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May 19, 2013

Top Story

Lessons for Gov. Brown’s California School Finance Plan

The governor's education reforms are good steps, but need to go further

Lisa Snell

Democratic lawmakers in Colorado just approved the first major overhaul of that state’s school finance system in 20 years. Colorado is moving to a more equitable and transparent funding system with strong accountability provisions that offer valuable lessons to California lawmakers.

Gov. Brown’s recently proposed “Local Control Funding Formula” would simplify school finance, offer school districts flexibility over more than 50 previously restricted funding streams, and provide more resources for disadvantaged students. Gov. Brown deserves credit — the proposal is a very good start. It is simpler, fairer, and more transparent than the state’s current haphazard school finance system.

Yet, there are serious issues the governor’s plan fails to address, including inequities at schools within the same district and a lack of transparent reporting of funding allocations at the school level.

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President Obama's Recycled Transportation Proposals

Here's how the president could ensure funding for infrastructure

Robert Poole

President Barack Obama’s transportation budget proposal for fiscal 2014 is basically the same old thing yet again. Replacing the Highway Trust Fund with a much larger Transportation Trust Fund, launching a National Infrastructure Bank, and jump-starting transportation spending with a one-time $50 billion stimulus have all been proposed several times before.

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Surface Transportation Newsletter #115

Access to jobs via auto, Inside the transit "black box," and More

Robert Poole

In this issue:

Access to jobs via auto
Inside the transit "black box"
Separating managed lanes from GP lanes
Will Congress address WRDA's problems?
Major toll projects proliferate
News Notes
Quotable Quotes

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Innovators in Action 2013

How governments and agencies are using market-based policies to improve services, become more efficient and reduce costs

Leonard Gilroy

Edited by Reason Foundation's Leonard Gilroy and Harris Kenny, the Innovators in Action 2013 series profiles a range of innovators who have demonstrated leadership through action on privatization, competition, government re-invention and other market-based policy reforms designed to reduce the costs of government and deliver more value to taxpayers. Innovator interviews or self-penned articles will be added on a monthly basis throughout the year, so be sure to check back frequently for new content.

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Airport Policy and Security News #90

Fixing London's airport mess, TSA expanding trusted traveler, and more

Robert Poole

In this issue:

Fixing London's airport mess
TSA expanding trusted traveler
President responds on airport PFCs
Miami planning Airport City PPP
Gary Airport PPP proposed
Will Charlotte convert to an airport authority?
Upcoming Conference
News Notes
Quotable Quote

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Annual Privatization Report 2013

Privatization trends in local, state and federal government, plus roads, highways, aviation, education, telecom and more

Leonard Gilroy, Harris Kenny

Now in its 26th year of publication, Reason Foundation's Annual Privatization Report is the world's longest running and most comprehensive report on privatization news, developments and trends.

Annual Privatization Report 2013 (APR 2013) details the latest on privatization and government reform initiatives at all levels of government. The individual sections, which will be released in the weeks ahead, include:

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The Future of Private Spaceflight

On Thursday, May 16, XCOR's Chief Test Engineer Doug Jones and Reason Senior Editor Brian Doherty will sit down at Reason.tv's Los Angeles studios to discuss the future of private spaceflight - and why California may no longer be the launch pad for the final frontier. You are cordially invited to join us in the studio as well as for a post-taping lunch immediately afterwards.

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Lunch with John Hasnas at Reason: 5/22

In public policy, bureaucrats often point to "market failure" as the justification for government regulation. But is there a legal justification for this argument?

You are cordially invited to a Reason.tv taping with Georgetown University's John Hasnas, who will discuss the superiority of free markets over government regulation.