Report: States with Stronger Alcohol Controls Have Lower Alcohol-Related Traffic Death Rates

HARRISBURG, PA (May 15, 2012) — States that more heavily control the sale and distribution of alcohol have lower alcohol-related traffic deaths than states that take a more hands off approach, according to a Keystone Research Center policy brief.
These findings differ from those of economists John Pulito and Antony Davies, PhD, whose research was published by two “free market think tanks”—Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Foundation and George Mason University’s Mercatus Center. 
The reason that KRC’s brief reaches different conclusions is simple: The Pulito-Davies research omitted two variables that are critical to explaining differences in alcohol-related traffic fatality rates among the states — average vehicle miles traveled and average per capita income. When you include those factors, Pennsylvania has an estimated 58 fewer alcohol-related traffic deaths among adults each year than it would have if the state had no controls over the distribution of alcohol.
In The Road Less Traveled: States That More Tightly Control the Sale and Distribution of Alcohol Have Lower Alcohol-Related Fatalities, Keystone aims to set the record straight for policymakers and others who have cited the Pulito-Davies research.
“What impact will privatization have on the safety of our roads and highways? This is a critical question for policymakers to answer, and they should have the facts,” said Mark Price, PhD, Keystone labor economist and co-author of the policy brief.
The Keystone policy brief also reinforces the findings of a task force of public health experts appointed by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In April, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services published a piece in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Preventive Medicine finding that alcohol privatization contributes to increases in alcohol consumption, creating a greater risk of alcohol abuse and its associated social costs.
“It is not surprising that the Keystone Research Center found that state control of alcohol distribution is associated with fewer alcohol-related fatalities,” said Task Force member Karen Glanz, PhD, MPH, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. “This is in line with the Task Force's conclusion that retail alcohol privatization increases the risk of excess consumption of alcohol and associated risks. It is also in keeping with a larger body of research that has found negative social impacts from privatization of alcohol distribution.”
Dr. Glanz is the George A. Weiss University Professor, Professor of Epidemiology and Nursing, and Director of the Center for Health Behavior Research at Penn.
In the policy brief, Keystone researchers provide an overview of the Task Force’s findings, then reproduce the analysis done by Pulito and Davies except for adding in two omitted variables — vehicle miles traveled and per capita income. KRC found:

• Among adults (age 20 and older): Heavy control states (those that maintain control over the sale of at least two types of alcohol at the retail level and at least one type at the wholesale level — a group that includes Pennsylvania) have lower alcohol-related traffic fatality rates among adults each year than states that have no such controls. Pennsylvania has an estimated 58 fewer alcohol-related traffic deaths among adults each year than it would have if the state had no controls over the distribution of alcohol.
• Among youth (ages 15-19): There was no difference found in fatality rates for alcohol-related car accidents for youth ages 15 to 19 based on the degree of state control over the distribution and sale of alcohol.
• Among children (under age 15): There are lower fatality rates for alcohol-related car accidents for children under the age of 15 in states with heavy control over alcohol sales and distribution. (Pulito and Davies did not examine this group.)

Including vehicle miles traveled and per capita income is important, since control states tend to be ones in which people drive further and have lower incomes. Driving more increases the likelihood of fatal traffic accidents, while lower incomes mean people are less likely to be driving in newer cars with strong safety features.
“The Pulito-Davies research has been used repeatedly to muddy the waters regarding the negative social impacts of alcohol privatization,” said Stephen Herzenberg, PhD, economist and executive director of the Keystone Research Center. “It’s important that policymakers have accurate data on the significant impact of alcohol privatization.”
Read the full policy brief

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The Keystone Research Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that promotes a more prosperous and equitable Pennsylvania economy. Learn more: www.keystoneresearch.org.

Corporations in PA Asked to Disclose State Taxes

Voluntary survey is designed to fill an information gap as Legislature prepares to take up business tax cuts

HARRISBURG, PA (April 3, 2012) — The Keystone Research Center (KRC) is asking Pennsylvania's 1,000 largest for-profit employers to disclose how much they pay in state income taxes. With the General Assembly poised to consider new corporate tax cuts this year, KRC officials hope the voluntary survey will provide some baseline information that is currently lacking on the state income taxes major businesses pay.

