Columns
September
8: Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes.
Turn
and face the strange: An African-American from
Illinois and a woman from Alaska have infected
millions of Americans with a thirst for change.
Will Virginia heed the call? by
Michael Thompson
August
25: Closing
the Budget Shortfall.
Virginia's
secret weapon in the budget wars is a little-known
agency, the Commonwealth Competition Council, that
seeks savings through privatization and
outsourcing. by Leonard Gilroy
August
4: Reviving
the Great Melting Pot.
A
century ago, Americans expected immigrants to learn
English and adapt to a new culture. Would it be
politically incorrect to encourage today's
immigrants to
"Americanize"? by Chris Braunlich
July
21: Democrats
for (School) Choice.
Putting
the interest of the nation's children ahead of those of
the teachers unions, an increasing number of Dems are
supporting school choice. by Chris Braunlich
July
7: Let
the People Decide.
It's
time to fish or cut bait on the gas tax. Either
pass a tax increase to pay for transportation
projects or take it off the table so we can pursue
other options. by Michael Thompson
June
23: Another
One Bites the Dust.
Another
toll-road myth -- that governments can access
cheaper infrastructure financing than the private
sector -- has been demolished. The proof?
Transurban's experience in Northern Virginia. by
Leonard Gilroy
June
23: A
Transportation Reform Agenda. A
comprehensive solution to transportation in Virginia
requires a lot more than raising taxes and spending
money. We have to change the way we fund and administer
roads and rail. by Michael Thompson
June
2: Time
for Systemic Reform. Crafted
for the industrial, post-World War II era,
Virginia's government institutions are failing.
More money won't work. Tinkering won't work. We
need systemic reform. by
Chris Braunlich
May
19: A
Simple Solution.
Here
is an easy way to resolve Virginia's political
stand-off over transportation funding: Empower
local governments to enact the same taxes that the
Supreme Court invalidated regionally. by
Michael Thompson
May
5: Stretching
the Highway Dollar.
We
can get more mileage out of transportation spending by
prioritizing congestion relief, using
performance-based planning and outsourcing maintenance. by
Len Gilroy
April
21: Fund
Reading First.
Congressional
politicking could eviscerate one of the few federal
programs proven to help at-risk children in Virginia
learn to read. by Chris Braunlich
April
21: The
Thrill of No-Till. Adopting
the tried-and-tested agricultural practice of no-till
farming could be Virginia's simplest, most
cost-effective strategy for restoring the health of the
Chesapeake Bay. by
David Schnare
April
7: How
to Save $1 Billion Without Even Trying.
Think
Virginia lawmakers are serious about restraining
state government spending? Consider this: Simply
freezing
7,627 vacant positions could have saved $1 billion
in the next two-year budget! by Michael
Thompson
March
24: Extend
Foot, Pull Trigger.
The
unilateral rewriting of the Dulles Greenway legislation
sends a bad signal to potential investors in Virginia
roads: When times turn tough, lawmakers renege on deals.
by Leonard Gilroy
February
11: Let
the Sun Shine In.
Getting
the political establishment to agree to budget
transparency is like pulling teeth -- from a saber-tooth
tiger. But Virginia is slowly making progress. by
Michael Thompson
January
28: Lottery
Options. Virginia
should consider leasing out rights to operate the state
lottery. Privatization could generate a steady income
stream, reducing risks of revenue variability. by
Leonard Gilroy
January
14: Hot
Air or Cold Logic? The
Governor's Commission on Climate Change could guide
Virginia's energy and environmental policy for years to
come. One option it needs to consider: geo-engineering.
by
David Schnare
January
14: Unleash
the Private Sector. Many
localities are too financially strapped to execute
Tim Kaine's pre-K initiative for at-risk tots. He could bypass that bottleneck by
engaging private daycare
providers.
by
Chris Braunlich
-
2007 -
December
27: Making
Government Work.
Innovation
in state government is not an oxymoron. The Productivity
Investment Fund acts like an in-house venture capitalist
to underwrite projects that spur superior efficiency and
service. by Michael Thompson
December
10: Let
the Greenway Bloom.
Tolls
from the Dulles Greenway are funding road
improvements that government can't afford to make,
and investors are watching to see how fairly
Virginia regulators treat private risk capital.
by Leonard Gilmore
November
26: Gold
Stars for Virginia. Virginia,
with Fairfax County leading the way, has one of
the highest rates in the country of students who
take advanced high school courses -- and score
well on exams. by Chris Braunlich
November
12: It
Was Closer Than It Looked.
