Massive Maintenance Backlog Threatens California's National Parks
Orange County Register The National Parks System turns 100 next year, and our parks are deteriorating faster than we can fix them, threatening the long-term viability of these significant...
View ArticleLegalize Ridesharing and Remove Onerous Taxi Restrictions
Amidst the evolving tension surrounding the ridesharing industry, some cities are welcoming the free market phenomena of ridesharing while others are yielding to the taxi industry cartel. In the first...
View ArticleA Response to the Defense of Status Quo for Failing Pension Systems
Opponents of pension reform in Nevada seem unwilling to admit that the system is broken and that its significant unfunded liabilities will impair state and local governments’ ability to provide basic...
View ArticleA Response to the Defense of Status Quo for Failing Pension Systems
Opponents of pension reform in Nevada seem unwilling to admit that the system is broken and that its significant unfunded liabilities will impair state and local governments’ ability to provide basic...
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Testimony on Assembly Bill 190 (Kirner) in Nevada Assembly Committee on Ways...
The state of Nevada is considering a substantive change to its public sector pension system. AB190, a bill currently being considered in the state assembly, would introduce for new employees a hybrid...
View ArticleUpdated Pension Gimmicks List
State Budget Solutions put out its most recent list of tricks used to hide the true cost of public pensions. It builds upon their list from 2013. Policymakers and key advisors use many of the tactics...
View ArticleWhy Pre-fund? Why Fully Fund?
The Terry Group, actuaries and experts on pension plan funding, are developing a series of commentaries to advance the discussion on retirement solvency. In their most recent column, “Why Pre-fund? Why...
View ArticleGASB Changes Hit Public Pension Plans
Public retirement systems in the US have experienced the first wave of change in the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) rules. Rolled out in 2014, GASB 67 requires a different treatment of...
View ArticleReforming Alabama's Retirement System
A recent report by the Alabama Policy Institute examines the public retirement system in Alabama and recommends substantive reforms to bring about fiscal sustainability. As a whole, Alabama’s pension...
View ArticleCalifornia Crowd-Out
When pension costs increase, absent tax increases, significant changes to actuarial assumptions, prudent fiscal decisions or even substantive reform, other core governmental services are often...
View ArticleHow to Get Dumb, Obsolete Laws Off the Books
Orange County Register It’s an unfortunate truth that, once a law is passed, it is rarely removed from the books. Long after the legislative fad has passed, the technology has changed or society has...
View ArticleAir Traffic Control Reform Is Not Just About Funding
The aviation community is debating fundamental restructuring of the air traffic control system. Those who portray the problem as simply unstable and inadequate funding would leave major problems...
View ArticleGAO Warns on Federal Fiscal Outlook
Back in December, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a fairly dire long-term fiscal outlook for states and local governments, finding that they will continue to face long-term...
View ArticleA Long-Term Solution for Sarasotaâ??s Traffic Congestion
Sarasota Observer Everyone knows there is a major clot in the roadway arterials of Sarasota. But Sarasota city engineer Alex DavisShaw says, “You can’t build your way out of congestion. It’s going to...
View ArticleGAO Warns on Federal Fiscal Outlook
My latest commentary discusses the GAO's latest Federal Fiscal Outlook, which as one might expect is not bullish on our fiscal future:Back in December, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)...
View ArticlePrivatization & Government Reform Newsletter #17 (April 2015 edition)
The April 2015 edition of the Privatization & Government Reform Newsletter is now online. Topics covered in this issue include:FEDERAL: GAO Warns on Federal Fiscal OutlookREGULATION: Legalize...
View ArticlePublic-Private Partnerships Hedge Managed Toll Lane Risks
Public Works Financing Greenfield express toll lane projects are still relatively new in the public-private partnership (P3) concession world. Besides the original SR 91 Express Lanes that opened in...
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Implementing Best Value Procurement in Oklahoma
Innovators in Action 2015 In recent decades, governments have increasingly adopted “best value” procurement as a more nuanced approach to purchasing goods and services, compared to the traditional—and...
View ArticleInnovators in Action (May 2015 edition): Implementing Best Value Procurement...
The latest interview in Reason Foundation's Innovators in Action 2015 series focuses on the state of Oklahoma's use of a type of best value procurement known as the Performance Information Procurement...
View ArticlePrivate Transit Services Vital to Improving U.S. Transit Options
Since World War II, most cities have taken over private bus services and run them as monopolies. But with the steady expansion of the private sector bus industry in recent years it is time for...
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