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Education
Plan promises to save state millions in education spending met with resistance from school leaders
Oklahoma gives half of the money it brings in directly to education, yet much of the growth in education has been in hiring excess administrative staff, rather than hiring more or higher-quality teachers, according to Research Fellow Heather Kays in a television interview following her testimony in the Oklahoma Senate. Kays states consolidating administrative staff can cut costs and prevent rural schools from closing. Read more
Telecom
Research & Commentary: Municipal Broadband in Connecticut
Municipal broadband systems remain a popular idea in many cities, despite their failing track record. Three cities in Connecticut – New Haven, West Hartford, and Stamford – have begun the process of establishing a new open-access, fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network. The goal of the project, according to its sponsors, is to create jobs by attracting new businesses and high-tech start-ups and take advantage of the state’s extensive fiber network. Matthew Glans argues in this Research & Commentary that keeping government-funded broadband providers out of the market while promoting competitive tax rates and business regulations helps create a vibrant market that encourages telecom companies to expand their services. Connecticut has developed a strong telecommunications system without government intervention, and local governments should spend their limited tax dollars on necessary services. Read more
Budget & Tax
Research & Commentary: Nevada Pension Reform
The fiscal health of Nevada’s pension system may be far worse than most people recognize. According to the Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI), if Nevada’s Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) were to use fair-market valuation, which is required for private sector plans, PERS’ funding ratio would fall from 70 percent to approximately 34 percent, with the pension plan’s reported unfunded liability increasing from roughly $10 billion to almost $41 billion. State Policy Solutions (SPS) found in a 2013 study that of all the nation’s government worker pension plans, Nevada has the ninth-highest unfunded liability per capita, at $17,568. In this Research & Commentary, Matthew Glans argues that to protect both taxpayers and public workers, Nevada should follow the private sector’s lead and start switching workers from defined-benefit pension systems to defined-contribution plans, such as 401(k)s. “Defined contribution gives workers direct control over retirement funds and enables them to change jobs without losing accrued pension benefits. It also allows governments to budget more accurately, because the benefits are a set amount of money each year.”Read more
Health Care
Research & Commentary: Certificate of Need Reform
Thirty-six states currently use certificate of need (CON) laws to slow the growth of health care prices, promote consolidation of health care providers, and limit duplication of services. States require CON commission approval for a wide range of expenditures, including the construction of new hospitals, purchase of major pieces of medical technology, or offering of new medical procedures. Unlike other licensing laws, CON laws generally are not based on quantifiable criteria such as experience or education. In this Research & Commentary, Matthew Glans argues that CON laws give inappropriate influence to competitors during the vetting process and that states should consider their repeal. “The primary goal of CON programs is to manage health care costs, yet critics find they have actually increased costs for consumers by hindering competition and forcing providers to use older facilities and equipment. State lawmakers should roll back these regulations.”Read more
Energy & Environment
Research & Commentary: Requiring Legislative Approval for Carbon Dioxide Regulations
Pennsylvania has passed a bipartisan bill requiring the General Assembly to approve any state implementation plan prior to its submission to EPA under the Clean Power Plan. Policy Analyst Taylor Smith says this will add much-needed democratic review to a process which so far has had none. Although the bill isn’t a cure-all, state legislators in other states should consider this important step toward countering the inevitable energy cost increases from EPA’s new carbon dioxide regulations. Read more
From Our Free-Market Friends
Business in America Illustrated
In the United States, we place a heavy tax burden on businesses. Our corporations face the highest national corporate tax rate and the most burdensome international tax rules in the developed world. The Tax Foundation’s “Business in America Illustrated” is a visual guide to business taxes in America. It discusses the vast array of business types and sizes, the sectors of the economy they serve, and the effects of taxes on U.S. businesses and the people who build, create, and maintain them. Read more
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