Week in Review: October 7, 2022

Announcements

The Alaska Policy Forum held a webinar on the many ways schools fail to be accountable financially, democratically, and academically.

Americans for Fair Treatment released the latest in their “Where do your dues go?” series, this time covering the Connecticut Education Association.

The Georgia Center for Opportunity welcomed Josh Crawford as senior fellow focused on criminal justice reform.

A new poll released by the Goldwater Institute reveals that Arizonans overwhelmingly believe America is headed in the wrong direction, that inflation and the economy are the most important issues confronting the nation, and that when it comes to technology companies, Congress should keep its hands off and not pass laws that pick winners and losers.

The Illinois Policy Institute released a property tax calculator—a new tool that helps Illinois residents see how much Amendment 1 will cost them if the proposal passes on November 8.

The Pelican Institute for Public Policy announced the hirings of Dr. Vance Ginn and Jamie Tairov, two accomplished, seasoned policy professionals who will bring their passion and expertise to the Pelican Institute team. Dr. Ginn will serve as the Pelican Institute’s Chief Economist and Mrs. Tairov as Senior Policy Associate.

The Pelican Institute released a homeschool resource for Louisiana families.

The Thomas Jefferson Institute considered the Virginia Governor’s new energy plan.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty filed a federal lawsuit against the Biden Administration today on behalf of the Brown County Taxpayers Association (BCTA), challenging the new federal student debt forgiveness program.

Success stories

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals today released an order dissolving the injunction against the Hope Scholarship program and reversing the Kanawha County Circuit Court opinion that had declared the program unconstitutional. Following a constitutional challenge to the program in January, the Institute for Justice (IJ) intervened on behalf of two parents to defend the program’s constitutionality under the West Virginia Constitution. The Cardinal Institute also celebrated this historic win, noting the program will create life-changing opportunity for current and future generations of West Virginians.
The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office announced that the attempt to overturn the state’s landmark universal school choice reform has failed. Now, the Goldwater Institute’s groundbreaking, first-in-the-nation statewide expansion of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) can move forward and continue to be an example for every state in America.

This Week on SPN.org

Make It Easier For Education Entrepreneurs To Thrive

Solutions from the states: This week’s policy briefs

The Alaska Policy Forum and Tax Foundation released a report on the economic implications of an Alaska income tax.

In a new report, the Badger Institute explains how “free” federal money costs Wisconsinites control over their government.
A new analysis by the John Locke Foundation points out the poor state and federal response to hurricanes prolongs families’ misery.

The length of time most legislators could serve in the Michigan Legislature would effectively double if Proposal 1 is passed, according to a new report released by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards set by the federal government have few benefits but high costs, according to a new study released by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

The Pacific Research Institute released their “Congress To-Do List” – actionable market-based reform proposals that have the potential to achieve bipartisan consensus and address the issues the American people say are among their top priorities for their representatives.

Policy News from the States

Kate Brown’s Parting Gift
Cascade Policy Institute

Reining In Joe Biden’s War on American Energy
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota

Hurricane Ian Shows the Limits of Green Energy Policy
John Locke Foundation

Increased Conflicts Make The Case For Gray Wolf Management
Washington Policy Center

Government Accountability

‘Refundable’ Tax Credits Wrong Policy For Boosting Signature Industries
Bluegrass Institute

Secretly Negotiated State Government Pay Raises To Cost Taxpayers More Than $1 Billion
Washington Policy Center

Healthcare

Desperate for Hope, Americans with Rare Diseases Need a ‘Right to Try’ Too
Goldwater Institute

Want More Nurses? Make It Easier For Nurses To Work
Mackinac Center

Housing

When It Comes To Solving The Affordable Housing Crisis, Rochester Gets It
Center of the American Experiment

‘Housing First’ Puts Lofty Goals Above Real-World Results
Pacific Research Institute

Jobs And State Economies

The Truth Behind Minnesota’s Low Unemployment Rate: Minnesotans Leaving The Labor Force
Center of the American Experiment

Minnesota’s Economy Shrank Again In The Second Quarter Of 2022, At An Above Average Rate
Center of the American Experiment

Will New Jersey’s Federally-vaccinated Economy Have a Relapse?
Garden State Initiative

Stress Cracks In The Labor Market
Georgia Center for Opportunity

Why Hawaii Residents Are Leaving
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Tyson Foods 6th Major Company To Leave Illinois In 2022
Illinois Policy Institute

