Government Spending
Governments are notorious for spending beyond their means. But they can be reined in through a range of tools, from ballot-box initiatives and legislative spending caps to simply using taxpayer resources more wisely. The Goldwater Institute is a tireless watchdog, analyzing and uncovering ways to make spending more efficient and accountable.
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Stop Governments from Campaigning on Taxpayer Dime
Posted on February 19, 2013 | Type: Blog | Author: Christina SandefurLast week, the Arizona House Judiciary Committee passed HB 2156, which would stop state and local governments from campaigning with taxpayer dollars. In Arizona, this practice is already supposed to be unlawful – state laws say that cities, counties, and schools can’t use public “resources” to “influenc[e] the outcomes of elections.” Unfortunately, courts have essentially read these laws to prohibit only electioneering that “unambiguously” urges a “yes” or “no” vote. As a result, government bodies often skirt the law and use public resources to broadcast one-sided messages about ballot measures.
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The President and the Preschools
Posted on February 15, 2013 | Type: In the News | Author: Darcy OlsenIn his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Obama announced an initiative to make preschool universal, citing studies that purport to show academic benefits from earlier school enrollment. Unfortunately, this plan flies in the face of overwhelming evidence that preschool has no lasting impact on children’s future educational success.
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Expanded Medicaid, Shrinking Wallets
Posted on January 24, 2013 | Type: Blog | Author: Byron SchlomachThe federal health care law included a provision asking all states to expand their Medicaid programs to cover all adults and children up to 133% of the federal poverty level. Right now, a little less than a fifth of the state’s population is given free healthcare through Medicaid; if the state expands Medicaid nearly a fourth of Arizona’s population would be covered.
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Dawn of a New Day at the Corporation Commission?
Posted on January 22, 2013 | Type: Blog | Author: Clint BolickAfter years of pursuing a command-and-control approach to energy regulation and providing massive corporate welfare to the solar industry, the Arizona Corporation Commission has signaled a possible shift in approach.
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States Can Right Some Wrongs of the Fiscal Cliff Deal
Posted on January 08, 2013 | Type: Blog | Author: Stephen SlivinskiCongress’s deal to avoid falling over the so-called “fiscal cliff” has dominated headlines since New Year’s Day. That “cliff” was automatic spending cuts that would kick in at the beginning of the year coupled with a number of tax rates (a.k.a. the “Bush tax cuts”) that would expire. As you undoubtedly know, the deal that was reached raised taxes, but did not decrease spending.
