Policy Briefs
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Fines and fees: Consequences and opportunities for reform
The use of fines and fees to directly fund courts, law enforcement agencies, or other government activities can result in undesirable conflicts of interest.
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Public education funding without boundaries: How to get K-12 dollars to follow open enrollment students
How to ensure state and local education funds flow seamlessly across district boundaries.
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Freight rail deregulation: Past experience and future reforms
Advancing the public interest demands that regulators consider the unique characteristics of the industry in question and its role in the broader economy over the long-run.
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How text message reminders can help reduce technical parole and probation violations
This report's findings suggest that sending text message reminders for scheduled appointments could reduce canceled and missed parole and probation appointments by as much as 21% and 29%, respectively.
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How state reforms changed federal enforcement of marijuana prohibition
While formal federal marijuana law has persisted unchanged amid state-level reforms, federal marijuana enforcement on the ground has changed dramatically.
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How drug decriminalization affects policing
With the diminished capacity and incentive to pursue drug possession arrests, police can redirect resources toward crimes with victims, crime prevention, and public safety.
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Best practices for pension debt amortization
Amortization policy is at the core of the successful elimination of pension debt.
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Best practices in hybrid retirement plan design
The recent shift toward offering hybrid plans to newly hired government employees suggests that governmental employers may be changing their perceptions of the balance of financial risk between employees and employers.
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Modernizing the passenger facility charge to improve aviation
Modernizing the passenger facility charge would improve airports and increase airline competition.
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The impact of cash flow on public pensions
This policy brief uses the Montana Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) as a case study to illustrate the principles and importance of conducting a cash flow analysis of public pension plans.
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How to reform the FDA
Reimagining pharmaceutical regulation, so it better serves society’s needs by encouraging widespread availability of life-saving drugs at lower prices.
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Best practices for cost-of-living adjustment designs in public pension systems
Striking the proper balance between cost, risk, and benefits in a way that works for both employees and employers.
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Converting high occupancy vehicle lanes to high occupancy toll lanes or express toll lanes
This brief examines why and how high-occupancy vehicle lanes are converted, how much the conversions cost, and how high-occupancy toll and express toll lanes have performed.
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How Washington state can transition from the gas tax to road usage charges
This brief suggests a policy framework for developing a road usage charge program in Washington and an implementation order that builds on systems already in place on the state’s major highways.
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Replacing Michigan’s gas tax with mileage-based user fees
A transition from per-gallon fuel taxes to a mileage-based user fee system should be considered as a strategy to ensure adequate road funding for Michigan’s future.
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Examining the causes of induced demand and the future of highway expansion
The most effective method for reducing induced demand is to implement pricing on highways.
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K-12 funding in Tennessee: A student-centered approach
By adopting a student-centered funding model, Tennessee would replace the state's outdated education finance system that lacks transparency and local control.
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