Business & Economics
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. ...
Lawrence J. McQuillan
June 9, 2008
Business & Economics
Adopt a flax tax to avoid chronic budget crises
Tax time has come and gone, and California finds itself in yet another fiscal crisis. Gov. Schwarzenegger proposed 10 percent across-the-board spending cuts to help close the state’s now-$15 billion projected budget deficit through June 2009. These budget crunches hit the Golden State because of its highly graduated tax code. ...
Robert P. Murphy
June 7, 2008
Business & Economics
‘Absurd’ Tech Tax Is Repealed in Maryland
Info Tech & Telecom News (Heartland Institute), June 1, 2008 The Maryland legislature has passed legislation to remove the state’s so-called tech tax, a levy on computer services. Under the legislation, the tax will be replaced with a new income tax on residents earning more than $1 million annually, which ...
Phil Britt
June 1, 2008
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 ...
Lawrence J. McQuillan
June 1, 2008
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 ...
Lawrence J. McQuillan
June 1, 2008
Commentary
Russia’s Failed Universal Health Care Program Exposes the Perils of Single-Payer Systems
Health Care News (Heartland Institute), June 1, 2008 Despite doubling government spending, Russian system remains a model of what not to do Despite outgoing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s doubling of state spending on health care over the past two years, complaints about crumbling infrastructure, poor quality of medical services, and ...
Rina Shah
June 1, 2008
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 ...
Lawrence J. McQuillan
June 1, 2008
Business & Economics
The Government’s Scapegoats
With food and energy prices soaring, housing prices collapsing, and the economy sinking into what could be a deep recession, the government has been searching around for villains. The latest scapegoats are speculators, OPEC, and of course, the big bad oil companies. As usual, our government ignores its own role ...
Robert P. Murphy
May 31, 2008
Business & Economics
Impact – May 2008
PRI Ideas in Action – May 2008 Policy Update and Monthly Impact Report PRI continues to impact public policy in California, the nation, and abroad. Click below to view PRI’s recent contributions.
Pacific Research Institute
May 31, 2008
Business & Economics
Genetic Info Law: A Civil Rights Victory?
Last week, President Bush signed into law the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which will protect individuals from employer and insurance discrimination based on the results of high-tech gene tests. Fighting discrimination is a good idea, but the lack of opposition to GINA points to some potentially serious problems. GINA ...
Sonia Arrison
May 30, 2008
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. ...
Adopt a flax tax to avoid chronic budget crises
Tax time has come and gone, and California finds itself in yet another fiscal crisis. Gov. Schwarzenegger proposed 10 percent across-the-board spending cuts to help close the state’s now-$15 billion projected budget deficit through June 2009. These budget crunches hit the Golden State because of its highly graduated tax code. ...
‘Absurd’ Tech Tax Is Repealed in Maryland
Info Tech & Telecom News (Heartland Institute), June 1, 2008 The Maryland legislature has passed legislation to remove the state’s so-called tech tax, a levy on computer services. Under the legislation, the tax will be replaced with a new income tax on residents earning more than $1 million annually, which ...
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 ...
Russia’s Failed Universal Health Care Program Exposes the Perils of Single-Payer Systems
Health Care News (Heartland Institute), June 1, 2008 Despite doubling government spending, Russian system remains a model of what not to do Despite outgoing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s doubling of state spending on health care over the past two years, complaints about crumbling infrastructure, poor quality of medical services, and ...
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 ...
The Government’s Scapegoats
With food and energy prices soaring, housing prices collapsing, and the economy sinking into what could be a deep recession, the government has been searching around for villains. The latest scapegoats are speculators, OPEC, and of course, the big bad oil companies. As usual, our government ignores its own role ...
Impact – May 2008
PRI Ideas in Action – May 2008 Policy Update and Monthly Impact Report PRI continues to impact public policy in California, the nation, and abroad. Click below to view PRI’s recent contributions.
Genetic Info Law: A Civil Rights Victory?
Last week, President Bush signed into law the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which will protect individuals from employer and insurance discrimination based on the results of high-tech gene tests. Fighting discrimination is a good idea, but the lack of opposition to GINA points to some potentially serious problems. GINA ...