December 8, 2023
Week in Review: December 8, 2023
The Buckeye Institute urged lawmakers in testimony before Ohio’s General Assembly to reform higher education to address some of the problems plaguing Ohio’s higher education system, including reaffirming a commitment to free and open intellectual inquiry, independent thought, and viewpoint diversity.
Empire Center released a report, Boarded: The Teachers’ Union Takeover of NY Schools, which revealed that more than half of the 343 board members from 45 of New York’s largest school districts were elected after seeking and receiving support from the local affiliate of the statewide teachers’ union.
Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Kyle Wingfield addressed the Georgia Joint Tax Credit Review Panel, calling the current moment a ‘once in a lifetime’ for significant tax reforms that will return money to taxpayers and strengthen Georgia’s standing as the best state in the nation for business.
John Locke Foundation announced that they welcomed Jessica Thompson as their new Director of Government Affairs and General Counsel. Locke’s CEO, Donald Bryson, calls the hire “a major win” for the organization and the state. Locke also released a new episode of Policy Pizza where they interviewed Taylor Dawson while at SPN’s 2023 Annual Meeting.
Liberty Justice Center’s Buck Dougherty appeared on the Liberty Watch Podcast to discuss executive overreach, including LJC’s work to defend free speech in Hart v. Facebook.
Institute for Reforming Government released a new report containing insight on college-educated women’s policy concerns and priorities gleaned from three focus groups and a comprehensive survey of college-educated women in suburban Milwaukee counties.
Mississippi Center for Public Policy released a report showing why the state constitution is not a barrier to an Education Freedom Account program. The Center sent the report to every member of the state legislature to pre-empt criticism of education freedom as unconstitutional.
Mountain States Policy Center released a report on college enrollment that shows dramatic declines in student enrollment at public universities and colleges in Washington state, consistent declines at higher education institutions (as a whole) in Montana, and stagnation at those in Idaho.
Show-Me Institute hosted a virtual Town Hall outlining the 2024 Blueprint for Missouri, which explores 16 policy areas in which common-sense reform could immediately and positively impact everyday life for Missourians.
Sutherland Institute released an easily-accessible article containing a definition of amicus briefs and showed how these briefs can impact court cases.
Texas Public Policy Foundation released a new study that compares property tax levy growth with population and inflation increases in Texas’ most populous cities, counties, and school districts. This study found concerning fiscal trends prevalent throughout these communities. The Foundation also announced that registration for their 2024 Texas Policy Summit is now open.
Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty released a statement in support of Act 10, critical collective bargaining reforms that were put in place by Governor Scott Walker in 2011, and called on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reverse its recent policy change regarding the classification of Christmas trees. DNR decided to re-classify Christmas trees from “household decorations” to “yard waste,” therefore further regulating where they may be disposed.
The Buckeye Institute charged a government union with wage theft in Littlejohn v. AFSCME. Filed on behalf of Necole Littlejohn, a hospital employee with the city of Cincinnati, the case argues that taking money from the paychecks of a worker who has quit the union is illegal under Ohio contract law.
Freedom Foundation filed a complaint on behalf of Wendy Baker, an interpreter and translator for the Stockton (Calif.) Unified School District who filed a lawsuit against the California School Employees Association for continuing to deduct union dues after repeated notices to the union that she was utilizing her First Amendment right to freely opt out of union membership and dues.
Louisiana: Dr. Holly Boffy, President of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, announced that she is withdrawing an emergency rule that would have unlawfully created a graduation appeals process for students who fail to meet required state educational standards to receive a high school diploma. Dr. Boffy’s decision follows a notice sent by the Pelican Center for Justice that it would file a complaint against her for exceeding her authority under state law (Pelican Institute).
Tennessee: Thanks to a federal court order obtained by the Liberty Justice Center, the public and press will have access to the Tennessee Judicial Conference’s next quarterly meeting, which will be livestreamed at 9am on December 8th. A recent article by the Center Square publicized the upcoming event, highlighting LJC’s win for right of access in McCaleb v. Long.
