxpayers Bill of Rights

• Illinois Policy Institute:
  • John on Peoria's Greg and Dan Show
  • John Tillman discusses state budget on Chicago's top-rated Jerry Agar show
  • Of Mad Scientists and a Real Cure
  • Needless drama masks bad decisions by state leaders

• National Taxpayers Union:
  • An Open Letter to the Virginia General Assembly: Reject Tax Hikes for Transportation!
  • An Open Letter to the U.S. House: Apply the "Yellow Book" Test to the Federal Government
  • Testimony of Joshua Culling, State Government Affairs Manager, National Taxpayers Union, to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, on Transportation Funding Proposals
  • Celebrate the Life and Ideas of Milton Friedman

• Nevada Policy Research Institute: Overspending on Outsourcing

• Texans for Fiscal Responsibility:
  • Does Texas Need an Independent Inspector General's Office to Root Out Fraud & Waste?
  • French Fashion Show Tops Spring Branch ISD's Wasteful Spending
  • Tax Sweat

• The Tax Foundation: New Issue of Tax Watch Available on Website

• Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy: Let the People Decide on Gas Taxes

• Washington Policy Center:
  • Governor questions $2.7 billion budget deficit forecast
  • Skirting Accountability in Transportation
  • Sound Transit Officials Give Public Money to Special Interest Groups

Education

• Americans For Tax Reform: Making the Grade

• Evergreen Freedom Foundation: School Official On Leave, Costing Taxpayers

• Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs: Oklahomans Want School Choices - Video

 

• Rio Grande Foundation: Rio Grande Foundation and Educate New Mexico Sponsor Showing of Flunked to be Followed by Discussion with Reformer Ben Chavis and Executive Producer Steven Maggi to Follow

Transparency

• Evergreen Freedom Foundation: Sunshine Committee: Outlook gloomy for curbing abuse of attorney/client exemption

• Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs: What Oklahoma Can Learn from Louisiana's Transparency Push

• Texans for Fiscal Responsibility:
  • Budget Busters
  • News You Can Use

• Texas Public Policy Foundation:
  • Texas-Sized Transparency
  • Going to the Texas Budget Source

State News Updates

Alabama

• Alabama again has lowest state, local taxes per person, Tuscaloosa News, July 8, 2008

Alaska

• $21 billion Alaska energy plan proposed, Anchorage Daily News, July 10, 2008
• Streets across Arizona crumbling as shortage of funds stalls repairs, Arizona Daily Star, July 8, 2008

Arizona

• $11.7M in extra cash lurking in budgets of top 3 AZ entities, Arizona Daily Star, July 7, 2008

Arkansas

• Ark. lawmaker plans to propose sales-tax holiday, Daily Citizen, July 13, 2008

California

• November ballot may be full of tax, bond measures, Los Angeles Times, July 12, 2008
• State overspent by $3.9 billion in fiscal year that just ended, controller says, Sacramento Bee, July 11, 2008
• $9.3 billion water bond proposal goes to lawmakers, Contra Costa Times, July 10, 2008
• Democrats draw line over cuts to budget, San Diego Union-Tribune, July 10, 2008
• Senate meets, but not about budget, Sacramento Bee, July 8, 2008
• California's fiscal woes largely of its own making, Los Angeles Times, July 7, 2008

Colorado

• Initiative foes see misuse of funds, Denver Post, July 8, 2008

Connecticut

• Legislature hums old favorite: "Here's That Rainy Day", Republican-American, July 13, 2008

Florida

• Transit dreams to cost billions, Palm Beach Post, July 12, 2008
• Roadwork hits skids as cuts delay projects, Florida Today, July 8, 2008

Idaho

• Idaho Public Schools 'win' $34 million from record lottery year, Idaho Statesman, July 8, 2008

Illinois

• Budget bleak if House and Senate don't cooperate, Chicago Tribune, July 11, 2008
• Little trim for gov, big cuts for critics, Chicago Sun-Times, July 11, 2008
• Lawmakers go home without balancing the budget, State Journal-Register, July 10, 2008
• Greg Blankenship: Needless drama masks bad decisions by state leaders, State Journal-Register, July 10, 2008
• Gambling central to Illinois budget talks, Quad-City Times, July 10, 2008
• Blagojevich vetoes $1.4 billion in budget, Chicago Tribune, July 10, 2008

