-
Texas Central shouldn’t get a $12 billion taxpayer-backed loan
The Houston-Dallas proposal has long been sold to the public as a privately financed high-speed rail system that doesn't need taxpayers' money.
-
The growing need to structurally address the national debt
As the national debt nears $29 trillion, the conversation about this problem needs to change.
-
Private equity investments continue to pose challenges for public pension plans
Ohio and Pennsylvania's teacher pension plans are paying high investment management fees for private equity assets that bring in lower investment returns than the rest of their portfolio.
-
Nevada to allow tourists to use legal marijuana in lounges but restrictive licensing problems remain
Nevada fixes unintended problems in cannabis law that made it difficult for adult tourists to buy and consume legal marijuana products.
-
Customers would benefit from fully legalizing direct-to-consumer shipping of alcohol
Competition helps raise the quality of products and services and helps keep prices low.
-
Environmental and social investing can put taxpayers and public pension funds at risk
Making the world a better place does not put money into a public pension fund struggling to meet its funding requirements, nor does it pay for the benefits or cost-of-living adjustments promised to retirees.
-
Disclosures reveal state and local governments haven’t spent federal rescue funds
These governments were allocated $172 billion of ARPA funds but had only spent $4.9 billion (2.9 percent) of the money by the July 31 cutoff date for the initial reporting period.
-
Suggested reforms for Pennsylvania’s Public School Employees’ Retirement System
The pension system's high investment fees and unrealistic investment return expectations are in need of reform.
-
Four reasons to reject a federal tobacco tax increase
The plan currently being considered in Congress would increase taxes on all tobacco and nicotine products.
-
As Congress considers more K-12 education spending, taxpayers need more transparency and accountability
As Congress considers pouring even more federal money into K-12 education, policymakers should guarantee that robust accountability structures to track federal education spending exist.
-
The important economic factors rarely mentioned in infrastructure debates
All large infrastructure projects should be vetted via a rigorous benefit/cost analysis.
-
California legislature was wise not to issue the remaining $4 billion of high-speed rail bonds
Without the bond proceeds, the California High-Speed Rail Authority will not be able to meet its intermediate objective of establishing service along 171 miles of electrified track between Merced and Bakersfield.
-
Congress considers tobacco tax increase
Cigarette taxes would double to more than $2 per pack under the House proposal.
-
Spending data show the U.S. has not been defunding public education
When looking at the data, the verdict is clear: nearly every American state has increased per-pupil revenues in the last two decades, often by substantial margins.
-
Benefit costs, not school choice programs, are the real drain on public education spending
Benefit costs, not school choice programs, are draining new funding from K-12 public schools.
-
Scammers take advantage of California community colleges’ inadequate cybersecurity measures
California’s community college system could identify and even thwart bots much more easily if the state implemented and followed a full cybersecurity plan.
-
New York City’s misguided automated vehicle rules
The new rule means automated vehicle developers would face legal uncertainty and may be deterred from testing their technologies in the city at all.
-
School choice programs aren’t draining public education funds
Spending on school choice programs pales in comparison to recent increases in employee and retiree benefit costs for education systems across the country.
