October 6, 2023
Week in Review: October 6, 2023
In legislative testimony, The Buckeye Institute urged Ohio lawmakers to protect local taxpayers from unaccountable, unelected boards proposing and implementing risky spending projects with no public accountability or oversight.
Freedom Foundation filed a complaint against the Washington Federation of State Employees/ AFSCME Council 28 with Washington’s Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) on behalf of client Todd Fix because of the union’s unlawful discrimination and interference with his right to refrain from union membership.
Georgia Public Policy Foundation produced a video on the story of Katie Chubb and the Augusta Birth Center. Two years after submitting an application to open, the center remains unopened thanks to Georgia’s Certificate of Need laws.
Institute for Reforming Government announced that it would lend oversight on Wisconsin’s $50 million educational investment to help schools transition to the “science of reading”.
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation released the findings of its most recent poll which showed most Iowans believe our country is headed in the wrong direction.
James Madison Institute hosted its 2023 Florida Tech and Innovation Summit, which was full of fantastic discussions on all things child online safety, cybersecurity, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), net neutrality, state policy and so much more.
John Locke Foundation, along with other news and public organizations, sent a public letter to members of the North Carolina General Assembly urging them to rescind recent changes to state law that would allow lawmakers to determine what qualifies as a “public record” and destroy documents they deem not public records.
Liberty Justice Center’s Buck Dougherty was interviewed by the Clarion Ledger on how the Mississippi constitution continues to discriminate against private schools through Blaine Amendments from the nineteenth century.
Maine Policy Institute announced their 2023 Freedom and Opportunity event keynote speaker: Dr. Cory DeAngelis. The event will take place on Friday, October 27.
Mountain States Policy Center partnered with The Woman Panel to host an event helping attendees learn about the free market’s power to improve lives. Meanwhile, the Center’s Jason Mercier released an interview with Kevin Hibbard, Director of Wyoming’s State Budget Department, on the state’s fiscal progress.
Nevada Policy released its 2023 Legislative Scorecard and Review, which grades lawmakers on how they voted, and also includes a look at the best bills, worst bills, best vetoes and analysis of key pieces of legislation.
Opportunity Arkansas published an analysis of the state’s first annual Education Freedom Account Annual Report. The report revealed that the program is already working, serving thousands of Arkansans families, particularly kids with disabilities. The program is also projected to come in significantly under budget this year.
Pelican Institute released Louisiana’s Comeback: A Tax Reform for Our Brighter Future, which identifies the state’s significant tax problems and proposes a path to set the state in a brighter direction. Pelican also announced it had teamed up with the Goldwater Institute to offer the public opportunities to learn how to use public records requests to be an advocate for one’s family and community.
Rio Grande Foundation submitted written comments condemning the New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s plan to force state residents to purchase electric vehicles whether they want them or not.
Texas Public Policy Foundation announced the upcoming Parental Empowerment Leadership Summit, bringing together parents and legislators to preview the upcoming special session and lay out how they will forge the path forward to empower parents with transparency, respect and choice in the state’s education system.
Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty and School Choice Wisconsin released a new report examining the number of special needs students in Wisconsin’s choice schools, finding that these programs serve far more disabled students than previously reported by media outlets and even the Department of Public Instruction.
The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in Alaska v. Alaska State Employees Association urging the U.S. Supreme Court to allow states to adopt commonsense policies that inform public employees of their constitutionally protected Janus rights to quit government unions and stop paying union dues. In Coalition for TJ v. Fairfax County School Board, Buckeye also joined Mountain States Legal Foundation in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court opposing race-based discrimination in high school admissions.
Freedom Foundation filed an appeal with the Supreme Court listing five of the most egregious cases of states claiming authorization for deducting dues payments from workers’ paychecks via a forged employee’s signature on a government employee union membership card.
Goldwater Institute filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court supporting Alaska’s case Alaska v. Alaska State Employees Association (described above). Goldwater also teamed up with the Cato Institute to file a brief in an important Second Amendment case now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Liberty Justice Center (LJC) and the Illinois Policy Institute jointly filed an amicus brief with the Alaska Supreme Court to defend employees’ Janus rights against predatory union tactics.
Mackinac Center’s Patrick J. Wright issued a statement in response to the Michigan Attorney General’s motion to dismiss Mackinac’s challenge to the state’s unlawful income tax increase made on behalf of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan, National Federation of Independent Business, Inc., Senator Ed McBroom, Representative Dale Zorn, and six individual taxpayers from across the state. Mackinac also filed an amicus brief at the United States Supreme Court supporting Alaska’s case Alaska v. Alaska State Employees Association (described above).
California: The Liberty Justice Center announced a victory in the battle for doctors’ First Amendment rights, as California repealed AB2098, a law authorizing bureaucrats to revoke physicians’ medical licenses for disagreeing with the state’s official stance on COVID-19, which garnered notice from media outlets including the Washington Times, the Northern California Record, and American Family News.
Freedom Foundation announced that it broke all previous records in helping government employees across the country leave their unions and stop paying dues during the third quarter of 2023.