The
Democrats are crowing after their triumph over General
Assembly Republicans. But their margin of victory was a
lot closer than the newspaper headlines let on. by
Michael Thompson
October
29: Wolf
in Sheep's Clothing.
By
bashing the Dulles Greenway, Congressman Frank Wolf
purports to stand up for Virginia's weak and defenseless
commuters. In reality, this political predator could be
driving off private investment in the state's highways. by
Leonard Gilroy
October
15: There
They Go Again. The
Fairfax County staff used every trick in the book
rebutting the Thomas Jefferson Institute's analysis of
the county budget, but there's no hiding the fact that
spending needs outside oversight. by Michael Thompson
October
1: Perhaps
We Should Call Them "Safe
Street" Fees.
Totally
lost in the controversy over "abuser
fees" is the fact that they work. Stiff
penalties for reckless driving has resulted in...
less reckless driving! by
Michael Thompson
September
17: Loosening
the Beltway.
Congestion
on the Washington Beltway will ease at last when a
private consortium builds new lanes, upgrades the
roadway and uses variable- pricing tolls to
establish free-flowing traffic. by Leonard
Gilroy
September
3: Don't
Write Off "Reading First". The
Reading First program has led to dramatic gains among
pupils in high-poverty school systems. Why does Rep.
David Obey want to cut it back? by Chris Braunlich
August
13: Enough,
Already!
Abuser
fees are getting all the attention during this year's
election cycle, crowding out discussion of more
important issues such as impending budget deficits and
out-of-control state spending.
by
Mike Thompson
July
30: Google
Government.
The
Internet creates an opportunity to bring unprecedented
transparency to state and local government. Virginia
could learn from other states. by
Geoff Segal
July
16: Recreo
Lectio! The
Harry Potter books have done what a nation of
parents backed by an army of educators could not
do: Inspire a revival of reading among young
children.
by Chris Braunlich
July
2: Slow
and Unsteady.
Economic growth will slow in Virginia next year.
Short-term, we must restrain state government spending
to match. Long-term, we need to devise a fix for
boom-bust budgeting. by Mike Thompson
June
19: Unconstitutional
Power Grab.
Two
congressmen want to stop the states from utilizing
public-private partnerships to finance new road
construction. A little thing called the Tenth Amendment
stands in the way. by
Geoff Segal
May
28: We
Should Have Seen It Coming.
Virginia
faces a $300 million revenue shortfall this year.
Yet only four months ago, lawmakers approved $700
million in spending increases, despite clear signs
of an economic slowdown. by Mike Thompson
May
14: Putting
the Family back
in the "College Family".
One
way to make colleges safer is to keep parents informed
when their children pose a danger to themselves or
others. by
Chris Braunlich
April
30: Liberate
the Liquor Business.
More
money for roads, more choice for consumers, more focused
enforcement of drinking laws -- what's not to like about
the privatization of state ABC stores? by Geoff Segal
April
16: Call
for a "Roads Blueprint".
Between
the new taxes just enacted and financing by the private
sector, Virginia should have ample funds to keep traffic
congestion under control. The trick is crafting a plan
and sticking to it. by Mike Thompson
April
2: Twilight
Zone Politics.
The
Reading First program has boosted children's reading
performance in schools across Virginia, but it may fall
victim to the surreal politics of No Child Left Behind. by
Chris Braunlich
March
21: HOT
to Trot.
A
decade of data from southern California proves that HOT
lanes provide time-sensitive drivers, regardless of
income, an alternative to driving in congestion.
Virginia, let's get moving!
by
Geoff Segal
March
5: A
Good Start.
The
transportation bill passed by the General Assembly still
needs fine tuning, but it injects new money into the
system along with greater accountability. by
Mike Thompson
February
20: What
About the Children?
In
vilifying Walter Stosch's tuition grants for disabled
children, opponents decry the impact on schools,
teachers, principals, even lawyers -- but never the
children. by Chris Braunlich
February
5: His
Way or No Highway. By
killing the GOP compromise plan, tyrannical "King
John" Chichester has shut down Virginia's best
chance to address the transportation crisis -- all for
what? Not increasing taxes enough? by
Geoff Segal
February
5: Plenty
of Work Left to Do. Only
three weeks left in the 2007 General Assembly session
and there's so much left to be done. by
Mike Thompson
January
8: Pre-K
Politics.