The Buckeye Institute highlighted how Ohio can open more doors to opportunity by eliminating and reducing the occupational licensing requirements as proposed in the Buckeye-inspired House Bill 238, and Buckeye also recommended in a new policy memo that Ohio adopt an easy-to-use online database that shows all tax levies that apply to individual parcels of property. The tool will help citizens better understand what their local governments cost so they can make better, more informed decisions the next time a levy appears on the ballot.
Cardinal Institute’s Jacob McCoy penned a brief examining the problem of “benefits cliffs”, where it doesn’t make financial sense to work.
Cascade Policy Institute’s John A. Charles, Jr., wrote a brief by way of an email to the Portland Metro Council in which he presents policy solutions for tolling, the council’s High Capacity Transit Plan, and reduction goals.
Center of the American Experiment’s Peter Nelson released a new policy briefing which shows Minnesota healthcare premiums will remain among the lowest in the nation, largely due to the state’s reinsurance program, first implemented in 2018.
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii’s Keli’i Akina issued a brief examining the latest policy proposals for finding housing for Maui fire victims from Gov. Josh Green and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen.
John Locke Foundation’s Dr. Robert Luebke took a closer look into the impact of the pandemic on North Carolina’s eighth-grade mathematics performance, highlighting the challenges and trends in learning loss, while Bethany Torstenson discussed results from the latest Civitas Poll, demonstrating that North Carolinians highly value transparency and accountability in government.
Mountain States Policy Center’s Jason Mercier released a brief showing how a taxpayer receipt would help provide a snapshot of government spending and wrote a brief reminding of the importance of open government laws, illustrated by two shocking stories from Washington and Idaho.
Pioneer Institute’s Eileen MnAnneny released a brief examining the resources and challenges facing the Massachusetts workforce
South Carolina Policy Council’s Bryce Fiedler wrote a brief highlighting the need for more transparency when it comes to using taxpayer-funded incentives to recruit companies and how this can be achieved through practical measures.
Florida: The largest teachers union in the state may face decertification under a Florida law passed in May. If a union is decertified, the recertification process would allow most union members to have a direct say in who their representative is for the first time (Americans for Fair Treatment).
Georgia: A Senate Study Committee on Certificate of Need (CON) Reform in Georgia confirmed that the original issue the CON laws were meant to address no longer exists and strongly recommends a full repeal of Georgia’s CON laws (Georgia Public Policy Foundation). More good news from the state – Governor Brian Kemp noted he wants to accelerate a planned tax reform.
Tennessee: Governor Bill Lee announced his plan to expand Education Savings Accounts in the Volunteer State. Under the Governor’s plan, each participating student would have access to $7,000 to be used for education expenses, including private school or home school during the 2024-25 year (Mountain States Policy Center).
Topics:
About Those Teacher Shortages We’ve Heard About
Bluegrass Institute
Temecula Teachers Want Education, Not Indoctrination
California Policy Center
2022-23 School Pay Records Added to SeeThroughNY
Empire Center
Focus on Testing Over Student Need Drives Veteran Teacher Out of the Public School Classroom
Empower Mississippi
Kansas in Bottom Half of Country for Education Freedom
Kansas Policy Institute
The Utah Fits All Scholarship Won’t Destroy Public Schools
Libertas Institute
Michigan’s School Funding Amendment Is a Harmful Relic
Mackinac Center
Program Makes Oklahoma National Education Leader
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
A Success Story: Using Junior Achievement in Home-School Co-Ops
Sutherland Institute
Oil & Gas Industry Needs STEM Students: Texas Education Regulator Does Right by Texas Textbooks
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Thirty-Six Percent of U.S. Students Now Eligible for School Choice
Washington Policy Center
Let Consumer Choice Drive the Shape of the Auto Market
Mackinac Center
OU Study: Native American Population Growth Raises Climate-Change Risk
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Sorry, Urbanists, But Bicycles Will Never Save the Planet
