August 9, 2024
Week in Review: August 9, 2024
America First Policy Institute announced that it is hosting a contest to solicit ideas to reform the federal budget process with a cash prize of $10,000 for the winning submission. The Institute pointed out that many states pass a balanced, on-time budget every year, and now is the chance to bring those good practices to Washington.
Center for the American Experiment released Tim Walz’s record in 5 Easy Charts, a video that breaks down Walz’s record as governor of Minnesota with a focus on education, energy and the economy.
Empire Center’s Danyela Souza Egorov, Project Director of Parent PowerED NY, testified at the Rockefeller Institute’s Foundation Aid Study public hearing in Farmingdale, NY. She voiced concerns about New York’s education funding formula, urging updates to the statistics used and advocating for reforms to ensure education dollars follow students.
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii celebrated the shift of the Overton window in their state, as recognized by a progressive legislator who commented that “Grassroot Institute has not changed its stances… instead, elected Democrats have started leaning more toward the group’s positions.”
James Madison Institute released its 2024 Florida Amendment Guide, a guide that helps citizens better understand new ballot initiatives that task Floridians with voting on six proposed constitutional amendments.
Kansas Policy Institute published ACT scores for every high school in Kansas, which show alarming declines since 2015.
South Carolina Policy Council announced the selection of Michael Burris, a Charleston native, former business executive and Navy veteran, as the new Chief Executive Officer of the longstanding research organization.
Washington Policy Center hosted events in Yakima, Vancouver, Bainbridge Island, and more bringing updates to people on key issues to their communities.
Frontier Institute, Mountain State Policy Center and EdChoice joined a coalition amicus brief in the case of Felchle v. Montana, a case that concerns a law passed in 2023 by the Montana Legislature authorizing charter schools as an option for Montana families. The coalition signers of the legal brief are defending the new law.
Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit against a New Jersey union that violated a local plumber’s constitutional rights and tried to justify the violation through word games—claiming that the Supreme Court’s Janus decision doesn’t apply because the union called the money illegally taken from his paychecks “assessments” rather than “dues.” The Center also filed a First Amendment lawsuit to challenge SB 3649, a recently-enacted Illinois law that would prohibit companies from holding mandatory meetings where any “religious or political matters” are discussed—effectively revoking free speech rights across the state. The Center is representing the Illinois Policy Institute in the lawsuit. Finally, two California school boards unanimously voted to join the Liberty Justice Center’s lawsuit challenging AB 1955, Governor Newsom’s attempt to ban parental notifications policies across California. The Liberty Justice Center filed an amended complaint adding the Anderson Union High School District and the Orange County Board of Education to the lawsuit as plaintiffs alongside the initial plaintiff, the Chino Valley Unified School District.
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty sent a cease-and-desist letter to the City of Neenah Clerk for illegal electioneering on behalf of the Constitutional Amendment Questions on the August 13th Ballot. The City of Neenah had placed a Yahoo.com news article in voting booths that paint the ballot questions as partisan in nature when the referendum questions are non-partisan. The Institute also demanded that Illinois’s Winnebago County State’s Attorney Office return a truck that was seized following an accident, even though no warrant authorized this seizure.
Ohio: July was a remarkable month as the state saw a significant surge in union opt-outs. The number of individuals deciding to reclaim their freedom from union dues increased by an astonishing 145 percent compared to the previous month (Freedom Foundation).
The Buckeye Institute issued a brief that outlines policies lawmakers can adopt to make healthcare affordable and accessible—a key issue given rampant inflation and rising healthcare expenses that makes it unsurprising that many American families struggle to pay their medical bills.
California Policy Center released a brief that signals the way to water abundance in the state by taking a new approach based on positive, common sense ideas.
Empire Center published briefs that expose how New York’s proposed “Vision to Transform Graduation Requirements” aims to reduce reliance on Regents exams and emphasize cultural and social-emotional competencies, raising concerns about a decline in academic rigor, and analyze data from Empire’s SeeThroughNY.net which shows that 78 state public employee retirees were eligible for pensions of $200,000 or more in 2024, with the highest at $503,128.