The
Kaine administration has tipped its hand: It wants to
make pre-K universal not because middle-class kids need
it but to buy public support for an expansion
of the program.
by
Chris Braunlich
-
2006 -
December
18: Road
Map.
There
is no need for legislative gridlock in Virginia. Two new
publications outline priorities and detail solutions
that a consensus can build around. by Mike Thompson
November
20: Four
for NoVa.
Republicans
have lost Northern Virginia for three statewide
elections running. Here are four ideas that could tilt
the vote-rich region back to the GOP. by Chris
Braunlich
November
6: Time
for a "Citizens Initiative".
Virginia's
budget has doubled in size over 10 years and growth
continues unabated. We need constitutional and
procedural safeguards to keep the spending in check. by
Geoffrey Segal
October
23: New
Ideas, New Leaders.
Transportation,
education and the environment... We can solve
these problems without throwing money at them. It
just takes fresh ideas and bold leaders willing to
implement them. by Michael Thompson
October
9: First
Things First.
If
you want Virginia children to improve their
reading test scores, stick with the basics, like
phonics and... more time reading. by Chris
Braunlich
September
25: A
New Transportation Equation.
Virginia
once led the nation in seeking private-sector
solutions for transportation problems. We will
have a chance in few days to burnish our tarnished
capitalistic credentials. by Geoffrey Segal
September
11: When
Pachyderms Fly.
The
white elephant has sprouted wings: METRO rail through
Tysons Corner will run overhead, on pylons, not
underground. Bus Rapid Transit could handle more
commuters at a fraction of the cost. by Mike Thompson
August
28: Saving
Money, Helping Kids.
Tuition
Assistance Grants of $10,000 would help disabled
children to attend private schools with programs
tailored to their special needs -- and save public
schools money in the bargain. by Chris Braunlich
August
7: The
Croesus Trap.
More
money won't fix a broken transportation system.
But the combination of privatization and tolls can
build a lot of roads in Virginia. by Geoff
Segal
July
24: Summer
Budget Savers.
As
we while away the long days of summer, let's give some
thought to creative ways of getting more for our tax
dollars. Here are some suggestions, some old, some new. by
Michael Thompson
July
10: Ozzie
and Harriet School Funding.
It's
time to overhaul arcane educational funding formulas
that might have worked in the '50s but create endless
red tape today. Dollars should "follow the
child" to his or her public school.
by
Chris Braunlich
June
26: Failure
is OK - When It's Cheap.
Virginia's
transportation system is a mess. But with state spending
hitting $74 billion, up 20 percent, in the next two-year
budget, Virginia government can hardly be described as
cheap.
by
Geoffrey Segal
June
12: Creativity
Behind the Scenes.
Despite
budget disagreements that grab the headlines, Virginia
lawmakers are coming to quiet agreement on several ways
to make government work more productively. by
Michael Thompson
May
30: Preschool
Plan Doesn't Add Up.
Tim
Kaine's proposed pre-school plan may make sense for
Virginia's most disadvantaged children but there's no
justification for making it universal. by Chris
Braunlich
May
15: Learning
from Pocahontas.
Gov.
Kaine smartly bailed out the Pocahontas Parkway project
by granting a concession to a private toll-road
operator. Too bad he didn't apply the same creative
thinking to the Dulles Toll Road. by Geoffrey Segal
May
1: Let's
Make a Budget Deal.
The
General Assembly can make big improvements to the
transportation budget even without a special session and
new taxes. Here are some ideas to get budget negotiators
started. by Michael Thompson
April
17: Crippling
the Disabled.
Virginia's
educational lobby upholds its own institutional
interests above those of the most vulnerable members of
our society, disabled children. by Chris Braunlich
April
3: Do
We Need It All?
Virginia's
wish list of transportation projects fund includes many
that will do little to relieve traffic congestion.
Virginia needs to rethink the way it sets its funding
priorities. by
Geoffrey Segal
March
20: Unanswered
Questions.
GOP
factions are grappling over how much more money to
spend on transportation. But they're not
addressing critical questions regarding spending
priorities and the role of the private sector. by
Michael Thompson
February
27: $650
Million in Hiding.