Removing Economic Handcuffs Through Regulatory Reform
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

State Budgets and Spending

Badger Institute Commends Michels’ Call For A Flat State Income Tax
Badger Institute

Minnesota Lawmakers Beware, A Flat Tax Revolution Is Underway
Center of the American Experiment

Mississippi Part Of Growing Flat Tax Trend
Empower Mississippi

Chicago Taxpayer Contributions To Pensions Could Spike Due To Recession
Illinois Policy Institute

Iowa’s Leading a Flat Tax Revolution
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

Iowa FY2022 Exceeds Expectations With Large Surplus
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation

Do States Need an Income Tax?
John Locke Foundation

Big Revenues Don’t Excuse Big Government Spending
Kansas Policy Institute

Missouri Tax Reform Heightens Tax Competition On Nebraska’s Border
Platte Institute

Nebraska’s Property Tax Relief Needs To Deliver For All Taxpayers
Platte Institute

California Dreaming On Tax Relief
Washington Policy Center

State Ballot Initiatives

Prop. 30 Splits California’s Ruling Elite
California Policy Center

Amendment 3: What You Need To Know
Cardinal Institute

9 Things Wrong With Illinois’ Official Amendment 1 Voter Pamphlet
Illinois Policy Institute

Student Loan Cancellation

FGA Applauds States’ Lawsuits Against Biden Administration on Student Loan Cancellation
Foundation for Government Accountability

Inflation Is Still Raging. Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Plan Will Only Make It Worse
Georgia Center for Opportunity

Student Loan Forgiveness: Biden Wants More People Dependent on Government
John Locke Foundation

Workplace Freedom

A Charter by Any Other Name
Americans for Fair Treatment

Other

Don’t Get Used to the Recent Drop in Gas Prices
Independence Institute

Stock Market Falls as Recession Gets Harder to Ignore
John Locke Foundation

Fall Fairs Make Us Happy Because They’re Markets
Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy

Think Tanks in the News

Lower Taxes, Better Education Are Keys To Attracting Business To Alabama, Not Incentives
Alabama Policy Institute in Alabama Today

PA’s Westinghouse Arts Academy
Americans for Fair Treatment on Wilkow!

College Isn’t For Everyone. Flawed Pell Grants Program Should Help Skilled Labors
The Buckeye Institute in the Columbus Dispatch

Government Unions Have Too Much Power
Commonwealth Foundation in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Unions Should Not Trample The Rights Of Government Workers
Commonwealth Foundation in The Patriot-News

Marketing The Climate Catastrophe Narrative
Ethan Allen Institute at Vermont Biz

The Anti-DeSantis Media Makes the Most of Hurricane Ian
Foundation for Government Accountability at Newsweek

Nat’l Group Wants Teachers Educated About Union Alternatives
Freedom Foundation cited at Delaware Live

Teachers Leave National Education Association
Freedom Foundation cited in The Epoch Times

Puerto Rico Disaster A Wakeup Call To Update Jones Act
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii in the Hawaii Reporter

Illinois Government Unions Ask Voters To Cement Their Dominion
Illinois Policy Institute in The Center Square

Vote ‘No’ On All Judges
Independence Institute in The Denver Gazette

Republicans Aim For Supermajorities
John Locke Foundation in the Richmond County Daily Journal

Should Today’s Teens Be Optimistic?
John Locke Foundation in The Johnston County Report

Eric Adams, Come See Kansas’s ‘Brand’ For Yourself
Kansas Policy Institute at National Review

Education Establishment Holding Kids Back
Mississippi Center for Public Policy at National Review

OK Learning Loss From COVID Remain
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs at Tulsa Today

Republicans Offer A Real Healthcare Alternative
Pacific Research Institute at the Washington Examiner

Governor Should Detail Plans For Second Term
Rio Grande Foundation in the Santa Fe New Mexican

Make It Easier For Education Entrepreneurs To Thrive
State Policy Network in the Washington Examiner

Why Democrats’ Illegal Immigration Views Will Haunt Them In November
Texas Public Policy Foundation at Fox News Online

Washington’s Constitution Has Broadest Definition Of Property In The Country
Washington Policy Center in the Spokesman-Review

Events and Opportunities

Please see SPN’s Network Calendar for a full list of events.