“This survey aims to fill in the gaps and help guide our work for tax fairness in Pennsylvania,” said Stephen Herzenberg, executive director of the Keystone Research Center. “A fair tax system that adequately supports public goods, like education and infrastructure, is essential to the success of every business in the commonwealth.”

State tax loopholes in Pennsylvania allow large multi-state corporations to avoid paying state taxes on income earned in the commonwealth. Across the nation, 35 of the 45 states with corporate income taxes have taken steps to close corporate tax loopholes by either enacting combined reporting or adopting expense addback laws.

Data from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue show that 75 percent of all corporations in the state pay no state income taxes. The Keystone survey could provide more information on how much in state income taxes major companies in Pennsylvania are paying.

Keystone first sent a letter to the 1,000 companies in February asking them to voluntarily complete the tax survey. A postcard reminding them of the survey will be mailed out in early April.

While a number of corporations have responded to date, the 10 largest multi-state corporations doing business in the state have not. Based on Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry information, these corporations are:

1. Wal-Mart Associates Inc.
2. Giant Food Stores Inc.
3. United Parcel Service Inc.
4. PNC Bank NA
5. Lowe’s Home Centers Inc.
6. Weis Markets Inc.
7. Giant Eagle Inc.
8. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
9. Home Depot USA Inc.
10. Target Corporation 
    

Corporations may fill out the Keystone survey online or download a printable version athttp://keystoneresearch.org/2012-tax-survey.

Privatized School Buses Cost Taxpayers More

New study recommends in-sourcing school transportation operations to save taxpayers millions

HARRISBURG, PA (March 13, 2012) — Pennsylvania school districts that contract with private bus operators end up spending more taxpayer dollars on transportation than those that manage their own bus fleets, according to a new report from the Keystone Research Center.

Total costs for all taxpayers are nearly $223,900 higher when a typical Pennsylvania school district goes from providing all bus services in house to contracting with a private operator. If every school district in Pennsylvania in-sourced transportation services, taxpayers would save an estimated $78 million.

“Handing the reins over to the private sector is not always a good bargain for taxpayers,” said Dr. Stephen Herzenberg, an economist and co-author of the study. “Over two decades of hard data make clear that school bus contracting is a poor bargain.

“At a time when deep cuts to schools are driving up class sizes and limiting student opportunities, should we pay more to private companies to transport kids to school?”

Transporting school students is a booming private industry today. 4,000 companies nationwide transport roughly 25 million students to school each day. In Pennsylvania, 72% of school bus transportation was contracted out by school districts in 2008, up from 62% in 1986.

Some school districts contract out school bus transportation to gain a short-term infusion of cash from selling bus fleets—an especially alluring option with districts now facing deep cuts to funding for classrooms. The state also currently provides higher reimbursement for districts that contract out school bus services, distorting district decision-making and contributing to the higher overall price tag for taxpayers.

Rather than folding transportation funding into block grants for school districts, as proposed by Governor Corbett, the Keystone Research Center recommends eliminating the higher reimbursement for contracted services and channeling state savings into higher basic education funding. With the playing field level between contracting and self-supplied bus services, the state should provide technical assistance so that districts can capitalize on opportunities to cut costs through in-sourcing, and negotiate better deals with private companies when they do contract out.

The Keystone study relied on state Department of Education data from 1986 to 2008. Researchers examined the impact of contracting out on costs after controlling for school district enrollment, special education student transportation costs, the price of fuel, and the wealth and income of each district.

Researchers found that, because it more generously reimburses districts when they contract out, the state picks up essentially all of the cost increase with contracting out.

The researchers also identified 29 school districts that substantially increased their use of private carriers between 1992 and 2001. In the first year after privatization in these districts, total spending on student transportation increased by 10% or more in 20 out of the 29 school districts.

One reason contracting out costs more, the Keystone researchers note, is the leverage contractors have once a school district sells its bus fleet. “The upfront cost of repurchasing a fleet of buses is a major obstacle for a district that wants to cut ties with a private operator,” said Dr. Mark Price, economist and co-author of the study. “Switching to a new contractor may not be an option either, because some areas have only one or two private companies. As a result, contractors negotiate higher payments or slip in added costs for field trips or special services.”

Private profits and high private-sector executive- and managerial-level salaries also contribute to the high rates charged by private companies. Districts also incur costs for monitoring contractors.

