Archives: Ben Wilterdink / Articles
Archives: Ben Wilterdink / Articles (page 2)
-
Oregon’s Minimum Wage Bill
With Governor Kate Brown’s signature, Oregon will likely soon rank as having the highest state-set minimum wage in the nation. Currently, the minimum wage in Oregon is $9.25 an…
-
West Virginia Becomes the 26th Right-to-Work State
Today, the West Virginia Legislature overrode Governor Tomblin’s veto to enact the state’s Right-to-Work law, making West Virginia the 26th state in the nation to do so. Because West…
-
More Evidence Raising the Minimum Wage Could Hurt More Than it Helps
Broken promises are nothing new in politics, but the worst are those promises that actual hurt the very people whom the promises were intended to help. Increasing minimum wage is…
-
FDA Wants to Force You to Know How Many Calories You Eat
Congress is considering legislation, the “Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act”, that would ease costly menu labeling requirements and give restaurants and other food retailers some much needed flexibility.
-
West Virginia Sends Right-to-Work Bill to Governor’s Desk
In Right-to-Work states, unionization is still permitted, but labor unions are no longer able to force membership as a condition of employment.
-
West Virginia Takes Another Step Toward Becoming the 26th Right-to-Work State
Earlier today, the West Virginia House of Delegates voted to expand worker freedom and boost the state’s potential for economic growth. The House voted 54-46 to adopt the Workplace…
-
West Virginia Moves towards Becoming the 26th Right-to-Work State
Last week, the West Virginia Senate voted to expand worker freedom and boost the state’s potential for economic growth. This was accomplished by voting to adopt 17-16 a right-to-work…
-
Do You Have a Permit to Shovel That Snow?
As the Washington, D.C. region and much of the East Coast remain closed, and residents and city officials attempt to clear roads and sidewalks from one of the largest winter…
-
Video: Friedrichs Supporters Stand for Free Speech
On Monday morning, ALEC staff gathered with teachers, parents, legislators and grassroots leaders on the steps of the Supreme Court to support Rebecca Friedrichs, a California teacher who is fighting…
-
Rally for Rebecca
On a freezing Monday morning, dozens of teachers, parents and policymakers gathered on the steps of the United States Supreme Court to cheer on plaintiff Rebecca Friedrichs during oral argument…
-
Ben Wilterdink Testifies To Connecticut State Tax Panel
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has been following the progress of the Connecticut State Tax Panel, which develops recommendations on how to improve the state tax code in the wake of ongoing economic…
-
Pope Francis is Right: Free Markets Serve the Common Good
On Thursday, Pope Francis delivered remarks to a joint session of Congress and urged for unity in his message. While left-leaning pundits have been quick to highlight comments from…
-
Right-to-Work: A Pro-Growth Reform Opportunity in Missouri
This week, Missourians have a chance to see their business climate greatly improved by becoming the 26th Right-to-Work (RTW). Despite recent attempts to link Right-to-Work laws with racist conspiracies or…
-
ALEC Honors Oklahoma Representative Randy McDaniel as 2015 Legislator of the Year
In 2014, Oklahoma policymakers took a bold step to secure the financial future for current and future state employees. Those leaders passed a reform package that transitioned the state…
-
California Budget Fails to Address Long-Term Fiscal Stability
California’s newly enacted budget for 2015-2016 falls short of properly addressing the institutional budget troubles the state has faced for years. The California budget shows some steps in the…
-
CBO Adopts Dynamic Scoring; States Should Follow
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is moving forward with adopting a new “scoring” method to evaluate major changes in tax policy. The CBO currently uses “static” scoring, which…
-
New Study: Low Tax Rates Attract Valuable Talent
A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) about state taxes found an interesting correlation that supports states using tax policy to compete with rivals for…
-
“State-of-the-States” Snapshot for the New Fiscal Year
Today marks the first day of the New Year; or at least the new fiscal year in 46 states. Only Alabama, Michigan, Texas, and New York have fiscal years that…
-
Connecticut Set to Raise Taxes, Businesses Consider Relocation
By: Ben Wilterdink and Harry Riegel Connecticut is quickly becoming the poster child for uncompetitive economic policy. As Connecticut lawmakers rushed the latest budget proposal to the governor’s desk, businesses…
-
Texas Legislature Passes Significant New Tax Relief and Continues to Lead on Pro-Growth Reforms
As the Texas Legislature finished its 2015 session, lawmakers from the Lone Star State have once again approved a tax relief measure that will only add to the Texas reputation…