Lawrence J. McQuillan
Business & Economics
Tort reform would spark lagging local economy
The Dow Jones industrial average has fallen more than 1,500 points since last year. Bear Stearns has gone belly up. Every week talking heads point to a different blue-chip company supposedly teetering on the brink of financial ruin. It seems as if things couldn’t get worse for Wall Street and ...
Business & Economics
Florida Offers Case Study In Worthy Legal Reform
Legal reform is needed across the country, especially given today’s sluggish economy and job market. Florida is a case study in its importance. When the Jeb Bush administration began in 1999, Florida’s legal climate was hurting the state’s economy. Spiraling litigation costs were quashing job creation, and lawsuit abuse was ...
Business & Economics
Regress assured
Regress assured I wholeheartedly agree with “The ‘nos’ have it: Session wasn’t one for the ages” (Our Views, June 1) excoriating Oklahoma’s Legislature for failing to pass lawsuit reform. Tort reform is an important issue for Oklahoma. The Pacific Research Institute’s 2008 U.S. Tort Liability Index, a study I co-authored, ...
Business & Economics
California lawmakers must help economy with tort reform
The United States saw 324,000 jobs disappear in the first five months of the year – more evidence of a shaky economy. The news will surely prompt legislation intended to bolster jobs with “temporary” government programs. But the best jobs program for California is not more spending we can’t afford. ...
Business & Economics
Burdening Foundations: Economic Costs of Assembly Bill 624
As California goes, so goes the nation. California is now leading the quest to impose new racial and gender reporting requirements on foundations as well as the charities that receive grants from them and the businesses that work with them. Such legislation will have national consequences as the framework is ...
Business & Economics
Good tort system a budget key
The deteriorating economy has pushed many state budgets into deficit, including Alabama’s, but the problem is not uniform. Indeed, a new study by the National Conference of State Legislatures examines the revenue and expenditure situation in the 50 U.S. states for the current fiscal year and next. Sixteen states face ...
Business & Economics
High (Tax) Times in California?
It is going to be a long hot summer in California’s capital as negotiations heat up over what Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in late April projected to be a $20.2 billion budget deficit for next fiscal year, starting July 1. Because a two-thirds majority is required to pass the budget, some ...
Business & Economics
Limiting lawsuit abuses lowers costs from litigation, creates jobs in long run
The nation is going through difficult economic times, which will prompt calls to “bolster jobs” with “temporary” government spending programs. The best long-term jobs program for America, however, is not more spending we can’t afford. If we want results, we need meaningful legal reform. University of California-Berkeley economist Lisa Kimmel ...
Agriculture
An effective stimulus package
The Department of Labor recently revealed that the economy lost 80,000 jobs in March. In response, politicians have cried out for more generous government bailouts and stimulus packages. But if our leaders were serious about stimulating the economy, they’d turn to something more unorthodox — meaningful tort reforms. Abuse of ...
Business & Economics
The case for the flat tax
In the April 17 editorial “Taxes done and mailed; let’s consider reforms,” The Bee says: “An ideal tax system would be flat overall, with progressive income taxes offsetting regressive property, sales and excise taxes. That way, each income group would pay a similar share of income in taxes.” Why go ...
Tort reform would spark lagging local economy
The Dow Jones industrial average has fallen more than 1,500 points since last year. Bear Stearns has gone belly up. Every week talking heads point to a different blue-chip company supposedly teetering on the brink of financial ruin. It seems as if things couldn’t get worse for Wall Street and ...
Florida Offers Case Study In Worthy Legal Reform
Legal reform is needed across the country, especially given today’s sluggish economy and job market. Florida is a case study in its importance. When the Jeb Bush administration began in 1999, Florida’s legal climate was hurting the state’s economy. Spiraling litigation costs were quashing job creation, and lawsuit abuse was ...
Regress assured
Regress assured I wholeheartedly agree with “The ‘nos’ have it: Session wasn’t one for the ages” (Our Views, June 1) excoriating Oklahoma’s Legislature for failing to pass lawsuit reform. Tort reform is an important issue for Oklahoma. The Pacific Research Institute’s 2008 U.S. Tort Liability Index, a study I co-authored, ...
California lawmakers must help economy with tort reform
The United States saw 324,000 jobs disappear in the first five months of the year – more evidence of a shaky economy. The news will surely prompt legislation intended to bolster jobs with “temporary” government programs. But the best jobs program for California is not more spending we can’t afford. ...
Burdening Foundations: Economic Costs of Assembly Bill 624
As California goes, so goes the nation. California is now leading the quest to impose new racial and gender reporting requirements on foundations as well as the charities that receive grants from them and the businesses that work with them. Such legislation will have national consequences as the framework is ...
Good tort system a budget key
The deteriorating economy has pushed many state budgets into deficit, including Alabama’s, but the problem is not uniform. Indeed, a new study by the National Conference of State Legislatures examines the revenue and expenditure situation in the 50 U.S. states for the current fiscal year and next. Sixteen states face ...
High (Tax) Times in California?
It is going to be a long hot summer in California’s capital as negotiations heat up over what Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in late April projected to be a $20.2 billion budget deficit for next fiscal year, starting July 1. Because a two-thirds majority is required to pass the budget, some ...
Limiting lawsuit abuses lowers costs from litigation, creates jobs in long run
The nation is going through difficult economic times, which will prompt calls to “bolster jobs” with “temporary” government spending programs. The best long-term jobs program for America, however, is not more spending we can’t afford. If we want results, we need meaningful legal reform. University of California-Berkeley economist Lisa Kimmel ...
An effective stimulus package
The Department of Labor recently revealed that the economy lost 80,000 jobs in March. In response, politicians have cried out for more generous government bailouts and stimulus packages. But if our leaders were serious about stimulating the economy, they’d turn to something more unorthodox — meaningful tort reforms. Abuse of ...
The case for the flat tax
In the April 17 editorial “Taxes done and mailed; let’s consider reforms,” The Bee says: “An ideal tax system would be flat overall, with progressive income taxes offsetting regressive property, sales and excise taxes. That way, each income group would pay a similar share of income in taxes.” Why go ...