The limited competition, contractor leverage, and high private salaries that lead to higher costs with privatization are not unique to the school transportation industry. Academic research shows that these challenges arise with privatization of many services. This underscores the importance of using data to evaluate when to privatize or in-source, and not simply assuming that privatization is more efficient.

Keystone recommends that technical assistance to school districts to reevaluate their transportation services be delivered through the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials. The state could also make low-interest loans available to assist districts with the purchase of new school buses, and create a non-profit that steps in when needed to provide more competition. A commonwealth non-profit also avoids the need for district-owned fleets.

“Pennsylvania should make every tax dollar count instead of giving school districts incentives to adopt inefficient transportation systems,” Dr. Herzenberg said. “We can change course now and use the savings to improve the quality of our children’s education.”

Appendix F in the Keystone Research Center report includes data on how much individual districts contract out.

Read the Full Report

September Pennsylvania Jobs Report: Employment and Unemployment Moving In The Wrong Direction

On Tuesday, the Keystone Research Center published a summary of the employment situation in Pennsylvania. With the release of September's jobs data, which included a loss of just over 15,000 jobs, a picture is emerging of a job market in Pennsylvania that is shrinking. The continued loss of public-sector jobs and relatively slow growth in private-sector jobs is the main source of weakness in the labor market. The bottom line is that although Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 of states in terms of job growth early in this recovery, the Commonwealth has moved to the bottom 10 in the last five months.

To read the full report click here.

Eric Cantor tells Tea Party to "take to streets," but calls Occupiers a "mob"

Check out this great video from Jon Stewart about the hypocrisy of GOP leaders deriding people who are standing up for the 99%.

And join us on Friday, October 21 in Philadelphia to greet Eric Cantor. He's speaking on economic inequality in the United States, but he opposes anything that seriously addresses that issue.

Join us:
Tell Eric Cantor "We are America!"
Friday, October 21
3:30- 6:00 PM
Walnut and 38th Sts.
Philadelphia

LOCAL CENSUS DATA: Poverty Rises Sharply in Most Parts of Pennsylvania

Nearly one in five Pennsylvania children live in poverty View a table with poverty rates by metropolitan/micropolitan region HARRISBURG, PA (September 22, 2011) — Poverty has risen sharply in most regions of Pennsylvania, highlighting the widespread impact of the recession and the need for policymakers to protect struggling families and invest in building a stronger economy. In urban areas of Pennsylvania, poverty rose to 14.7 percent in 2010 with 1,360,202 urban residents currently living in poverty, according to the Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey. That is up from 12.7 percent in 2007, before the recession started. The picture is similarly bleak in rural Pennsylvania where 9.5 percent of residents (287,982 people) lived in poverty in 2010, up from 8.1 percent in 2007. “Many families in all parts of Pennsylvania are feeling the worst effects of this economy,” said Mark Price, PhD, Labor Economist for the Keystone Research Center. “Our state leaders have responded by cutting our kids’ education and affordable health care for working Pennsylvanians. That is making life harder for struggling families and undermining economic growth.” Overall poverty in Pennsylvania rose by a statistically significant margin, going from 11.6 percent in 2007 to 13.4 percent in 2010. Most Pennsylvania metro areas also saw statistically significant increases in poverty from 2007 to 2010. The number of Pennsylvania children living in poverty continued to increase last year amid the recession, according to the Census data. In 2010, 18.8 percent of Pennsylvania kids lived in families that fell below the poverty line, up from 15.9 percent in 2007. The Pennsylvania rate was lower than the national child poverty rate of 21.2 percent. As poverty increases nationwide, African Americans and Latinos have been hit particularly hard by the recession, with 28.4% of African Americans and 33.5% of Latinos living in poverty in Pennsylvania last year. Just under one in ten non-Hispanic whites in Pennsylvania lived in poverty in 2010. Pennsylvania’s recently enacted budget contained deep cuts to education, health care and other services that support struggling families, as well as investments that are the foundations of job creation and long-term economic growth. Policymakers will continue to face tough fiscal choices next year and beyond. Taking a balanced approach that includes revenue and budget reserves instead of a cuts-only approach will be crucial to keeping more families from falling through the cracks and building a stronger economy. “Relying heavily on cuts will make it more difficult for working and struggling families to keep a roof over their head and food on the table,” said Michael Wood, Research Director for the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center. “We need to take a balanced approach to budgeting so that we can invest in our state’s economy and provide help for those who need it most.” View a table with poverty rates by metropolitan/micropolitan region

The Keystone Research Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that promotes a more prosperous and equitable Pennsylvania economy. The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center is a non-partisan policy research project that provides independent, credible analysis on state tax, budget and related policy matters, with attention to the impact of current or proposed policies on working families.

