Government Spending
No government has ever spent its way to prosperity. Our proposals help governments be fiscally responsible so citizens can be prosperous.
Sometimes clichés fit. Take the recent shenanigans at the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for example. The court decided to put Arizona's voter ID law on hold. We can't be sure of the court's reasoning, but the plaintiffs spent a lot of time explaining how grueling it is to secure photo identification. Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.
Low tax states are better at reducing poverty
I have an admittedly odd appreciation for leftist protest songs. For my money (sorry boomers) there is none finer than Tracy Chapman's Talkin' Bout a Revolution. Spare and urgent, Chapman's song delivers a warning:
It's stadium mania in Arizona. The announcement of the name of new (taxpayer-funded) Cardinals stadium--University of Phoenix Stadium--is all talk radio can cover. Not to be left out of the melee, ASU wants Tempe officials to consider chipping in to upgrade Sun Devil Stadium.
A new ruling in the Flores lawsuit puts education funding decisions back where they belong
Unlike the Rolling Stones, Arizona taxpayers might get some satisfaction after a recent federal court ruling. Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals sent the Flores v. Arizona education lawsuit back to Tucson. That move cancels an earlier, hefty fine of some $21 million levied against the state.
The Arizona Republic's recent series on Dallas made several claims about light rail. Although Phoenix has already decided to build light rail, it is still important to have an honest discussion about its potential benefits and pitfalls.
Claim #1: "It costs $2.50 in Dallas to ride light rail and buses all day."
Policymakers talk about "fiscal responsibility," but few put that principle into action. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney deserves applause for doing just that by vetoing a universal preschool bill last week.
It's easy to see why many politicians view universal preschool as a political winner. Voters picture smiling four-year-olds heading off to begin a life-time of learning. Presumably, the extra year of school will give these children a leg up.
Those who oppose a state income tax cut are claiming a worry about future budget deficits. They would be more credible if they were proposing to save the money higher rates would bring in by depositing it in the state's rainy day fund. Instead, they propose that it be spent.
In "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," the rebellious McMurphy tries riling up the residents of a mental ward to change a mundane schedule rule, bureaucratically enforced by the domineering Nurse Ratched. Unfortunately, in their essentially vegetative state, the patients are unable to rally enough votes.
Mayors from around the state rallied recently at the Capitol to protest the Legislature's proposed 10 percent income tax cut. According to Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, mayors could no longer ensure the safety of residents without the expected state-shared revenues.
What a joke. Estimates are that payments from income tax revenues will increase by 50 percent by 2009, even with the tax rate reductions. Only in government circles would that be called a cut.
If you don't pay much attention to baseball until the World Series or if you've just started tuning in to Suns games over the last week, now is the time to keep an eye on your state legislature.