In the first five months of 2018, the rate of nonfarm private sector job growth in the ten most-populous low-tax states doubled that of their five high-tax counterparts. This is a strong departure from the job growth seen in 2016 and 2017 where there was no appreciable difference in the rate of employment growth among...
In the Trump administration’s response to the lawsuit brought by Texas and the Texas Public Policy Foundation challenging the current constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Department of Justice agreed that several key portions of the ACA were unconstitutional. Immediately, several commentators reported that the Justice Department’s failure to defend the law in...
There’s a small but growing movement nationwide for a government-imposed carbon tax. Advocates argue for rationing the use of fossil fuels by setting a price on carbon dioxide emissions, which would give Americans a financial incentive to switch over to renewable energy sources like wind and solar. But these arguments are based on flawed assumptions...
In 2012, the five conservative justices on the United States Supreme Court (including Chief justice John Roberts) held that key portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exceeded Congress’s constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause. But, Chief Justice Roberts then joined the four liberal justices on the Court in upholding the ACA as a tax...
Many Austinites are struggling with affordability right now, but there’s at least one person who’s not—the Austin city manager. In addition to his $325,000 base salary, $7,200 annual executive allowance, and other health and retirement benefits, the city manager is also the beneficiary of a very generous $4,500 per month housing allowance. If you’re curious...
Is the City of Austin prepared to use a boatload of taxpayer money to turn the old Seaholm facility into a multifunctional meeting space for concerts, food trucks, docking, and other activities? It certainly appears so. The Austin American-Statesman recently reported that the Austin Parks Foundation, a nonprofit that regularly receives grants through the City’s...
The City of Fort Worth had its bond rating recently downgraded by S&P Global Ratings who cited “the city’s rising pension liabilities and pension contributions below actuarially determined levels.” More specifically, S&P expressed concern over the Ft. Worth Employees’ Retirement Fund’s 42.4 percent funded ratio and its $3.1 billion unfunded liability. S&P’s recent action comes...
The FIRST STEP Act (H.R. 5682) was passed by the House of Representatives on May 22, and the Senate is expected to consider the bill in the coming weeks. The bill incentivizes participation in rehabilitation programs with the opportunity to gain “earned time” credits. These credits allow reformed offenders to spend pre-release custody time in halfway houses...
Americans agree on one thing: health care costs too much, both individually and to our nation. In 1960, the average U.S. health care cost per person was $146. As a nation, we expended $27.2 billion, which represented 5 percent of GDP. Fast forward to 2016 when average per capita spending on health care was $10,348, an increase...
In the [Louisiana] Legislature’s last session, House Bill 249 passed that allows judges to waive or provide alternatives to some fines and fees if payment would cause financial hardship. This bill prevents taxpayers from footing the cost of jailing people simply because they couldn’t pay. After negotiations this year, that bill likely won’t be implemented...
As an economic engine for the country, Texas attracts not only businesses and migrants, but also visitors from everywhere. In 2016, Texas welcomed 266 million visitors who generated more than $69 billion in direct travel spending. Many visitors come to enjoy the state’s pristine landscapes, historical landmarks, delicious food and vibrant music scene. Visitors also...
California Democrats have drafted a bill to bar Internet service providers (ISPs) such as Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon from playing favorites with online content. Mirroring the 2015 net neutrality rule enacted under President Obama’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC), SB 822 was introduced in January, passed through three committees on strict party line votes with the unanimous support...