Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Discussing the Environmental Improvement Board and Government Transparency on KSVP Radio
I recently talked to Mike Jaxson at KSVP Radio in Artesia about the ongoing Environmental Improvement Board hearings on a New Mexico-specific cap and trade system and the Rio Grande Foundation’s new government transparency website. Listen to the interview here.
Avoiding California’s Economic Mistakes with Government Employees
The Rio Grande Foundation has released a new paper detailing the rapid rise to prominence and influence on the part of government employee unions. Study author Hal Stratton is the Rio Grande Foundation’s co-founder and served as New Mexico Attorney General from 1987-1990.
In his study, “A History of Public Sector Collective Bargaining in New [...]
Letter in today’s Journal on how uncertainty is driving current economic malaise
I had a letter in today’s ABQ Journal Business Outlook section. As Deroy Murdock stated at our Lights of Liberty event a few months ago, when it comes to economic crises, the reactions of politicians often worsens the situation instead of improving it. This applies to Bush’s ineffective “economic stimuli” as well as Obama’s. When [...]
Celebrate ALL Workers this Labor Day
In today’s Albuquerque Journal, I discussed the Rio Grande Foundation’s new study on public sector union collective bargaining and some ways to make Labor Day more meaningful (and prosperous) for all New Mexico workers instead of just those who work for the government. See the full newspaper article here.
Attracting Businesses During the “Great Recession”
Politicians like Bill Richardson usually view “economic development” as the practice of taxing the rest of us in order to provide incentives and direct payouts to favored industries like solar and film. As Joe Bast at the Heartland Institute writes in this excellent article, real economic development means providing certain economic conditions that are favorable [...]
Channel 7 Reports on our Efforts to Make Schools More Transparent
Last night, Channel 7, KOAT, reported on our efforts to obtain public payroll and vendor information from various school districts. The well-done story is available here.
In: Uncategorized
What is Government Costing You?
The truth is, you would probably be a millionaire right now if it weren’t for the government. Instead, all Americans are struggling under the ever-increasing burdens of taxes and government regulations. Our friends at the Independent Institute have put together a website that attempts to calculate for each person, based on detailed (but anonymous information) [...]
In: Uncategorized
Diane Denish Wants Poor/Your Kids Trapped in Failing Schools
I happened to be watching the local news last night when a story ran about the ongoing scheduling debacle at Rio Grande High. It has been more than two weeks since the APS school year started and the school doesn’t even have student schedules worked out.
Heading into the first commercial break was this lovely [...]
New Mexico Ranks High in Unemployment Fraud
An astonishing $7.1 billion was lost nationwide during 2009 in unemployment benefits fraud. Our Capitol Reporter, Rob Nikolewski found the story, followed up on it, and has found that New Mexico ranks third in the nation in terms of percentage of unemployment overpayments, with some 28.68 percent ($97.8 million) of the total benefits sent to [...]
Albuquerque’s Bike Bridge to Wal-Mart Unveiled
Today saw the unveiling of Albuquerque’s $7 million stimulus-funded bike bridge over the Rio Grande. Being a West-Sider and something of a bike enthusiast myself (although I have been and remain a critic of the bridge), I decided to ride over to witness the ceremony.
Aside from the cost, one big problem with the bridge [...]
