Opinion
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Mo. Bill Would End Telecom Tax Lawsuits
Opinion -A bill that would put an end to a pending class-action lawsuit by municipalities against telecommunications companies has been introduced in the Missouri legislature. The untitled S.B. 209, introduced by state Sen. -
Ill. Governor Seeks Record Tax Increase
Opinion -Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) has proposed the largest tax increase in the state's history as part of a plan to raise nearly $33 billion in new revenues. The state's total budgeted spending for the current fiscal year (ending June 30) is $56 billion. -
New Mexico Lawmakers Push for Spending Limits
Opinion -Tax and spending limits lost at the ballot box last November in several states, but a new effort to limit spending has popped up in New Mexico. State Sen. Kent Cravens (R-Albuquerque) and state Rep. -
Battle Brews in Washn. Over NASCAR, NBA Sonics Requests for $500 Million
Opinion -Washington State officials are sharply divided over two proposals that would use tax dollars to subsidize a NASCAR race track and a basketball arena for the Seattle Supersonics of the National Basketball Association. -
Teachers Are Highly Paid, Survey Shows
Opinion -A study released in January 2007 by the Manhattan Institute found the average public school teacher is paid 36 percent more than the average white-collar worker in the same metro area and works an average of three hours less a week, at 36.5 hours. -
Democrats Support Less-Expensive Alternative
Opinion -While the California Farm Bureau Federation has yet to take a position on California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) proposal to have citizens fund a $4 billion dam product, Democratic legislators strongly oppose the plan. -
Senator Challenges Media to Report Objectively
Opinion -Global warming alarmism is unsupported by the weight of scientific evidence, and proposals by environmental activists to impose a drastic global warming prevention program are unwarranted, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), chairman of the U.S. -
‘Precautionary Principle’ Triggers EU Atrazine Ban
Opinion -Since 1979, the European Union (EU) has enforced a safety standard of .01 ppb for all pesticides, even if here have been favorable safety reviews as was the case with atrazine. -
Commentary: School Reform Must Foster Competition
Opinion -If nothing else, the U.S. Department of Education proved earlier this year it can collect and report telling statistics about the condition of K-12 schooling. -
Analyzing Snowe-Dorgan: What ‘Network Neutrality’ Would Legislate
Opinion -The latest example of network neutrality legislation can be found in a draft bill sponsored by Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND), which was introduced in the current session of Congress on January 9. -
Arizona Voucher Foes Try Again
Opinion -In another round of legal battles over Arizona's newest school choice legislation, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and several other organizations and individuals filed a lawsuit in trial court on February 20, alleging the two new voucher -
Biotech to Ease Ethanol-Related Corn Shortage
Opinion -Biotechnology will play a key role in boosting corn production to meet the growing demand for ethanol fuel stock, two former presidents of the National Corn Growers Association told Hawaii state legislators and various farmers' groups during a week-long -
Brief Glossary of IT Terms
Opinion -What do they mean when they say "Open?" The language of IT is confusing even for veterans of the industry. Definitions can vary depending on who one talks to. -
Climate Realists Beat Alarmists in New York Debate
Opinion -Claims by global warming alarmists that "the debate is over" took a significant hit on March 14 when an audience at a prestigious New York debating society declared three prominent climate realists the winners in a debate on climate change science -
Colorado Divided Over Systematic Education Reforms
Opinion -Democratic Party leaders in Colorado are proposing an overhaul of the state's education system, but the national report that stirred the discussion has evoked significant skepticism. -
Conn. Governor Seeks Higher Taxes on Income, Cigarettes
Opinion -Less than three months after she was elected last November on promises to lower taxes, Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R) proposed a $3.4 billion hike in the state's income tax and a hike in taxes on cigarettes. -
D.C. Mayor Advocates School Restructuring
Opinion -Adrian Fenty, the newly elected mayor of the District of Columbia, is the latest city leader to propose a dramatic governance overhaul of Washington's struggling public school system. -
Detroit Mayor Mulls Expanding School Options
Opinion -Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's (D) State of the City address in March provided hope that he may soon expand support for several types of schools in addition to government-run schools. -
Franchise Reform Bills Snowball in the States
Opinion -The Missouri General Assembly has overwhelmingly passed legislation that would allow statewide franchising for cable TV competitors. -
Georgia Speaker Is Considering State Tax Overhaul
Opinion -Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) has hired economist Arthur Laffer, known as the father of supply-side economics, to develop tax solutions for the state. Laffer has proposed eliminating all taxes in Georgia except for "sin taxes," a 5. -
Gore Testifies Before Congress on Global Warming
Opinion -In testimony before the U.S. Congress on March 21, former vice president Al Gore asserted "there is no longer any serious debate over the basic points that make up the consensus on global warming." He advocated laws that would force U.S. -
Governors Press Bush for More Children’s Health Money
Opinion -Democrat and Republican governors alike want President George W. Bush to provide $745 million in additional funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). -
High Court to Decide Whether Union Rights Trump Personal Rights
Opinion -The U.S. Supreme Court is considering oral arguments in the consolidated cases of Washington v. Washington Education Association and Davenport v. WEA, which could have major implications for organized labor and the rights of workers nationwide. -
‘Income Inequality’ Claims Ring Hollow When Correctly Examined
Opinion -New York Times columnist David Brooks began a January 14, 2007 piece by saying, "Income inequality is on the rise." No fact or explanation was offered because this is something "everyone knows.