Friday, March 16, 2007

Beach Volleyball, Snowboarding, and Progress 

Filed As:  General

In 1996, Newt Gingrich annoyed a number of people when he used the podium of the Republican National Convention to praise the rise of beach volleyball. But over a decade later, I think he was onto something.

Earlier this month I met the mother of a "professional snowboarder." That's ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 9:44 am
• 0 comment

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Budget Tightening, or Political Payback? 

Ohio Governor: Stop Voucher Program

Filed As:  Education (k-12)

Ohio has been a leader in school choice, but recent progress is threatened by the state's new governor, who was backed by the state's teachers unions. Gov. Ted Strickland has called for scrapping EdChoice, the state's newest voucher plan.

His stated rationale? Budgetary ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 7:18 am
• 0 comment

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

The Cigarette Tax: No "Easy Money"  

Filed As:  Budget and Tax

If people find it so hard to stop smoking, does that mean that hiking the cigarette tax is a quick way for states to raise money? Not quite, says the Maine Heritage Policy Center.

Gov. John E. Baldacci of Maine hopes to raise $66 million for the general fund by increasing the state's cigarette ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 2:16 pm
• 0 comment

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Use Blog Tools to Read Our Blogs 

Filed As:  Health Care, Site Admin

Thanks to all who have come by the SPN blogs, and who have written. We're making behind the scenes improvements, including  establishing a Technorati profile and engaging other blog reading ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 1:01 am
• 0 comment

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

State Budgets Inspired by Myths 

Filed As:  Budget and Tax, Education (k-12), Health Care, Transportation

Budgets are reflections of priorities, and in the world of public finance, a collective statement of how we think the world works. According to the Yankee Institute for Public Policy, the budget proposal of Governor M. Jodi Rell is based on a number of myths.

Here's a summary from the ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 8:19 pm
• 0 comment

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Medicaid TV 

The Problems with Medicaid, and Some Ways Out

Filed As:  Events, Health Care

Tired of all-celebrity, all-the-time television news? Then tune in tonight for a discussion of Medicaid, the program that now exceeds K-12 education in state budgets.

James Frogue offers this announcement:

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I know, I am as surprised as you are that Hannity and Colmes will be ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 11:26 am
• 0 comment

Monday, March 12, 2007

Teachers on Strike? 

25 pct more than state average is "humiliating"

Filed As:  Education (k-12)

The teachers union in West Virginia may stage a one-day strike Wednesday to protest a raise of 3.5 percent.

Not enough money, the union says. The average teacher salary in the state is $41,388. According to USA Today, one ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 12:19 pm
• 0 comment

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Ratcheting Up College Tuition 

Wisconsin to be Punished for (Relative) Frugality?

Filed As:  Education (higher)

Minnesota and Wisconsin have an agreement for tuition reciprocity. When Minnesotans attend (most) public universities in Wisconsin, they don't pay out-of-state tuition; they pay whatever they would pay in Minnesota. Wisconsinites get a similar deal in Minnesota.

Wisconsin, as it turns out, ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 9:12 am
• 0 comment

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Institutional Care for 3-Year Olds? 

Filed As:  Education (k-12), General

First there was kindergarten. Then came a raft of pre-k programs for four-year olds, including one in Oklahoma. Now the governor of that state (plus a couple others) would like to bring the political society (that is, government) into the business of supervising the daily activity of three-year ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 7:14 am
• 0 comment

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Individual Health Insurance Requirements: Pro and Con 

Filed As:  Health Care

Should states require individuals to carry a health insurance policy? Jack Hatch, a state senator in Iowa, says yes. Michael Tanner, of the Cato Institute, says no. Robert Moffit, of The Heritage Foundation, says that taxpayers already have a mandate concerning health care. The three exchange their thoughts ... more »»

• posted by John LaPlante
• 7:04 am
• 0 comment