Linking Databases to Spur Educational Reform
Education Sector
By linking school, college and workforce databases, the federal Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems initiative has awarded $515 million to help states divine how well schools are preparing graduates for college and the workforce.
Income Tax as Tool of Crony Capitalism
John Locke Foundation
North Carolina’s corporate tax stands at 6.9% but it’s riddled with loopholes. Politicians grant exemptions to subsidize favored or politically correct businesses. The system is “hidden, dishonest and inconsistent with informed decision making in a free and democratic society.”
Pension Liabilities Bury Rhode Island in Deep Kimchi
Mercatus Center
Rhodes Island’s state and municipal debt is a lot worse than official figures indicate. Using more realistic assumptions about the rate of return on investment on pension assets, unfunded liabilities climb from $9.3 billion to $18 billion.
New Priorities for Public Health
Urban Institute
With its emphasis on preventive medicine, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act can provide a big boost to public health care.