Alaska Policy Forum and Reason Foundation examined calls to bring back Alaska’s defined benefit pensions and published a brief unpacking the potential costs of a related bill currently proposed in the state Senate.
The Buckeye Institute released a policy brief that outlines the urgency of equipping Ohio workers with the training and skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow and highlighted how immersive learning technologies are changing how we live and learn.
California Policy Center’s Mark Moses issued a brief which pointed out that a delimitation of scope is critical to the effective operations of any organization and municipalities are not an exception. He points out that local governments should reaffirm their fundamental roles and responsibilities by defining their business and minding it.
Cardinal Institute’s Jessi Troyan penned a brief examining the use and misuse of statistics for policy purposes. Troyan uses as an example a summary of the updated census poverty estimates that the U.S. Census Bureau released in early September.
Cascade Policy Institute’s John A. Charles, Jr., examined the policies in Portland’s updated Regional Transportation Plan, which he finds to have given up on reducing traffic congestion in the area.
Empower Mississippi’s Wil Ervin released a brief which unpacks the “education savings account” policy in simple question-and-answer form.
Frontier Institute’s Benjamin Lindquist and Cody Bendix published the first in a series of reports on the state of Montana’s education system. In this issue, they begin a deeper dive into the state of education to see if Montana deserves to be near the bottom among its neighboring states and middling in the nation.
John Locke Foundation’s Brian Balfour dug deeper into the $7 billion in the newly approved state budget that people aren’t talking about. While Locke’s Bethany Torstenson discussed the importance of public record access and the need for revisions to the provision language to maintain the accountability and transparency expected of elected representatives, and Jon Sanders discussed Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoed bills and how they would uphold reliable electricity provision and protect North Carolina ratepayers.
Mountain States Policy Center’s Olivia Johnston published a brief examining a case before SCOTUS that seems poised to slam the door shut on efforts to impose wealth taxes across the country.
People United for Privacy published a brief on the threat to online speech rights and the ability of nonprofits to use the internet to support their missions in the “REAL Political Advertisements Act.”
Washington Policy Center’s Elizabeth Hovde issued a brief outlining the latest on the unpopular, broken WA Cares Fund which is establishing a first-in-the-nation long-term-care tax on all Washingtonians, while Liv Finne reported on deceptive language from school districts trying to pass more bond debt.
Massachusetts: The recent advancement of a tax bill puts Massachusetts taxpayers one step closer to realizing some tax relief. However, it may be too little to tackle the Commonwealth’s affordability and competitiveness challenges (Pioneer Institute).
Montana: As the fate of Montana’s Community Choice Schools Act remains in limbo in the court, three new intervening defendants: a democrat lawmaker, a tribal member, and a former public school official have joined the lawsuit in favor of the legislation, which “gives them the freedom needed to create schools which can uniquely address currently unmet education needs in their community”–a potentially game-changing development (Frontier Institute).
Oklahoma: Legislators convened for a special session called by Gov. Kevin Stitt to cut the income tax in the state. Stitt called for lawmakers to cut the state income-tax rate by a quarter-point, which would lower it to 4.5%. In addition to the Governor, House Speaker Charles McCall, State Treasurer Todd Russ, and other policymakers have also advocated for well-deserved tax relief (Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs).
Topics:
In Public Schools We Trust?
California Policy Center
Tell It to the Judge: Raise Our Standards
Center of the American Experiment
AZ School Illegally Uses Children, Taxpayer Dollars to Influence Election
Goldwater Institute
Teacher Retirement Bill Is a Step Backward
Mackinac Center
Oklahoma School Officials: Scrap A-F Grades for Schools and Students
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Louisiana Voters Want Education Freedom for Their Kids
Pelican Institute for Public Policy
The Wide World of Charter Schools with Jamison White
Show-Me Institute
How AI Could Prevent Teacher Burnout
Sutherland Institute
Busting the “No Money” Myth
Texas Public Policy Foundation
UCLA’s Prof. James Stigler on Teaching & Learning Math
Pioneer Institute
Chicago Public Schools Enrollment Rises Slightly After 11 Years of Decline
Illinois Policy
How Bad Public Education Keeps People Poor
Illinois Policy
Can California’s Forests Survive Extreme Environmentalism?
California Policy Center
Offshore Wind Takes a Blow
Cascade Policy Institute
Wind and Solar Prices Soar, Making Them the Most Expensive Electricity Sources In Minnesota
Center of the American Experiment
EIA: Renewables Dominate Federal Energy Subsidies
Independence Institute
State’s Electric System Not Meeting Basic Test of Reliability
Mackinac Center
Is Sacramento Going to Ban Classic Cars? Recent History Suggests It Might
Pacific Research Institute
One Brooklyn Health’s Money Troubles Raise a Billion-Dollar Question
Empire Center
Family’s Story Highlights Need for Right to Try Expansion
Goldwater Institute
Fast Facts: Direct Primary Care
Palmetto Promise Institute
California says, ‘Yes in God’s backyard’
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Would You Ever Live in an HOA — And Do You Still Have a Choice?
