May 16, 2025
Week in Review: May 16, 2025
The former interim executive director of the Alaska Policy Forum, Bernadette Wilson joined the 2026 Alaska governor’s race.
The Buckeye Institute’s President and CEO Robert Alt has been on an epic journey to climb Mount Everest that began at the end of March. You can follow his journey here.
Ohio ranks 13th in the nation for local tax rates, and as property values rise, many regional homeowners are feeling a pinch. While Ohio schools take a big slice of tax revenues, property taxes also fund a long list of other services. The Buckeye Institute joined the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Forum “Taxed & Confused: Making Sense of Rising Property Taxes in Ohio” to discuss property taxes in Ohio.
The Buckeye Institute sent a demand letter to the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association leadership insisting that it investigate the head of AFSCME/OCSEA Chapter 2200 for violating the Janus rights of The Buckeye Institute’s client and further demanded that OCSEA rescind any agreement between Buckeye’s client, the union, and any of its affiliates, including any membership application or dues deduction authorization.
In legislative testimony on Ohio’s budget, The Buckeye Institute applauded Ohio’s student-first budget, which funds students rather than systems.
The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) applauded the House Agriculture Committee’s markup of their portion of the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which includes historic reforms to the food stamp program, aiming to restore integrity, reduce federal spending, and encourage workforce participation
The College Fix is celebrating 15 Years of Success at their gala onMonday, June 23rd, at the National Press ClubinWashington, D.C.Enjoy an evening of reflection and inspiration with akeynote address by Bret Baier. Secure your tickets here.
The James Madison Institute announced that former Congressman Justin Amash will be the keynote speaker at its 2025 Florida Tech & Innovation Summit.
On May 9, the Liberty Justice Center’s Senior Counsel, Emily Rae, discussed parental notification policies and the Littlejohn v. School Board of Leon County case on FOX News, where the Liberty Justice Center filed an amici brief supporting parents’ right to know about school conversations with their child regarding gender identity.
On May 13, the U.S. Court of International Trade heard oral arguments in the case of V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump challenging the legality of certain tariffs imposed on imported goods and raising important questions about the scope of executive authority and the impact of trade policy on American businesses. After the hearing, the Liberty Justice Center hosted a media roundtable with Senior Counsel Jeffrey Schwab, Co-Counsel Ilya Somin, and plaintiff Victor Schwarz to discuss the potential outcomes.
Alabama: The Alabama Policy Institute highlighted how 17 of its 26 BluePrint priorities were passed in the 2025 legislative session, including wins on healthcare transparency, tax cuts, education funding, and parental rights.
Georgia: The Peach State has taken a monumental step forward in patient advocacy and medical innovation by adopting the Goldwater Institute’s landmark Right to Try for Individualized Treatments (Goldwater).
Missouri: In a landmark victory for school choice and family empowerment, the Missouri Legislature has approved $50 million in public funding for the MOScholars program, delivering life-changing educational opportunities to thousands of additional Missouri families (Show-Me Institute).
Ohio: With the signing of House Bill 15 into law, Ohio is now a national leader in smart, free-market energy policy. While more work remains to ensure cost transparency and protect consumers from overpaying for costly infrastructure, The Buckeye Institute–championed policies are pro-consumer and pro-business—ending costly, uncompetitive subsidies, bringing back greater predictability in public utility rate cases, and incentivizing new energy development.
Oklahoma: Oklahomans will pay less in income tax under a budget agreement announced by Gov. Kevin Stitt and legislative leaders, and lawmakers also committed to a plan that will continue gradually reducing the income tax until it is completely repealed (Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs).
Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Legislature passed legislation creating the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025—which provides a way to bring government regulations under control and reduce their growth in the future (Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs).
Tennessee: The Tennessee Department of Education received 33,000 applications for the Education Freedom Scholarships within hours of the program’s launch (Beacon Center).
The Bluegrass Institute released “Staffing Trends in Kentucky’s Public Schools,” the second in a three-part series of weekly policy briefs examining public education spending in Kentucky.
A national union recently ranked Kentucky teachers’ salaries among the nation’s lowest. However, a new report by the Bluegrass Institute reveals teachers’ compensation increases significantly when fringe benefits like pensions and health insurance are factored in.
The Commonwealth Foundation shared five facts everyone needs to know about Medicaid.
Analysis from the Commonwealth Foundation shows that while public schools have continually seen enrollment decline, they continue to enjoy increased funding, leading almost every district to pad its reserves.
A new report by the Empire Center highlights how New York school districts plan to spend over $35,000 per student—outpacing inflation.
FGA released a paper that highlights how federal lawmakers can combat waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid.
