budget-tax-news
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Reporters Uncover Lawmakers’ New Jersey Wireless Tax Rip-Off
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The New Jersey state government has been misusing revenue from a government fund intended to pay for maintenance and improvement of emergency services, according to an investigation by local newspaper reporters. -
FDA Proposes ‘Voluntary’ Salt Restrictions for Food Production
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is accepting comments on proposed official guidelines intended to encourage restaurants to reduce the amount of salt used in food preparation. -
Kentucky Lawmaker Files Constitutional Sovereignty Bill
Opinion -budget-tax-news -A Kentucky state lawmaker is proposing a bill prohibiting state government agencies and judges from applying other nations’ laws in government actions and judicial decisions if those laws conflict with U.S. constitutional protections. -
Wisconsin Gov. Walker Proposes More Road Funding for Cities
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) is proposing to increase state funding for local road construction projects in 2017. -
Internet Management Council Freed from Government Control
Opinion -budget-tax-news -An international nonprofit organization responsible for technical maintenance of internet protocols convened in November, holding its first meeting after gaining independence from U.S. government control in October. -
Colorado Voters Snuff Out Huge Tobacco Tax Hike
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Colorado voters rejected a proposition on the November 2016 ballot asking for a massive tax increase on cigarettes sold in the state. -
Making the Case for Ending the Government’s Central Bank
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Very few people fully understand the role of the Federal Reserve, an independent federal government agency created in 1913 to establish and administer a national central banking system in the United States. -
Ohio Lawmaker Proposes New Restrictions on Fantasy Sports
Opinion -budget-tax-news -An Ohio lawmaker is proposing a bill to restrict daily fantasy sports (DFS) by expanding state regulators’ authority to control the business practices of websites facilitating online DFS competitions. -
Arkansas Gov. Hutchinson Announces Tax Relief Plans
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) announced a plan to expand tax relief to more taxpayers, as lawmakers begin work on the state government’s annual budget -
Nebraska Lawmaker Tries Again for Amendments Convention Resolution
Opinion -budget-tax-news -A Nebraska lawmaker is planning to reintroduce a resolution calling for a national amendments convention to draft and enact a balanced budget amendment prohibiting the federal government from spending more money than it takes from taxpayers. -
Missouri Legislator Plans to Offer Right-to-Work Bill
Opinion -budget-tax-news -A Missouri state legislator is planning to introduce a bill allowing workers to opt out of union membership, removing requirements that workers join a union as a condition of employment. -
County Lawmakers Approve E-Cigarette Ban in Washington State
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Lawmakers in Whatcom County, Washington voted to prohibit e-cigarette use on all government-owned property in the county, as well as in privately owned businesses, such as bars, workplaces, and restaurants. -
Couple Challenges Arizona’s Civil-Asset Forfeiture Laws
Opinion -budget-tax-news -A Washington State couple is suing a county government in Arizona for initially refusing to return their property because of alleged paperwork errors. -
Oklahoma Supreme Court Okays Pension Reform Law
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The Oklahoma Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s ruling deciding a law giving thousands of new state government employees defined-contribution (DC) instead of defined-benefit pension (DB) plans was appropriately passed by lawmakers. -
Baltimore Lawmakers Reject Proposed Airbnb Tax
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The Baltimore, Maryland City Council rejected a proposed tax on consumers using Airbnb, a peer-to-peer economy business, and other “homesharing” companies. -
California City Lawmakers Consider New ‘Netflix Taxes’
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Lawmakers in numerous California cities are considering extending taxes on cable television service to include online streaming video services, such as Netflix. -
Right-to-Work on the Agenda for Kentucky Gov. Bevin
Opinion -budget-tax-news -At a speech in Bowling Green, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) announced plans to work with lawmakers to pass right-to-work legislation during the 2017 legislative session, after neighboring West Virginia enacted a right-to-work law in 2016. -
Federal Judges Dismiss Chicago Taxicab Owners’ Lawsuit
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Federal judges rejected an appeal filed by Chicago taxicab companies claiming the city government was violating the companies’ constitutional rights by not applying taxicab regulations to peer-to-peer economy transportation network companies (TNCs). -
Nevada Gov. Sandoval Signs Vegas Sports Subsidy Tax Hike
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Nevada lawmakers approved a tax hike passed to finance taxpayer subsidies for a proposed football stadium in Las Vegas. -
New Jersey Court Ruling Halts City’s Eminent Domain Plans
Opinion -budget-tax-news -An Atlantic City resident’s fight against the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority’s plan to seize his property and resell it, for undisclosed private purposes has ended in victory, after a state judge ruled against the state agency. -
‘Ghost Pension’ Recipients Haunt Illinois Taxpayers
Opinion -budget-tax-news -An Illinois lawyer’s blog post says government employees receiving pay through taxpayer-funded pension plans at rates exceeding personal contributions towards benefits are draining the state’s pension programs. -
Michigan Lawmaker Proposes ‘Workers’ Choice’ Labor Reform Bill
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Michigan lawmakers are considering removing restrictions preventing government employees from representing themselves in negotiations with their employers, freeing labor unions from the responsibility of providing services to individuals. -
Massachusetts State Agency Begins Implementing New Taxi Subsidy Law
Opinion -budget-tax-news -With Massachusetts lawmakers having passed a last-minute bill taxing Uber and other sharing-economy transportation companies to help subsidize taxicab companies, a state government agency is implementing the subsidy process. -
Maryland Lawmakers Call ‘Time Out’ on Fantasy Sports Gaming Regulations
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Maryland lawmakers are questioning proposed new restrictions on how consumers can play fantasy football and other online fantasy sports games.