There
is a lot more new money for transportation projects than
commonly realized -- if lawmakers would only count it! by
Michael Thompson
February
13: Dance
with the Devil.
Rosalyn
Dance and other black legislators are supporting
ideas like charter schools and vouchers that would
have been inconceivable a decade ago. And
that's a good thing for the kids.
by
Chris Braunlich
January
30: Not
Again (Sigh).
Once
again, the General Assembly is talking about taxes
for transportation. You'd never know that a global
revolution in highway privatization and financing
has taken place. by
Geoffrey Segal
January
30: How
to Fund Transportation without Really Trying.
These
six strategies will stretch Virginia
transportation dollars by billions of dollars --
and put off the need for tax increases for years. by
Michael Thompson
January
16: Issues
that Can Make a Difference.
The
state budget will grow $11 billion over the next
two years. Here are some ideas to ensure that
money is well spent. by Michael Thompson
January
3: Putting
a Price on Mobility.
Congestion
tolls on Virginia’s highways would encourage motorists
to engage in economic thinking, changing their behavior
and reducing the rush hour crunch. by Geoffrey
Segal
-
2005 -
December
12: Does
"Universal Pre-K" Work?
Pre-school
programs help poor children but do little for kids
from middle class families. Tim Kaine's proposed
$300 million universal program would be largely a
waste of money. by Chris Braunlich
November
28: Now
What? Tim
Kaine won the gubernatorial race. What comes next?
Ideally, it will be a focus on growing the
economy, reining in state spending and getting
moving on transportation. by
Geoffrey Segal
November
28: Focus
on Good Government. Democratic
Gov.-elect Tim Kaine and fiscal conservatives have
lots in common: a desire to make government work
more efficiently. Here are some ideas where we can
work together. by Michael Thompson
October
31: The
Warner Report Card: Incomplete.
Mark
Warner has made a positive impact on K-12
education in Virginia, but he's left much
undone.
October
17: What's
at Stake? If
you think that November's House elections don't
matter, try again. Virginia needs fresh thinking
about education, transportation, health care and a
host of other issues. by Michael Thompson
October
17: Opportunity
Lost? The
Council for Virginia's Future is developing
valuable performance measures for state programs.
But it's a long way from living up to its full
potential.
by
Geoffrey Segal
September
19: What's Our Disaster Response?
New
Orleans children aren't the only ones suffering
from disaster. Forty-one failed Virginia schools
have inflicted a man-made catastrophe upon the
20,000 pupils they fail to educate. by Chris
Braunlich
September
5: Spending
the Surplus.
There's
a good chance that the state is heading for a $2
billion surplus. Let's spend it on one-time
projects that won't run up future government
obligations. by Michael Thompson
August
23: Starting
with A Clean Slate.
What
would local government look like if you could
design it from the ground up? Thanks to Sandy
Springs, Ga., we'll soon find out. by Geoffrey
Segal
August
8: A
Castle for Your Cottage.
Thanks
to the Supreme Court, municipalities have more
leeway than ever to condemn your property in the
name of the "public good." The General
Assembly needs to set things right. by Chris
Braunlich
July
25: Give
It Back!
The
state's budget surplus is approaching $2 billion a
year. It's time to rebate some of it back to the
taxpayers. by Michael Thompson
July
11: Your
Money... or Your Home
Now
there's another reason to limit local government
spending: to curtail municipalities' appetite not
only for our money but our property. by
Geoffrey Segal
June
20: Save
Educational Standards. No
Child Left Behind is a work in progress. The federal
school-accountability program has real problems but is
worth saving. Five basic reforms would help.
by
Chris Braunlich
June
6: Our
Fearless Economic Forecast. The
good news: Virginia's economy and tax revenues
will grow far faster than the national average.
The bad news: So will state spending. by
Michael Thompson
May
23: Happily Ever
CAFTA. A
free trade agreement with Central America would
boost Virginia exports and cost us very little.