Mountain States Policy Center released briefs that show why policymakers should avoid retail delivery fees and examine data, resources and transparency in Idaho school districts.
Washington Policy Center issued briefs that highlight how the Paid Family & Medical Leave program is going bankrupt, and all the benefits are going to middle- to high-income families while being funded from low-income worker paychecks, and provide an update on the state of net neutrality, as the FCC’s reclassification of the internet was delayed by a court of appeals thanks to the Loper Bright decision.
Iowa: A 2% cap on property taxes is gaining support in the state—a welcome move for taxpayers as local governments are collectively cranking up their property tax collections by more than 6% (Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation).
Montana: The Governor’s Property Tax Advisory Committee released a draft report that recommended that the state adopt portions of Utah’s “Truth in Taxation” policy—a move that would help address concerns about increasing property taxes in the state (Mountain States Policy Center).
Topics:
Local Control Failing Montana Education
Frontier Institute
Want Our Kids to Be Seen, Heard, and Valued? Get the Community Involved.
Georgia Center for Opportunity
NC School Choice Enrollment: The Numbers Tell the Story
John Locke Foundation
A Few Regulatory Changes Could Make NH First in Freedom for Education Entrepreneurs
Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy
Number of Oklahoma Schools Serving Special-Needs Students Continues to Grow
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Why Markets Matter in Education with Mike McShane
Show-Me Institute
UEA Lawsuit Filings Offer 3 Civics Lessons
Sutherland Institute
Join the Parent Empowerment Coalition
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Lessons In Texas Education with Rep. Brad Buckley
Texas Public Policy Foundation
The “Coalition Media” Fight Against School Choice
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Government Heat Pump Subsidies in Wisconsin Will Lead to Higher Costs for Homeowners
Badger Institute
High Gas Prices Threaten Pennsylvania’s Economy
Commonwealth Foundation
Harris’ Energy Flip-Flop Doesn’t Change Her Terrible Record
Commonwealth Foundation
Witnessing Democracy at Work
Indiana Policy Review Foundation
Ecological Disaster from One Broken Offshore Wind Turbine Blade
John Locke Foundation
Balance Between Farms, Fish Needs to Be Found for Food Production
Pacific Research Institute
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Spent Nuclear Fuel?
Show-Me Institute
Economic Resurgence Through Energy Dominance
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Connecticut Resident Leads Nonpartisan Charge Against Soaring Electric Bills
Yankee Institute
‘Certificate-of-Need Laws Are a Public Policy Failure’
Mackinac Center
For Third Year in a Row, PRI Survey Finds Vast Majority of Americans Satisfied with their Health Coverage
Pacific Research Institute
Four Companies Step Up to Make Homes Affordable for Sheboygan County Workers
Badger Institute
Assessment Cap Welcome, But Amend Bill to Mitigate Market Distortions
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Reject Invasive Empty Homes Tax, Consider Housing Alternatives
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
The Free Market is Not to Blame for Our Housing Crisis
Libertas Institute
LA Mayor Slowly Dismantles Her Successful Housing Plan
Pacific Research Institute
What’s Included in Massachusetts’ $5.2 Billion Housing Bond Bill?
Pioneer Institute
“Out Of Control” State Agency Moves to Regulate Training Course Providers
Center of the American Experiment
Since 2019, Minnesota Has 15th Highest Rate of Domestic Out-Migration in United States
Center of the American Experiment
What Do We Mean When We Talk About Tech?