Pacific Research Institute
RGF takes on EV mandates on “The Overton Window” podcast
Rio Grande Foundation
Bundle Up for Coal-Killer John Kerry’s Cold, Dark Winter
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Enjoy Low Health Care Premiums While You Can, Minnesota
Center of the American Experiment
Despite Lingering Shortages, New York’s Health-Care Workforce Is Bigger Than Ever
Empire Center
A 2024 Healthcare Reform Agenda for Achieving Affordable, Accessible, High-Quality Care
Pacific Research Institute
WA Cares Is a Lump of Coal in Workers’ Stockings
Washington Policy Center
Just the Facts: Property Taxes, 3rd edition
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Transit Taxes and Unaffordable Housing
Washington Policy Center
A Small Business Owner’s Experience Navigating Red Tape in Minnesota
Center of the American Experiment
Research Finds that Occupational Licensing Laws Depress Wages for Other Workers
Center of the American Experiment
Time to Redraw Our Economic Future
Georgia Public Policy Foundation
Great Lakes Tunnel a Case Study in Why It Is So Expensive to Build in the United States
Mackinac Center
Swimply Fight Highlights Hurdles Facing Innovators
Nevada Policy
The Massachusetts Workforce: Abundant Resources, Steep Challenges
Pioneer Institute
Renton City Council Votes Not to Raise the Minimum Wage to $19, Instead Sends It to the Voters
Washington Policy Center
We Told You So: One Year after Forecast of $18 Billion Budget Surplus, State Forecasts Deficit of $2.3 Billion
Center of the American Experiment
Voters Reject $140 Million Fargodome Expansion
Center of the American Experiment
The Wacky Math of New York’s Essential Plan
Empire Center
High Taxes Aren’t a Problem, Supporters of High Taxes Say
Empire Center
Local Governments to Fund Basic Income Programs
Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation
Responsible Budgeting and Spending Comparisons in Louisiana
Pelican Institute for Public Policy
Portland Teachers Union Reached Tentative Deal
Americans for Fair Treatment
Lavish Spending Exposes Unions’ True Priorities
Freedom Foundation
The Newsom-DeSantis Debate Was Over Before It Started
California Policy Center
In The Center Square, Americans for Fair Treatment’s Elisabeth Messenger and Andrew Holman tracked the mismanagement of union funds meant to cover healthcare costs for its members.
In The Center Square, the California Policy Center‘s Will Swaim argues the Newsom v. DeSantis debate was over before it started.
In the Daily State News, the Cesar Rodney Institute’s Charlie Copeland questions if Delaware is attracting families or just retirees.
In The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Commonwealth Foundation’s Jennifer Stefano posits that holiday shopping is a moral good.
At National Review, the Foundation for Government Accountability‘s Scott Centorino highlights the significant crime in New Orleans and the problems with DA Jason Williams.
In his recent column, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation‘s Kyle Wingfield notes state legislators could redraw Georgia’s economic future.
In The American Spectator, the Independent Institute’s Vicki Alger points out that Florida’s parents won the Newsom-DeSantis debate.
At RealClearHistory, the John Locke Foundation‘s Donald Bryson published a remembrance of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In The Salt Lake Tribune, the Libertas Institute‘s Jon England notes the Utah Fits All Scholarship won’t destroy public schools.
In the Washington Examiner, the Pacific Research Institute‘s Sally Pipes highlights the striking admission of Obamacare’s flaws by one of the nation’s leading progressives.
In the Las Cruces Sun-News, the Rio Grande Foundation‘s Paul Gessing notes the Environmental Improvement Board rule is unsustainable.
In The Center Square, the South Carolina Policy Council’s Bryce Fiedler explains how a poor legal climate in the Palmetto State is putting future jobs and investment at risk.
At Fox News Online, the Texas Public Policy Foundation‘s Chuck DeVore highlights a new legislative effort in Texas to address illegal immigration.
In The Federalist, the Texas Public Policy Foundation‘s Chuck DeVore highlights the problems with Biden’s war on American coal.
In The Federalist, the Texas Public Policy Foundation‘s Josh Findlay points out Pennsylvania counties statewide should follow Bucks County’s lead in addressing voting procedures before the upcoming presidential election.
In his recent column, John Hood considers how to tackle the national debt.