PA Public Sector Earnings on Par with Private Sector

New study provides apples-to-apples comparison of compensation

Full-time state and local government employees in Pennsylvania earn about the same or less in wages and benefits as their private-sector counterparts, according to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), co-released with the Keystone Research Center. Controlling for other factors that influence compensation—most importantly, education—this study provides an “apples-to-apples” comparison showing that the hourly compensation costs of Pennsylvania public-sector employees are a statistically insignificant 2.1% lower than that of private-sector employees. When compared on an annual basis, full-time state and local employees are undercompensated by a statistically-significant 5.4%.

The analysis, Public Versus Private Employee Costs in Pennsylvania: Comparing Apples to Apples, by Labor and Employment Relations Professor Jeffrey Keefe of Rutgers University controls for education, experience, organizational size, gender, race, ethnicity, citizenship and disability. The study uses data collected primarily from a comprehensive database that is updated monthly by the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics. In accordance with standard survey practice, the study focuses on year-round, full-time public and private-sector employees.

Other major findings of the study include:

• Pennsylvania public-sector workers are more highly educated than private-sector workers: 53% of full-time Pennsylvania public-sector workers hold at least a four-year college degree, compared to 32% of full-time private-sector workers.
• Pennsylvania state and local governments and school districts pay college-educated workers on average 21% less than do private employers.
• Public-sector compensation is a model for the private sector, not the reverse, when it comes to promoting American values and improving productivity.

Pennsylvania public employees—like most other American workers—have in fact been victims of the worst national recession since the Great Depression. Severe financial problems as a result of the Great Recession have forced state, county and municipal elected officials in Pennsylvania and other states to make large cuts in spending. As a result, public-sector employment has been slashed by 3,400 jobs in Pennsylvania in the last year, with thousands more workers at risk of job loss in the years ahead.

Want to learn more?

Read the full EPI report

Read a two-page fact sheet

Keystone Research Center’s Policy Brief on Marcellus Shale-Related Job Growth

Stephen Herzenberg Responds to Attacks on Keystone Research Center’s Policy Brief on Marcellus Shale-Related Job Growth

HARRISBURG, PA (June 22, 2011) — Keystone Research Center Executive Director Stephen Herzenberg issued the following statement in response to statements from the Marcellus Shale Coalition and the Republican Party of Pennsylvania attacking a Keystone policy brief on job creation in Marcellus Shale-related industries:

“In a statement yesterday, Kathryn Klaber, the president and executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), did not contest the simple factual point of the Keystone Research Center’s policy brief on job creation in Marcellus Shale-related industries. Our policy brief cites a state Department of Labor and Industry report showing that Marcellus-related industries have created less than 10,000 jobs in recent years, not the 48,000 jobs claimed in recent press reports.

“The exaggerated claims of Marcellus-related job creation stem from a confusion between 'new hires,' and 'job growth.' Job growth, by definition, equals new hires minus separations (i.e., quits, firings, and retirements). Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry spokesman Christopher Manlove echoed the basic point of our policy brief in a comment to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: 'The difference, he said, is that new jobs are jobs that didn't exist previously, whereas new hires are jobs that became available due to employees resigning, retiring or being fired.'

"Rather than contesting the main point of our policy brief, most of Klaber’s statement combines information that was also presented in our brief (on regional employment changes in Marcellus-related industries) and other information on Marcellus industries that do not relate to the industry’s impact on Pennsylvania employment.

"On the employment issue, the MSC statement also refers to 'the ancillary employment impacts cascading through businesses across the Commonwealth.' No source or data are presented to support the claim of these 'ancillary employment impacts.' As the June edition of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry's Marcellus Shale Fast Facts and our brief point out, employment in Marcellus Ancillary industries declined by 3,618 between the fourth quarter of 2007 and the fourth quarter of 2010.

