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State of the State: New Jersey
The governor praised legislators for reducing the state sales tax and increasing the exclusions for the state’s estate tax; but he failed to mention the tax cut savings are almost entirely offset by the enormous 23-cent per gallon increase in the gas tax. This year’s sales tax reduction of 0.125 percent will save consumers a whopping $1.25 on a $1,000 purchase; meanwhile, the gas tax hike will cost twice this much on a single 11 gallon fill-up.
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State of the State: Arizona
“The state of our state in 2017, is resilient and strong. Our economy is growing, our schools are improving, and our citizens are succeeding,” thundered Arizona Governor Doug Ducey in…
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Keeping the Promise: Getting Politics Out of Pensions
Pensions are a valuable non-wage benefit that a large majority of state and local governments offer their employees as part of their compensation packages. With approximately $3.8 trillion in total…
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An Increased Burden: Too Expensive and Less Work
These regulations will also make doing business in any industry much more expensive. A study by the American Action Forum concluded that the new overtime rule would cost employers about $3 billion in compliance costs and nearly 2.5 million hours of paperwork related to the regulations.
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State Council on Competitive Government Act
{Title, enacting clause, etc.} Section 1. {Definitions.} In this chapter: (1) “Council” means the State Council on Competitive Government. (2) “Local government” means a county, municipality, special district, school district,…
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The New Hampshire Primary Results Project Little Hope in Economic Growth
Because of its varying policies, New Hampshire’s economic priorities are difficult to gauge, which some pundits might suggest make the state a good testing ground for presidential candidates’ platforms. The state’s inherent fiscal inconsistencies might also explain the seemingly irreconcilable gulf between voters’ concerns about the economy and their support for Sanders and Trump.
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State of the State: Illinois
Given the severity of Illinois’ problems, now is the time for bold reform.
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State of the State: Utah
Few states in the nation can rival Utah’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and economic competitiveness. A lesser writer would even say that the Beehive State’s economy is buzzing. Utah’s consistent…
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State of the State: Washington
“Our economy is not working for everyone.”
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Supreme Court Set to Review Forced Union Contributions from Teachers
Teachers’ unions, like other unions, spend a great deal of money engaging in explicitly political activity like lobbying legislators and supporting candidates. Teachers’ unions have so far represented the strongest political challenge to transformative education reform, such as charter schools, voucher programs and education savings accounts. Unfortunately, that clout is built, at least in part, on the forced contributions of teachers who do not necessarily agree with the actions of the unions.
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Civil Justice
The Civil Justice Task Force and its members are at the forefront of the efforts to restore fairness and predictability to the civil justice system. The Task Force has developed…
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Now Is the Time for Pension Reform
Public pension retirement plans have been ornaments in state and local governments for over a century, yet the once popular and reliable benefit has become a liability to state and local employees and taxpayers alike.
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Right-to-Work Will Continue to Benefit Indiana’s Economy
Update: Research and Legislative Analyst Ben Wilterdink recently appeared on the Tony Katz Radio Show to discuss this topic. Listen to his interview below, http://alec.org/docs/Ben-Wilterdink-Tony-Katz-11-7-14.mp3…
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Minimum Wages: Few Benefits, Many Consequences
President Obama’s recent State of the Union address was the culmination of months of advocacy from Democrats and activists for a higher minimum wage. The President proposed a raise to…
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Pension Reform: Polling and Millennials
In the wake of public finance debacles like Detroit and important studies of the depth of the problem, the public is becoming aware of the national crisis facing state and…
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Municipal Bankruptcy: An Overview for Local Officials
Cities and other municipalities falling on hard financial times is nothing new, but it is rare that any such entity files for bankruptcy as a way of addressing its massive debts.
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Resolution on the Federal Employer’s Liability Act
Model Resolution WHEREAS, the railroad industry is covered by the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), a fault-based law enacted in 1908 to provide compensation to employees suffering work-related injuries; and…
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Employer Standing Act
Model Policy Section 1. {Short Title} The Employer Standing Act Section 2. {Legislative Declarations} The state finds and declares that A. Workers’ compensation fraud is the largest source of fraud…
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High-Risk Health Insurance Pool Model Act
High-Risk Health Insurance Pool Model Act Summary The purpose of this Act is to provide insurance for individuals with high-risk health conditions such as AIDS, diabetes, and…
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Act Providing for the Detection and Prevention of Fraud, Waste, Abuse and Improper Payments in State Government
Model Policy {Title, Enacting Clause, etc.} Section 1. {Legislative Findings} (A) Fraud, waste, abuse and improper payments are pervasive, and often on the rise, in many government programs.