Publications

Research & Commentary: Pennsylvania Tax Reform Proposal

Published April 2, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s (D) $4.7 billion 2015–2016 budget represents a 16 percent increase in spending. The budget proposal would make several major changes to the tax code, including $2.
Research & Commentary: Indiana’s Common Construction Wage

Published April 1, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
The Indiana General Assembly is considering a proposal to end the state’s prevailing wage law, known in Indiana as the common construction wage (CCW).
Research & Commentary: Tax Reform in Mississippi

Published April 1, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
The Mississippi Legislature is considering three major tax proposals to lower or even eliminate the state’s income tax while reforming business taxes such as the state’s franchise tax.
- Health Care
Research & Commentary: Tennessee Certificate-of-Need Reform

Published March 31, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
Tennessee is one of 36 states with certificate-of-need (CON) laws. CON laws are intended to slow the growth of health care prices, promote consolidation of health care providers, and limit the duplication of services.
Research & Commentary: Pennsylvania Severance Tax

Published March 26, 2015

By Matthew Glans, Isaac Orr

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Research and Commentaries -
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) is proposing a $2.5 billion net tax increase as part of his 2015–16 budget. These tax hikes include a new 5 percent severance tax on natural gas, calculated on the value of gas at the wellhead plus 4.
- Environment & Energy
The Leaflet: New Fracking Regulations for States

Published March 26, 2015

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The Leaflet -
New Fracking Regulations for StatesIn the past week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that it is issuing newregulations on certain techniques of drilling for natural gas and oil- hydraulic fracturing, commonly called “fracking.
Research & Commentary: Rhode Island Welfare Reform

Published March 25, 2015

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Research and Commentaries -
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, implemented in 1996, ended the national entitlement to welfare for families with dependent children and created Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a block-grant program
Research & Commentary: Gov. Bentley’s Tax Hike Proposal

Published March 25, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
In an effort to combat what he claims is a $700 million budget shortfall, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) has proposed a series of tax increases designed to generate $541 million in new tax revenue.
Tip Sheet: Welfare Reform Policies

Published March 23, 2015

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Policy Tip Sheets -
Problem The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), implemented in 1996, ended the national entitlement to welfare for families with dependent children and created Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a
- Education
Research & Commentary: Wisconsin Higher Education Subsidies

Published March 23, 2015

By Taylor Smith

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Research and Commentaries -
Wisconsin has a $283 million budget deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30. That shortfall is expected to balloon to approximately $2 billion in 2015–17, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, which spurred Gov.
Research & Commentary: Massachusetts Welfare Reform

Published March 20, 2015

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Research and Commentaries -
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, implemented in 1996, ended the national entitlement to welfare for families with dependent children and created Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a block-grant program
2015 Welfare Reform Report Card Executive Summary

Published March 19, 2015

By Diane Bast, Matthew Glans, Gary MacDougal

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Policy Studies -
In the nearly two decades since the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 was signed into law, the nation has seen a major reduction in the number of welfare recipients.
2015 Welfare Reform Report Card

Published March 19, 2015

By Diane Bast, Matthew Glans, Gary MacDougal

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Most state governments can improve the effectiveness of their efforts to help those in poverty. This 50-state report card offers policymakers and the public a roadmap for how it can be done.
- Health Care
Research & Commentary: North Carolina Certificate of Need Reform

Published March 18, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
North Carolina is one of 36 states that have certificate of need (CON) laws. CON laws are intended to slow the growth of health care prices, promote consolidation of health care providers, and limit the duplication of services.
Research & Commentary: Governor LePage’s Tax Reform Plan for Maine

Published March 17, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
In January, Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) proposed a new tax reform plan that would move the state further toward his goal of eliminating the state income tax.
- Health Care
Research & Commentary: Virginia Certificate of Public Need

Published March 13, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
Virginia is one of 36 states that have certificate of need (CON) laws. CON laws are intended to slow the growth of health care prices, promote consolidation of health care providers, and limit the duplication of services.
- Health Care
The Leaflet: States Reconsider CON Laws

Published March 12, 2015

By Nathan Makla

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The Leaflet -
States Reconsider CON LawsCertificate of need (CON) laws were originally introduced to the United States in 1964 by New York State, and 36 states now have certificate of need laws that are meant to slow the growth of health care prices, promote
- Environment & Energy
Research & Commentary: Kansas Renewable Portfolio Standard

Published March 11, 2015

By Nathan Makla, Taylor Smith

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Research and Commentaries -
In 2009, then-Gov. Mark Parkinson (D) signed into law Kansas’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS), requiring at least 10 percent of electricity generation capacity in Kansas be from renewable sources.
- Health Care
Research & Commentary: Florida Certificate of Need Reform

Published March 10, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
Florida is one of 36 states that have certificate of need (CON) laws. CON laws are intended to slow the growth of health care prices, promote consolidation of health care providers, and limit the duplication of services.
- Health Care
Research & Commentary: South Carolina Certificate of Need

Published March 9, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
South Carolina is one of the 36 states that have certificate of need (CON) laws intended to slow the growth of health care prices, promote consolidation of health care providers, and limit duplication of services.
- Environment & Energy
The Leaflet: 2015, the Year of Energy Policy

Published March 6, 2015

By Nathan Makla

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The Leaflet -
2015, the Year of Energy PolicyEnergy is the lifeblood of the economy, not government, and it should determine what fuels consumers will use to heat their homes and power their automobiles.
- Environment & Energy
Research & Commentary: Illinois Low Carbon Portfolio Standard

Published March 6, 2015

By John Nothdurft

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Research and Commentaries -
Exelon has threatened to shut down three of its six Illinois nuclear power plants because they are unprofitable without government assistance.
- Health Care
Research & Commentary: Maine Certificate of Need Reform

Published March 6, 2015

By Matthew Glans

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Research and Commentaries -
Maine is one of 36 states that have certificate of need (CON) laws. CON laws are intended to slow the growth of health care prices, promote consolidation of health care providers, and limit the duplication of services.
- Education
Research & Commentary: West Virginia Common Core

Published March 5, 2015

By Taylor Smith

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Research and Commentaries -
West Virginia legislators are debating a proposal that would repeal the state’s implementation of Common Core State Standards, a set of requirements for what elementary and secondary school children should know in each grade in math and English.

Publications

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