Only an aggressive sugar lobby stands in the way. by
Chris Braunlich
May
9: Government Can
Innovate. The
Thomas Jefferson Institute's "Innovations in
Government Conference" showed how. by Geoffrey
Segal
April
25: The
Price of Government. David
Osborne's new book provides practical advice on
how to squeeze more efficiency out of state and
local government. No elected official should leave
home without it. by Michael Thompson
April
11: The
Politics of Budget Surplus. The
good news: Virginia is running a budget surplus. The bad
news: Virginia is running a budget surplus... and the
General Assembly is showing no spending restraint. by
Geoffrey Segal
March
28: Charter
Schools in Name Only. Virginia has among
the fewest charter schools of any state in the
nation. Perhaps that's because they're designed as
conduits for federal funds -- not as laboratories
for innovation. by Chris Braunlich
March
14: Keep 'em in the Dark.
Virginia's
budget is incomprehensible to citizens. Legislators
refuse to revamp the document so the public can
understand it, and Gov. Warner has yet to produce the
overhaul he promised. by Michael Thompson
February
28: Why
Shield the State? Ben
Cline has a sound idea: Government should avoid
doing things that the private sector could do just
as well. It's baffling that he can't get HB
2556 enacted into law. by Geoffrey F. Segal
February
14: Give
Choice a Chance. The
House of Delegates has passed a bill that could
provide school choice for up to 5,000 poor kids.
Foes are desperate to stop it in the state
Senate. by Chris Braunlich
January
31: Rays
of Hope. The
General Assembly is considering several bills that
would improve the efficiency of state government.
We'll find out soon how serious legislators
are about getting them passed. by Michael
Thompson
January
17: The
Time is Now. Virginia's
recent financial crisis brought only a modicum of
reform to state spending and budgeting. Maybe a
$918 million surplus will give lawmakers the breathing
room they need. by Geoffrey Segal
January
4: A
Giant of a Man. Reggie
White was more than a football Hall of Famer. He fought
for school choice, parental involvement and positive
values to emancipate poor kids from even poorer schools.
by Chris Braunlich
-
2004 -
December
13: Governing
by Network. A
quiet revolution is transforming the way
government delivers public services. Instead of
doing everything itself, governments are out-source
more work to the private sector. by Michael
Thompson
November
19: Mother,
May I? Public
universities squander untold millions running
routine proposals through administrators in
Richmond. A chartered university law would spare
them much of the red tape. by Chris Braunlich
November
15: Taking
PART.
If
Virginia wants to promote efficiency in state
government, it should adopt the Performance
Assessment Rating Tool that President Bush is
using to tame the federal bureaucracy. by
Geoffrey Segal
November
1: Keep
the Ball Rolling.
Gov.
Warner has initiated important reforms to improve
efficiency in state government. It's imperative
that the next governor and General Assembly pick
up where he left off. by Michael Thompson
October
18: Regulation
Rollback. Del.
Chris Saxman is promoting a flexibility-in-regulation
law that should curtail the spread of useless,
job-killing regulations. by Geoffrey Segal
October
4: The
Looming Teacher Shortage. Virginia's recruitment
and compensation practices are aggravating the
shortfall of math, science and special ed
teachers. Schools could learn
some lessons from the private sector. by Chris
Braunlich
September
20: Fix
VDOT First.
Don't entrust VDOT with more money until the
state highway department can demonstrate it can
deliver projects on budget and on time. by
Michael Thompson
September
7: Beyond
SOLs. Standards
of Learning represented the first step in holding
public schools accountable. The next step is "value added assessment" that tracks
performance of individual students and teachers. by
Chris Braunlich
August
23: Make
Government Compete.
Corporations
don't do everything in-house, why should
government? Virginia could improve its process for evaluating outsourcing
opportunities by looking closely at Florida's. by
Geoffrey Segal
August
9: Keep
Regulators' Mitts off
Telecom. Everyone
wants to stimulate investment in
telecommunications technology and broadband
infrastructure. Free markets will do it best. by
Michael Thompson
July
26: Results-Based
Government. Taxpayers
should insist that government programs accomplish
what they're set up to do. Measuring results is a
powerful tool for holding agencies accountable. by
Geoffrey Segal
July
12: Reform
a Priority at Last. House
Republicans are exploring a host of ideas for
reforming state government. Judging by Gov.
Warner's actions and Sen. Chichester's recent
statements, they may have allies. by Michael
Thompson
June
21: Can We
Start Reforming State Government Now?
Under this year's tax hikes, an average Virginia
family will pay $650 more a year. To fend off
another round, we'd better get serious about
streamlining state government. by Michael
Thompson
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