"Republican Party of Pennsylvania Executive Director Mike Barley put out a statement today that repeats the MSC statement with a new introduction. In it, Barley repeats the claim that 'the Marcellus industry has created 48,000 jobs.' As we have explained above and as the Department of Labor and Industry makes clear in its Marcellus Shale Fast Facts, this is not accurate.

"Former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said, 'Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts.' While perspectives will differ on the appropriate policy response to the facts on the impact of Marcellus drilling on Pennsylvania, we think it is unfortunate that the Shale Coalition and Mr. Barley can’t acknowledge that jobs and new hires are not the same, and present their interpretation of the facts in a civil way. Rather than name calling, civil discourse, using facts and logic, can help Pennsylvania maximize the economic benefits and minimize the environmental damage and risks of Marcellus drilling.”

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The Keystone Research Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that promotes a more prosperous and equitable Pennsylvania economy. Learn more: www.keystoneresearch.org.

Keystone Research Center: Marcellus Boom Created Less Than 10,000 PA Jobs

Between late 2007 and 2010, the Marcellus Shale boom created fewer than 10,000 new jobs in Pennsylvania, much less than the 48,000 figure reported in recent news stories, statements and commentaries.

In a new policy brief, the Keystone Research Center sets the record straight on the Marcellus jobs claims. Keystone experts have also analyzed Pennsylvania's May jobs report and the compromise legislation adopted by the state Legislature last week that preserves extended federal unemployment benefits for 135,000 Pennsylvanians through the end of the year. Read on to learn more.

Drilling Deeper into Marcellus Job Claims

Recent news reports and statements have touted 48,000 "new hires" in Marcellus Shale industries, but that number only tells half the story, according to Keystone's new policy brief. “New hires” track additions to employment but not separations due to resignations, firings or replacements.

Between the fourth quarter of 2007 and the fourth quarter of 2010, according to the latest report from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Center for Workforce Information and Analysis (CWIA), all Marcellus Shale-related industries added 5,669 jobs. Six industries in what CWIA defines as the “Marcellus Core” industries added 9,288 jobs during this period. Over the same three years, 30 industries in a group CWIA calls “Marcellus Ancillary” actually lost 3,619 jobs.

Overall, Marcellus job growth is small — accounting for less than one in 10 of the 111,400 new jobs created since February 2010, when employment bottomed out after the recession, the report finds. Even if Marcellus Shale-related industries had created no jobs in 2010, the state still would have ranked third in overall job growth among the 50 states.

To sustain Pennsylvania’s strong economic performance, policymakers should adopt a drilling tax or fee that helps finance job-creating investments in education and the economy, as well as providing resources to protect the environment and address infrastructure needs, the report recommends.

Pennsylvania should also develop a Marcellus Shale economic development policy that includes training and placement of more Pennsylvania workers in high-paying Marcellus jobs; investing in industries that supply equipment, parts and services to the industry; enabling Pennsylvania manufacturers to benefit from low-cost natural gas; and setting aside revenue to seed a fund that will develop post-Marcellus Shale industries.

Read a press release on the policy brief

Read the full policy brief

Today's News Clips, June 16

News Clips from America Votes

Thursday, June 16, 2011

News Clips

COLORADO: Michael Hancock's team picks 80 to head advisory committees

The Denver Post

Mayor-elect Michael Hancock's transition committee Wednesday announced the names of more than 80 people who will head 22 committees that recommend appointments and policies for his administration.

Panels dealing with safety and the police chief will be among the most closely scrutinized following a campaign in which much attention was paid to management and performance of Denver police.

Doug Friednash, a partner at Greenberg Traurig, former state Rep. Rosemary Marshall and former Public Safety Manager Butch Montoya will head up the committee tasked with identifying candidates for police chief.

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_18284078#ixzz1PRakEEiS

FLORDIA: Troubled Tampa Bay assisted living facility chain to lose state Medicaid funding

Carol Marbin Miller, Rob Barry and Michael Sallah for the Miami Herald

Florida health administrators are slashing hundreds of thousands in taxpayer dollars to a troubled Tampa Bay assisted living facility chain in a move that could jeopardize the homes' ability to keep their doors open.