The John Locke Foundation considered how to minimize the fiscal impact of federal cuts to Medicaid expansion.
The National Taxpayers Union Foundation released a state-by-state analysis of what happens if the 2017 tax cuts expire.
The Kansas Policy Institute released a new 50-state study analyzing educational outcomes productivity—essentially, the ‘bang for the education buck’—revealing how effectively states convert education spending into student achievement.
The Platte Institute released a paper that reviews the historical roots of nonpartisan reforms in Nebraska, examines shifts in voter registration over the past century, and analyzes how Nebraska’s electoral structure compares with other states.
Sutherland Institute considers the flexibility of federal education funds.
Illinois: A bill to strengthen proven reading strategies through teacher training advanced in Illinois (Illinois Policy Institute).
Montana: The state passed a law making its permitting process faster, clearer, and more dynamic (Frontier Institute). Montana also passed a new AI law that enshrines a right to compute in the state’s constitution (Frontier Institute).
Nevada: Lawmakers are considering a high-impact tutoring bill that could transform education in the state (Nevada Policy).
Topics:
How Mississippi Schools Are Better Than Minnesota’s
Center of the American Experiment
What’s Next for Universal School Choice
Idaho Freedom Foundation
Smaller Class Sizes Are Rarely Worth The Trade-Offs
Mackinac Center
On School Choice, Opponents Can’t Keep Their Stories Straight
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
South Carolina restores school choice with bigger, better program
Palmetto Promise Institute
Texas Should Embrace Educational Open Enrollment
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Kewaunee Power Possibility Adds To Wisconsin Nuclear Trend
Badger Institute
Principles of New Environmentalism
California Policy Center
House Bills on Oregon Water Resources to Double Dip Taxpayers
Cascade Policy Institute
Oregon Department of Forestry’s Bad Habit: Over Promise, Under Deliver
Cascade Policy Institute
EIA: Electricity Prices To Rise Faster Than Inflation Through 2026
Center of the American Experiment
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on RGGI
Commonwealth Foundation
Success! Idaho-Backed Legal Effort Stops California Electric Truck Mandates
Mountain States Policy Center
Idaho And The Trump Administration Signal That The Future Is Nuclear Energy
Mountain States Policy Center
President Trump Works With Montana And Wyoming To Unleash American Energy
Mountain States Policy Center
Newsom Forced To Roll Back Unwise Medi-Cal Expansions
California Policy Center
Feds Move To Close Medicaid’s ‘MCO Tax’ Loophole, Spelling Trouble for New York
Empire Center
Affordable Housing Does More Harm Than Good
Cascade Policy Institute
St. Paul Rent Control Further Weakened To Spur Housing Construction
Center of the American Experiment
Idaho Is Remodeling Housing Policies To Address Supply Concerns
Mountain States Policy Center
Can San Franciscans Finally Overcome their Fear of Heights
Pacific Research Institute
The Real Price of “Affordable Housing”
Show-Me Institute
Bemoaning Upzoning
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Rent Control Was Signed Into Law Last Week – Here’s Why It Was Exactly The Wrong Thing To Do
Washington Policy Center
DFL Deficit: Minnesotans Face $200 Million In Property Tax Hikes To Fix The State Budget
Center of the American Experiment
GSI Analysis: April ’25 Jobs Report – New Jersey’s April Labor Market: One Step Forward, One Step Back
Garden State Initiative
Nearly All Illinois Communities Smaller Since 2020; Chicago Loses Nearly 30K
Illinois Policy Institute
What’s Really Going On With Young Men?
Mackinac Center
Why Nevada’s Anti-Price Gouging Bill Could Backfire
Nevada Policy
Illinois Lawmakers Push New $2.7B Sales Tax On Haircuts, Netflix, Uber and Other Services
Illinois Policy Institute
70 Tax, Fee Hikes In 15 Years. $110b From Illinois Taxpayers. More Coming?
Illinois Policy Institute
When Washington Cuts, Iowa Pays: The Case for Fiscal Independence
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation
An Ugly Truth and a Dose of Reality
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation
Maine’s Latest Revenue Forecast Predicts Fiscal Storm Ahead
Maine Policy Institute
Why Chicago Teachers Union’s $7.3B Tax Hike Will Hurt All Of Illinois
Illinois Policy Institute
California Seeks Federal Funding for the “Worst Transit Project in the US”
California Policy Center
In California State and Local Government, DEI Costs Millions and Distracts Management
California Policy Center
State Should Cut Funding To Public Media
Badger Institute
Why Are So Many Data Centers Popping Up In Georgia?