Indiana

• Property taxes back on lawmakers' agenda, Indianapolis Star, July 14, 2008

Kansas

• Legislature cuts its own spending, Wichita Eagle, July 12, 2008

Kentucky

• Inmates freed early to save state money, Courier-Journal, July 10, 2008

Louisiana

• Jindal vetoes spending information bill, The Advocate, July 12, 2008

Maryland

• Much concern, but no plan for roads, schools, Baltimore Sun, July 13, 2008

Massachusetts

• Patrick vetoes $122.5m in budget, Boston Globe, July 14, 2008
• Real estate sales no cure for looming deficit, Boston Herald, July 14, 2008
• Massachusetts: A $1B budget imbalance, Boston Herald, July 11, 2008
• Policy benefits that state requires cost $1.3b a year, Boston Globe, July 8, 2008

Michigan

• Bill would fund OU project, Crain's Detroit Business, July 14, 2008
• Mich. lawmaker pitches another way to cut pay, Lansing State Journal, July 11, 2008
• State may owe millions to local schools, Detroit Free Press, July 8, 2008

Nevada

• Measures linked, going nowhere, Las Vegas Sun, July 7, 2008

New Jersey

• State has power to overrule twice-rejected school projects, Asbury Park Press, July 14, 2008
• Corzine rejects call for special session on transportation funding, Asbury Park Press, July 14, 2008
• Tax relief aid goes to 6 towns in Shore area, Asbury Park Press, July 12, 2008
• Corzine OKs borrowing $3.9B for school construction, Asbury Park Press, July 10, 2008
• Lawmakers consider private lanes on N.J. Turnpike, Star-Ledger, July 8, 2008

New Mexico

• Lawmakers warm to special session, Santa Fe New Mexican, July 11, 2008
• State orders new assessments on homes, Santa Fe New Mexican, July 11, 2008

New York

• A tip of the cap to charter schools, Times Union, July 14, 2008
• Calls to 'Quit' Smoking Hot Line Triple After Cigarette Taxes Rise, New York Post, July 11, 2008
• Tax-happy New York learning from Prop. 13, 30 years later, San Jose Mercury News, July 7, 2008
• Charities waiting for $318M, Newsday, July 7, 2008

North Carolina

• Passed budget to spend millions on area projects, Star-News, July 13, 2008
• N.C. borrowing money without asking, News & Record, July 13, 2008
• Budget clears first votes in legislature, News-Record, July 8, 2008

North Dakota

• N.D. tax credit plan causes headaches, Bismarck Tribune, July 7, 2008

Ohio

• $3,750 per person and rising fast, Plain Dealer, July 14, 2008
• In Northeast Ohio, schools account for 40 percent of government spending, Plain Dealer, July 14, 2008

Oklahoma

• State tax-form gift boxes go empty, Oklahoman, July 7, 2008

Pennsylvania

• Penn State tuition rising 5% to 6%, Morning Call, July 12, 2008
• $365 million borrowed to help fix Pa. bridges, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, July 8, 2008
• 2008 will test the wisdom of Pa.'s budget strategy, Forbes, July 7, 2008

Rhode Island

• Tolls on Route 95? DOT scans horizon for $300-million boost, Providence Journal, July 14, 2008

South Carolina

• South Carolina Budget Short On Funds, WYFF4.com, July 14, 2008

South Dakota

• Official urges fix for S.D. tax refund system, Argus Leader, July 7, 2008

Texas

• Texas leads nation in abstinence education dollars, Dallas Morning News, July 13, 2008
• Texas government Spend-o-Meter goes online, Austin American-Statesman, July 12, 2008
• AG: Districts, not state, responsible for extra teacher pay, Houston Chronicle, July 9, 2008

Utah

• University of Utah dodges funding cut, Salt Lake Tribune, July 10, 2008
• Protecting investors: Audit reveals agency running amok, Salt Lake Tribune, July 9, 2008

Virginia

• Failed session costs taxpayers, Washington Times, July 14, 2008
• Kaine blasts fruitless special session, Roanoke Times, July 11, 2008
• Assembly Rejects Gas-Tax Increase, Free Lance-Star, July 10, 2008
• Roads session resolves nothing, Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 10, 2008
• Regional Tax Idea A Flop In N.Va., Washington Post, July 8, 2008

Washington

• Legal opinion sought on funding for state office project, The Olympian, July 12, 2008

Wisconsin

• Berceau fights lonely battle to raise beer tax, Green Bay Press-Gazette, July 14, 2008

Wyoming

• How to fund counties, cities?, Casper Star-Tribune, July 10, 2008

U.S.

• Federal budget worries governors, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, July 13, 2008
• Economy Takes Toll On Education Funding, National Public Radio, July 11, 2008
• Communities Pay for High Prison Rate, Wall Street Journal, July 10, 2008
• Squeeze spares some states, Stateline.org, July 8, 2008
• Congestion on new I-5 bridge back to today's level by 2030, study finds, Oregonian, July 7, 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.

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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