The action by the Agency for Health Care Administration leaders to stop Medicaid dollars to the homes comes two weeks after a caregiver at one of the facilities was arrested for rape, and one month after the Miami Herald profiled the homes in a series, "Neglected to Death," which showed the state had allowed scores of problem homes to remain open — sometimes for years — despite a litany of abuses.

In a letter dated June 13, the state agency informed the owners of the Mapleway Communities chain that, starting in 30 days, they will no longer be able to bill for services under Medi­caid, the state and federal insurance program for needy and disabled people. Medicaid pays for a variety of services for people with developmental disabilities at the homes.

Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/troubled-tampa-bay-assisted-living-facility-chain-to-lose-state-medicaid/1175546

MICHIGAN: 'Private bills' introduced by Mich. members of Congress buy time for immigrants

Marisa Schultz for the Detroit News

Washington In his first piece of legislation since taking the chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Fred Upton introduced a bill not to repeal health care reform but rather to grant a visa to Ibrahim Parlak, a southwest Michigan restaurant owner facing deportation to his native Turkey.

It's a little known ritual by some members of Congress to sponsor private bills on behalf of individuals in their districts to help them stay in the country when traditional immigration channels have failed. Already, in the 112th Congress, 64 private bills have been introduced, 11 of which are to grant permanent residency to people living in Michigan — the most of any state except California.

Traditionally, these bills languish in Congress without passage, but their introduction alone offers relief to beneficiaries like Parlak, a Kurd who was granted asylum by the United States 20 years ago but has failed to gain citizenship. As long as legislation is pending, the bills' namesakes are safe from deportation. Rather than risking a "no" vote in Congress that would end the hope for residency, there's an advantage to inaction.

Read more: http://detnews.com/article/20110616/OPINION01/106160330/‘Private-bills’-introduced-by-Mich.-members-of-Congress-buy-time-for-immigrants#ixzz1PRbTuGVP

MICHIGAN: Snyder declines to sign GOP governors' letter on Medicaid plan

Paul Egan for the Detroit News

Lansing— Gov. Rick Snyder said Wednesday he is too focused on Michigan issues to join the nation's other Republican governors in endorsing a seven-point plan to improve Medicaid.

The Republican Governors Association announced on its website this week that 29 GOP governors — all but Snyder — signed the letter, which calls for more state autonomy in determining Medicaid eligibility and cost-sharing.

"Given … all the activities we have going on, I'm focused on Michigan," Snyder said during a news conference on education reform. "My role is not to be a large advocate on a national scale. I was hired to be governor of Michigan."

Read more: http://detnews.com/article/20110616/POLITICS02/106160386/Snyder-declines-to-sign-GOP-governors’-letter-on-Medicaid-plan#ixzz1PRbnmCWS

MINNESOTA: Dayton outlines 'painful' shutdown

Rachel Stassen-Berger for the Star Tribune

Gov. Mark Dayton on Wednesday proposed a broad government shutdown that would touch every corner of the state and reach deep into Minnesotans' homes.

The governor's proposal -- which must still be ruled on by a judge -- would maintain critical services but close all state parks, the Minnesota Zoo, the state lottery and most state road projects by July 1, when the current state budget runs out. K-12 schools, local governments and health providers would no longer receive state payments.

Despite what he said would be the vast and enormous impact of such a shutdown, Dayton said Wednesday that a short government closure "still pales in comparison" to the impact of a Republican "all cuts" budget.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/123960939.html

NEVADA: Governor signs 4 ‘groundbreaking’ education bills

Cy Ryan for the Las Vegas Sun

CARSON CITY – Four education bills making it easier to reward high-performing teachers and get rid of ineffective teachers have been signed into law by Gov. Brian Sandoval.

The bills overhaul the makeup of the state Board of Education, giving the governor more authority and creating a new board to oversee charter schools.

Sandoval called these “groundbreaking education reform bills.”

Read more: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jun/15/governor-signs-4-groundbreaking-education-bills/

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Lynch vetoes bill to notify parents about abortion

Kevin Landrigan for the Nashua Telegraph

CONCORD – Calling it too “unclear and too narrow,” Gov. John Lynch vetoed legislation requiring a parent be notified before a minor girl has an abortion.

The four-term, Democratic chief executive said he supports parents being involved in these difficult decisions and would sign such a law if the Legislature made the changes he wants to it.

