Recent Research

Study: 'Cap-And-Trade' Will Lead To 17,100 To 23,300 Fewer Jobs In Arkansas

(December 2009) Arkansas will see a reduction in job growth, with 17,100 to 23,300 fewer jobs in 2030 under a 'Cap-and-Trade' proposal, according to a new study by the Arkansas Policy Foundation and the American Council for Capital Formation.

Margo Thorning, Ph.D, and Pinar Cebi Wilber, Ph.D authored the study, which concludes:

Senate Bill 127: Expanding the Existing Charter School Cap

James Golsan

Senate Bill 127, along with its companion, House Bill 936, is one of several bills put forward this session to expand the existing charter school cap in Texas. Th ough the tenants of SB 127 are simple, this is important legislation for Texas. Charter schools began as an experiment in this state, and have seen participation balloon in the years since inception in 1995. Currently, the state allows a maximum of 215 charter schools to operate.

Research & Commentary: Ohio Health Insurance Exchange

Kendall Antekeier

Uncertainty over the future of the federal health care law has led many states, including Ohio, to avoid implementation of health insurance exchanges. Recently state Sen.

Performance-Based Budgeting and Activities-Based Costing

Performance-based budgeting would require state government to develop quantifiable measures for all functions and then allocate tax dollars based on the effectiveness of meeting performance goals. Activities-based costing allocates tax dollars in a consistent and uniform manner. The Murphy Commission, a Policy Foundation project recommended both ideas in 1998.

A Constitutional Solution to Runaway Federal Spending

Mario Loyola

The protections for individual freedom in the Constitution of the United States have been significantly weakened since the 1930s. Through periods of GOP as well Democratic majorities, the federal government’s authority has increased at the expense of the states and the people. During this time, the federal courts have abdicated their role as guardians of the constraints on federal power, eliminating a vital check-and-balance of our Constitution.

Obamacare for CT to Bust Budget

Marc Kilmer

In 2009, the Connecticut General Assembly overrode a veto by Governor Jodi Rell and passed an ambitious health care proposal called SustiNet. The dramatic final vote came after a years long campaign funded by tens of millions of dollars by the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut. The bill created a state commission to develop a plan to expand government health care and report back to the legislature in 2011.

Games Legislators Play: Tricks, gimmicks, and fuzzy accounting in the 2011-2012 budget

SCPC
  • Using money that’s only available for one year to fund ongoing functions of government

    Legislators are taking $150 million from various earmarked/restricted funds to pay for ongoing obligations at the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services (Medicaid).

  • Using millions in “anticipated” revenue to fund pet projects

Research & Commentary: Carbon Dioxide Restrictions Will Devastate Environmental Treasures

James M. Taylor, J.D.
James Taylor

Forcing nationwide cuts in carbon dioxide emissions offers only speculative environmental benefits, if any, as a switch to wind and solar power will certainly cause environmental degradation.

An Unsustainable Path: The Past and Future of Kentucky Medicaid Spending

John Garen

John Garen, professor in economics at the University of Kentucky and adjunct scholar at the Bluegrass Institute, writes an extensive study on the expansion of Medicaid in his state.

Policymakers Weighing Tax Changes Would Benefit From Dynamic Analysis

(October 12, 2009) State revenues from a 2008 severance tax hike are short of the official estimate due to deflation in the natural gas market. But a 30 percent cut in the state capital gains tax in 19991 led to revenues greater than the estimate due to increased economic activity.

Both episodes—a decade apart—underscore that policymakers weighing tax proposals would benefit from dynamic analysis, an attempt to measure the full effect of fiscal policy on revenue estimates.