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
Gov. Hobbs Vetoes Bill to Nix Onerous Public Records Fees
Goldwater Institute
Freedom To Drink Raw Milk? Only If The State Approves
John Locke Foundation
American Manufacturing Defies The Doubters
Mackinac Center
Billions In Waste, Zero Oversight: DOGE Reveals What Congress Refused To See
OCPA
In The Washington Times, the Mackinac Center’s Jason Hayes critiques lawfare against oil and gas companies as shortsighted and potentially harmful for economic and energy security.
At RealClearPennsylvania, the Commonwealth Foundation’s Andre Beliveau notes the Pennsylvania Supreme Court must strike down Governor Shaprio’s energy tax.
In The American Spectator, the Independent Institute’s Lloyd Billingsley argues that California’s high taxes and strict regulations are driving away NFL draftees and residents, making it harder to justify staying in the state.
In the Washington Examiner, SPN’s Jennifer Butler notes Trump’s golden age of building starts with the states.
At Townhall, Goldwater Institute’s Victor Riches notes price controls for medicine have a devastating cost.
In his recent column, John Hood considers how we can meet the challenges of housing affordability.
In The Center Square, the Mountain States Policy Center’s Amber Gunn highlights the dangers of unchecked executive power.
In The Center Square, the Mountain States Policy Center’s Jason Mercier praises Montana’s recent tax reforms.
In the Washington Examiner, the Pacific Research Institute’s Sally Pipes points out Medicaid isn’t a federal entitlement.
In a piece for the Washington Examiner (placed by SPN), the Mississippi Center for Public Policy’s Douglas Carswell considers what immigration reform should look like.
At Florida Politics, The James Madison Institute’s William Mattox encourages lawmakers to abandon the ‘cruel summer’ proposal.
In his recent column, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation‘s Kyle Wingfield highlights a significant infrastructure achievement in Georgia.
At Fox News, the Pacific Research Institute’s Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson point out California’s green new scam could cost you $20,000.
In the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Policy Institute’s Paul Vallas argues the Department of Education should stop the CPS probe and reform education in ways that matter.
In his column for The Detroit News, Mackinac’s Mike Reitz notes the country needs skilled trade workers.
In the Tribune-Review, the Pacific Research Institute’s Sally Pipes points out that insurers and bureaucrats shouldn’t deprive patients of lifesaving treatments.
At Law & Liberty, SPN’s Ray Nothstine explains how AI can support self-government.
In the Courier Post, the Garden State Initiative’s Audrey Lane highlights a new tool that can help provide transparency to New Jersey’s budget.
At NorthJersey.com, the Garden State Initiative’s Danielle Zanzalari argues AI didn’t break New Jersey’s housing market—politicians did.
In The Hill, the Kansas Policy Institute’s Dave Trabert highlights how some states won’t end DEI.
In the Alpena News, the Mackinac Center’s Mike Reitz points out that disaster response begins with civil society.
In his recent column, OCPA’s Jonathan Small considers Oklahoma’s ranking in the latest “Rich States, Poor States” report.
In the Los Angeles Daily News, the Pacific Research Institute’s Daniel Kolkey outlines 5 tangible ways Newsom can reduce wildfire risk.
At Fits News, the Palmetto Promise Institute’s Wendy Damron outlines how South Carolinians can apply for a life-changing education scholarship.
In The Daily Caller, the Yankee Institute’s Frank Ricci highlights how the fire fighters’ union is betraying its members.
In his recent column, John Hood highlights how agriculture faces a severe labor shortage
In The Detroit News, SPN’s Steve Johnson highlights the benefits of federalism and state control.
At Alabama Political Reporter, the Alabama Policy Institute’s Stephanie Smith highlights the problems with Alabama failing to extend the overtime tax.
In the Washington Examiner, the Goldwater Institute’s Matt Beienburg highlights the problems with the Educational Choice for Children Act.
In the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Policy Institute’s Paul Vallas points out Mayor Johnson’s rhetoric doesn’t match reality.
At WHQR, the John Locke Foundation’s Donald Bryson notes trade deficits are not a national emergency—government overreach is.
In The Washington Times, the Mackinac Center’s Jason Hayes critiques lawfare against oil and gas companies as shortsighted and potentially harmful for economic and energy security.
In The Hayride, the Pelican Institute’s Daniel Erspamer points out Louisiana’s energy future depends on empowering consumers, not protecting monopolies.
In her column for Newsmax, the Pacific Research Institute’s Sally Pipes notes President Trump hasn’t given up on hospital price transparency.
In his recent column, John Hood explains why conservatives defend free enterprise.