Lynch said his most serious objection was that it lacked an exemption for victims of rape or incest, subjecting the girl to have to notify a parent who could be the abuser.

Read more: http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/newsstatenewengland/922974-227/lynch-vetoes-bill-to-notify-parents-about.html

NEW MEXICO: Council mulls options for district shifts

Julie Ann Grimm for the New Mexican

Santa Fe City Council districts would have a more equal distribution of population under new boundaries being considered by city officials. Just how the districts might be reshaped remains uncertain, but a decision is due this summer.

Brian Sanderoff, president of Research and Polling Inc., on Wednesday walked city councilors through four options.

The Albuquerque firm, which has completed hundreds of redistricting plans on every electoral level from Congress to public schools, crafted the maps so each of Santa Fe's four districts would contain about 16,937 residents.

Read more: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Council-mulls-options-for-district-shifts

OHIO: Ohio budget conference committee gets good news on state revenues, bad news on Medicaid costs

Aaron Marshall for the Plain Dealer

COLUMBUS, Ohio — There was good news in state budget director Tim Keen's assessment of Ohio's future revenue numbers Wednesday, but it didn't exactly set off any cartwheeling in the halls of the Statehouse.

While Keen predicted that Ohio would have about $425 million more flowing into state coffers in 2012 and 2013 than Gov. John Kasich's budget estimated, he said that Medicaid caseload projections used by Senate lawmakers were too low and canceled out any extra money.

"The General Assembly has pre-spent most of the revenue I have forecast today," Keen said. More specifically, Keen said lawmakers will have only about $18 million extra to spend in the $55.7 billion general revenue fund if they use his estimates.

Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/06/ohio_budget_conference_committ.html

PENNSYLVANIA: Women disapprove of Corbett acts more than men

Laura Olson for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Gov. Tom Corbett has lost support of women in Pennsylvania.

New poll numbers from Quinnipiac University show disapproval from female voters are keeping the governor's approval rating low.

Mr. Corbett drew an overall approval rating of 39 percent, with his highest rating in the state's southwest at 46 percent. That figure has remained at 39 percent since the polling institute's first survey of his performance in February, although his disapproval numbers have since grown.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11166/1153719-178.stm#ixzz1PRghHJLh

WISCONSIN: Budget passes Assembly with provisions on choice schools, broadband funds

Jason Stein, Patrick Marley and Bill Glauber for the Journal Sentinel

Madison - A private school voucher program won't expand to Green Bay and the state will not turn down nearly $40 million in federal money for expanding broadband access in rural areas, under the budget bill passed by the state Assembly early Thursday morning.

The bill passed 60-38 just after 3 a.m. on an essentially party-line vote, with the body's lone independent, Rep. Bob Ziegelbauer of Manitowoc, joining all Republicans in favor.

Under a GOP amendment to the bill, the budget also would preserve federal money for public transit, retain access to state officials' ethics statements and scale back a proposal to force local governments to use private contractors on road projects. The wide-ranging amendment also pulled several provisions into the state budget for the first time, including one to delay a provision prohibiting certain race-based mascots such as "Indians" in public schools.

Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/123983254.html

MONTANA: Montana Supreme Court denies climate petition

The Associated Press

The Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday denied a petition filed by attorneys seeking state regulations to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Siding with Attorney General Steve Bullock, justices wrote in their order that the case raised too many questions about Montana's contribution to a global problem.

"The court is ill-equipped to resolve the factual assertions presented by the petitioners," justices wrote.

Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_499275d6-9786-11e0-bd1d-001cc4c03286.html

IDAHO: Idaho lawmakers detail their financial interests

Erika Bolstad for the Idaho Statesman

WASHINGTON – Financial disclosure forms made public Wednesday show that Idaho's congressional delegation has a wide range of investments in land, real estate and stocks.

The forms, released annually, are meant to allow the public a glimpse at the investments, personal wealth and potential conflicts of interest of those who represent them in Congress. Candidates must also file them.

Republican Rep. Raul Labrador's disclosure forms from 2010 show he earned a $65,910 salary from his law office and a $16,990 salary from the state of Idaho. He has investments in money market funds valued between $19,000 and $112,000. He earned between $15,000 and $50,000 from the dissolution of his law firm.

Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/06/15/1690447/financial-disclosures-for-idaho.html#ixzz1PRhhpXrR

OREGON: Sen. Richard Devlin accused of trying to silence criticism of union drive

Jeff Mapes for the Oregonian

SALEM -- At the behest of Service Employees International Union, Oregon Senate budget chief Richard Devlin sought to stifle criticism of an organizing drive that added more than 7,700 workers to the union's membership and turned it into the largest in the state.

During a drive to organize workers who help care for developmentally disabled Oregonians, Tualatin Democrat wrote a letter to officials who help employ the workers, warning them not to say anything even "mildly" critical of unionization. He also suggested that a successful union drive would help boost legislative support for services for Oregonians with developmental disabilities. .

Several officials who received the letter said it appeared Devlin tried to tip the scales in favor of the union's expansion. Devlin said that wasn't his intent.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/06/sen_richard_devlin_accused_of.html

MAINE: Charter schools approved by House

Rebekah Metzler for the Portland Press-Herald

AUGUSTA - The Maine House voted 89-55 on Wednesday night, after hours of debate, to allow the establishment of public charter schools. Maine is now among just 10 states that do not permit charter schools.

Public charter schools are voluntary, are required to follow state and federal academic requirements and cannot teach religious practices or discriminate against students or teachers.

Supporters say they allow for more creative approaches that can benefit students who struggle in traditional schools. Opponents say they are concerned that the quality of traditional public schools could decline as per-pupil tax money follows students who attend charter schools.

Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/news/charter-schools-approved-by-house_2011-06-16.html

Palin calls Santorum "Knuckle dragging Neanderthal"

From www.politico.com

Recent Job Growth in Pennsylvania is Healthier than in Most States

HARRISBURG, PA (February 4, 2011) — Pennsylvania has enjoyed better job growth during the fragile economic recovery than most states, according to a new policy brief from the Keystone Research Center.

In 2010, the Commonwealth added more than 65,000 jobs, ranking third among the 50 states in the number of jobs created. On a percentage basis (adjusting for the size of each state’s economy), Pennsylvania job growth still exceeded three-fourths of all states.

“Pennsylvania’s investments in local communities, energy, job training and education have reaped real rewards for our economy,” said Stephen Herzenberg, Ph.D., Economist and Executive Director of the Keystone Research Center. “We need to build on these policies to ensure Pennsylvania is poised for long-term economic success.”

National job numbers for January were also released today, showing weak job gains. The jobs report underscores the need for Pennsylvania to build on its recent job success.

Pennsylvania’s job growth performance has improved steadily compared to other states over the past 16 years. While Pennsylvania ranked 39^th in job growth percentage since December 1994, the state’s rank moved up to 29^th during the past eight years, and has ranked 14^th — in the top third of states — during the last three years (since the start of the recession in December 2007).

Pennsylvania outperformed all neighboring states in job growth between December 2009 and December 2010, with a growth rate of 1.2% — followed by West Virginia at 1.1% and Maryland at 1%. No neighboring state came close to the number of new jobs created in Pennsylvania in 2010.

When job growth is adjusted for growth in the adult working-age population (16 and over), Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 in 2010, since the recession began in December 2007 and since December 1994.

Pennsylvania’s recent job performance is particularly good compared to New Jersey, which finished dead last in the number change in jobs during 2010, losing nearly 31,000 jobs. On a percentage basis, New Jersey’s job performance ranked 49^th in 2010, compared to Pennsylvania’s 12^th ranking.

“New Jersey should not be viewed as a model for Pennsylvania,” Dr. Herzenberg said. “Under Governor Christie, the state’s job performance has been abysmal, which reinforces our point that if you make deep cuts to public investments in education and infrastructure, the state’s economy will suffer and working families will pay the price.”

Instead, Dr. Herzenberg said, Pennsylvania should build on its solid job performance in recent years.

“Continued investments in skills development, renewable energy jobs and opportunities for the next generation are key to our economic health,” Dr. Herzenberg said. “That’s why policymakers should address Pennsylvania’s fiscal challenges with a balanced approach that includes new revenue in addition to savings and efficiencies.”

Click here to read the full policy brief: http://keystoneresearch.org/publications/research/recent-job-growth-pennsylvania-healthier-most-states

The Keystone Research Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that promotes a more prosperous and equitable Pennsylvania economy. Learn more: www.keystoneresearch.org.