Spence Purnell
Policy Analyst, Reason Foundation
Spence Purnell is a policy analyst at the Reason Foundation, where he works on pension reform, Florida policy issues and economic development.
Prior to joining Reason, Spence worked as director of business development at Florida startup Dealers United and as an analyst for the state of Florida's Executive Office of the Governor (Florida Gubernatorial Fellowship).
Spence graduated from Stetson University with a bachelors degree in political science and is working on an MPA at Florida State, where his research has focused on database infrastructure and analytics, economic development, and policy evaluation methods.
Purnell is based in Florida.
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California’s Proposition 58: Non-English Languages Allowed in Public Education
A flexible but accountable approach, as Prop 58 provides, is what is needed.
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California’s Proposition 57: Parole for Non-Violent Criminals and Juvenile Court Trial Requirements
Prop 57 takes a sensible approach to dealing with overcrowding in California prisons and avoiding court-ordered releases of prisoners, but makes a crucial error in not defining the specific offenses it would address.
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California’s Proposition 56: Cigarette Tax to Fund Health Care, Tobacco Use Prevention, Research, and Law Enforcement
Prop 56 will discourage one of the most effective means of reducing the harm of smoking.
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California’s Proposition 54: Legislature. Legislation and Proceedings. AKA Public Display of Legislative Bills Prior to Vote.
The fact that hundreds of local governments and many other states post bills online before votes and make video of all their proceedings available show how easy and sensible it is.
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California’s Proposition 53: Revenue Bonds. Infrastructure Projects. State Legislature and Voter Approval.
If the state’s credit is being used to fund a local project it is not absurd that all state voters should approve that use of their collective debt.
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California’s Proposition 52: State Fees on Hospitals. Federal Medi-Cal Matching Funds.
There should be legislative scrutiny of the use of all public funds, including for health care.
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California’s Proposition 51: School Bonds. Funding for K-12 School and Community College Facilities.
The bond would ultimately cost $17.6 billion to the state, accruing $8.6 billion in interest over the life of the bond.
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California’s Proposition 55: Tax Extension to Fund Education and Health Care
This measure will deal a damaging blow to the California economy and freelance workers in particular.