Libertas Institute
St. Louis City Proposes Adding Additional Rules to Short-Term Rental Bill
Show-Me Institute
How a Government Shutdown Actually Hurts the Poor
Georgia Center for Opportunity
Florida Politics: Is Support for Free Market Principles Wavering?
James Madison Institute
New Data Shows Behavior Remains Primary Determinant of Income
Nevada Policy
Oklahoma’s Government Shouldn’t Discourage Work
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
And Now, On the Other Side of the Bay…
Pacific Research Institute
Protect Tech Businesses from Fed Overreach
Palmetto Promise Institute
Louisiana Economic Situation—September 2023
Pelican Institute for Public Policy
Common Arguments for and Against the Four-Day School Week
Show-Me Institute
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Approves $409 Million Solar Facility- Just as Solar Prices Spike
Center of the American Experiment
Cost of Fixing Up the Governor’s Mansion Increases by 80% in Four Months
Center of the American Experiment
Indianapolis Organization’s Huge Budget to Stop Violence by Talking About It
Indiana Policy Review Foundation
Three Reasons Michigan’s Budget Is Unsustainable
Mackinac Center
Quarter-Point Income-Tax Cut Is Very Doable
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Treat Claims ‘No Plan’ for Tax Repeal, Ignores Own Bill
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Privatized Parks Revitalize Public Spaces and Neighborhoods
Pacific Research Institute
Louisiana’s Record Savings Should Prompt Tax Breaks
Pelican Institute for Public Policy
Houston, We Have a Tax Rate Problem
Texas Public Policy Foundation
The Mayor of Atlanta and Even Madea Got Busted Wasting Taxpayer Money
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
The Butler Did It
California Policy Center
Alaska Case Gives SCOTUS a Chance to Reinforce Janus
Freedom Foundation
Butler Nomination Newsom’s Latest Sellout to Big Labor
Freedom Foundation
Liberty Does Not Mean a Free-For-All
Cardinal Institute
Make the Federal Government Work Better by Having It Do Less
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
Implications of Shifts in Commuting
Washington Policy Center
In the Richmond Register, the Bluegrass Institute‘s Jim Waters highlights the problems with Kentucky’s CON laws.
In the Los Angeles Daily News, the California Policy Center‘s Will Swaim highlights the many examples of sexual violence against children and the problems with California’s Parental Notification policy.
In The Federalist, Center of the American Experiment‘s Katherine Kersten notes ‘ethnic studies’ is a sneaky new way to stoke racial division.
In The American Spectator, the Commonwealth Foundation‘s Nathan Benefield considers the Pennsylvania Governor’s automatic voter registration policy.
In the Wall Street Journal, the Empire Center’s Tim Hoefer examines how Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is redefining the term “rich”.
In his recent column, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation‘s Kyle Wingfield notes we can make the federal government work better by having it do less.
In the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Policy Institute‘s Paul Vallas highlights what the City Council can do to help the police superintendent reverse the tide of crime.
In The Denver Gazette, the Independence Institute‘s Jon Caldara explains why he dropped poop on Denver City Hall.
At the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Independent Institute’s David Beito compared President F.D. Roosevelt’s 1942 raid on a small-town paper in Idaho to one that happened this Summer in Kansas.
At Florida Politics, The James Madison Institute‘s Sal Nuzzo considers if support for free market principles is wavering.
In his recent column, the John Locke Foundation‘s John Hood considers what North Carolina policymakers should do next regarding Medicaid expansion.
In his recent column, the John Locke Foundation‘s John Hood notes Washington isn’t going to fix health care.
In The County Press, the Mackinac Center‘s Thomas Doran notes strategic infrastructure can play a key role in dealing with climate change.
In Nevada Business, the Nevada Policy Research Institute‘s Ron Knecht considers the problems with Nevada’s Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS).
In his recent column, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs‘ Jonathan Small notes the time is right to cut Oklahoma’s personal income tax.
In the Washington Examiner, the Pacific Research Institute‘s Sally Pipes argues Congress must rein in spending by cutting costs in Medicare and Medicaid.
At Fox News Online, the Texas Public Policy Foundation‘s Chuck DeVore considers a new initiative in San Francisco that would require homeless individuals to undergo drug testing and treatment to receive city services.
In The Daily Caller, the Texas Public Policy Foundation‘s Chuck DeVore notes Gavin Newsom’s calculated Senate appointment is a masterstroke in political chess.
In The Virginian-Pilot, the Virginia Public Policy Institute‘s Caleb Taylor points out improving education requires more than money.
In The Reflector, the Washington Policy Center‘s Liv Finne notes Governor Inslee is right to support individual tutoring to help students make up for COVID learning loss.
In The Spokesman-Review, the Washington Policy Center‘s Mark Harmsworth highlights how Washington cities are taking different approaches to homelessness, and that’s a good thing.
In the Tri-City Herald, the Washington Policy Center’s Todd Myers outlines how one local energy district is giving customers information about their energy use to empower individuals to help save energy and money.