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
What Hawaii Businesses Really Need
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Chart Makes Choice Easy Between Entrepreneurs or Government
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Hey, It Sounded Good
Indiana Policy Review Foundation
New Poll: Wisconsin Voters Seek Less Government and More Opportunities to Succeed
Institute for Reforming Government
The Economic Impact of the Pork Industry in the United States
John Locke Foundation
North Carolina Imposes More Than 100,000 Regulations, Ranks 27th Nationally
John Locke Foundation
No-Income-Tax States Outpacing Oklahoma
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Chevron’s Departure Highlights California’s Risky Economic Future
Pacific Research Institute
Ruinous Red Tape: Epic Cost of Unchecked Federal Rule Making
Pioneer Institute
Hennepin County Board Abandons Pay Raise, For Now
Center of the American Experiment
Rampant Fraud Shows Why Minnesotans Should Be Wary of Big Government
Center of the American Experiment
Pennsylvania’s Spending Billions More than We Can Afford
Commonwealth Foundation
Grocery Tax Repeal: Myths and Misunderstandings
Idaho Freedom Foundation
Time to Axe the Tax on Groceries in Idaho
Idaho Freedom Foundation
The Policy Shop: Property Tax Pain at Home – And Relief Abroad
Illinois Policy
Waterloo’s Example of Why Iowans Need to Vote on ALL Debt Types
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation
Earmarks: Shrouded in Secrecy, Bad for Michigan
Mackinac Center
The Misplaced Overspending of Michigan’s 2025 Budget
Mackinac Center
Why Strategic Infrastructure Beats Mass Beta Testing
Mackinac Center
A Look at Oklahoma Mental-Health Spending
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Democratic Governors Association, Chaired by Tim Walz, Involved in Alleged Union Laundering Scheme
Freedom Foundation
NY: Union Leader’s Graveside Negotiating Ploy Insensitive, Appalling
Freedom Foundation
Illinois Federation of Teachers, American Federation of Teachers Spend a Lot, But Not on Teachers
Illinois Policy
SpaceX Ruling Has Deep Implications for Worker Freedom
Mackinac Center
Unity and Justice? Union Boss’s Campaign Ethics Raises Eyebrows in the 2nd District
Yankee Institute
Justice Gorsuch Takes on the “Legal Realists”
Independence Institute
State Supreme Court Limits Asset Forfeiture
Mackinac Center
Dr. David Heidler on Andrew Jackson & American Democracy
Pioneer Institute
In the Charlton County Herald, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Kyle Wingfield encourages more civil debate and dialogue in the world.
In the Grand Canyon Times, the Goldwater Institute’s Fiona Baum reveals how Arizona school leaders drained taxpayer money on an extravagant conference.
In the Washington Examiner, The Free State Foundation’s Randy May warns about the FCC’s misguided new rule on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in political ads.
In the De Moines Register, the Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation’s John Hendrickson celebrates President Hoover’s 150th birthday by pointing out how Hoover’s wisdom applies today.
In Colorado Politics, the Independence Institute’s Jon Caldara thanks Coors for promoting individualism.
In The Orange County Register, the Independent Institute’s Lloyd Billingsley points out that the more politicians leave the market alone, the more California will prosper.
In The Washington Times, the Independent Institute’s Christopher Calton reminds that removing homeless encampments does not end homelessness.
In the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Policy Institute’s Micky Horstman calls for political candidates not to overlook young voters this election cycle.
In the Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy’s Douglas Carswell shows how Mississippi needs conservative leaders who will champion school choice.
In American Greatness, the Pacific Research Institute’s Daniel Oliver notes that Vice President Kamala Harris’ policies are not only bad for African American men and women but ‘bad for everyone.’
In The Bakersfield California, the Pacific Research Institute’s Kerry Jackson warns that the California $20 minimum wage has prompted nine in ten businesses to cut workers’ hours.
In the Colorado Springs Gazette, People United for Privacy Foundation’s Heather Lauer explains how state lawmakers from both parties embraced donor privacy to calm political turmoil.
In the Las Cruces Sun-News, the Rio Grande Foundation’s Paul Gessing argues the Las Cruces City Council made a ‘tone deaf’ move adopting a proposed ballot measure that would increase the gross-receipts-tax rate for the city.
In the Springfield News-Leader, the Show Me Institute’s Avery Frank calls for Missouri should to revive its nuclear-energy program.
