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Heartland Quotes Senior Fellow Ben Scafidi on Proposed Education Reforms

posted 4 years ago on February 11th, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Kenneth Artz of the Heartland Institute interviewed Foundation Senior Fellow Ben Scafidi on the Georgia Education Reform Commission’s recommendations. The article is below; access the article on Heartrland’s Web site here: http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2016/02/10/georgia-commission-releases-reform-recommendations. Georgia Commission Releases Reform Recommendations By Kenneth Artz A Georgia government commission released a report in December 2015 detailing recommended reforms lawmakers should consider during the recently convened legislative session. The commission called on the state’s legislature to fund charter schools in a more equitable manner and provide more support for districts wishing to explore tying teachers’ pay to student performance. The commission was composed of private-sector leaders, local and state education officials, and lawmakers. The stated goal of the Georgia Education Reform Commission is to “[provide]… View Article

Senior Fellow Baruch Feigenbaum Testifies at Senate Committee Hearing on MARTA

posted 4 years ago on February 11th, 2016 by admin 3 Comments

The Georgia Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee, chaired by Sen. John Albers, held a hearing February 9 on legislation for a local countywide sales tax increase to fund transit, including 11.9-mile MARTA rail line expansion along Georgia 400. Albers invited Baruch Feigenbaum to testify. Below is Feigenbaum’s testimony. Members of the Georgia Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee, my name is Baruch Feigenbaum. I am the Assistant Director of Transportation Policy at Reason Foundation, a non-profit think tank. I am also a Senior Fellow with the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. For almost four decades Reason’s transportation experts have been advising federal, state and local policymakers on transportation matters. My Credentials on Today’s Topic I am a… View Article

Analyzing the Latest Tax Reform Proposal

posted 4 years ago on February 4th, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Judson Hill recently introduced two tax reform bills. The first proposal would replace Georgia’s six tax brackets with one tax bracket of 5.4 percent (a reduction of 10 percent from the current top rate of 6 percent), increase personal and dependent exemptions by $2,000 each, and eliminate itemized deductions other than charitable deductions, medical expenses and up to $25,000 of mortgage interest. In addition, the corporate net worth tax is eliminated. [Update: Analysis of this bill by the Tax Foundation indicates it would improves Georgia’s ranking to 18th overall on the State Business Tax Climate Index, up from the current ranking of 39th.] The second bill, a proposed constitutional amendment, would reduce the personal… View Article

Commentary: Cost-Benefit Analysis in Transportation Can be Misleading

posted 4 years ago on January 22nd, 2016 by admin 2 Comments

By Robert Krol Each year, state and local governments decide on which transportation infrastructure projects to build. Often, priority goes to projects directed at reducing highway congestion or air pollution. The economic backbone of the decision process is supposed to be an objective cost-benefit analysis. However, calculating the costs and benefits of any major project is technically difficult. Cost estimates require a determination of labor and material quantities and prices. Benefit estimates require forecasting economic growth, demographic trends, and travel patterns in the region. Clouding the analysis is the fact that this decision process takes place in a political environment. Politicians love the publicity they get at the opening of a high-occupancy vehicle lane or the expansion of a mass… View Article

Friday Facts: January 22, 2016

posted 4 years ago on January 22nd, 2016 by admin 2 Comments

It’s Friday! Then and Now Did you know? In 1991, the year the Georgia Public Policy Foundation was established, according to one advertisement (May 1991), a business-class 386/33 personal computer with 4MB of RAM, a 200MB hard disk and 14-inch display sold for $4,299 ($7,544 in today’s dollars). A similarly-equipped 486-33 was $7,699, or $13,511 today. Source: ZDNET.com Events January 27: MONDAY is the deadline to register for the Foundation’s annual National School Choice Week celebration. Join Georgia State Sen. Hunter Hill, State Rep. Mike Dudgeon and education innovator Mike Davis for “Georgia Education: Reforms and Recommendations,” a Leadership Breakfast 8 a.m. Wednesday, January 27 at Cobb County’s Georgian Club. This event is open to the public.… View Article

Friday Facts January 15, 2016

posted 4 years ago on January 15th, 2016 by admin 1 Comment

It’s Friday! Then and Now Did you know? In 1991, the year the Georgia Public Policy Foundation was established, Gov. Zell Miller led the Legislature to approve a lottery for Georgia, with proceeds funding special programs, including his HOPE Scholarship for college and technical-school students, pre-K programs and educational technology. This week, the nation saw the highest PowerBall jackpot ever: $1.6 billion. Events January 27: Georgia State Sen. Hunter Hill, State Rep. Mike Dudgeon and education innovator Mike Davis are panelists at the Foundation’s annual National School Choice Week celebration. Register now for, “Georgia Education: Reforms and Recommendations,” a Leadership Breakfast 8 a.m. Wednesday, January 27 at Cobb County’s Georgian Club. This panel discussion is open to… View Article

Foundation Results

posted 4 years ago on December 5th, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

This post was sent to readers of the Friday Facts on December 4, 2015, by Foundation President Kelly McCutchen. Nine months ago, Foundation Vice President Benita Dodd headed down the road for a fact-finding day trip to Dublin, Ga., to research an article marking the one-year anniversary of Dublin City Schools’ solar energy project. “What started out as a commentary on Sunshine Week and the solar project’s anniversary led to a trail of lofty projections, broken promises, unpaid bills, questionable math and taxpayers left on the hook,” we noted back in March. Nobody had reported yet on the financial mess involving the solar industry in Dublin. “The financial fallout is likely to grow, but a cloud of hush surrounding the… View Article

Friday Facts: November 20, 2015

posted 4 years ago on November 20th, 2015 by admin 1 Comment

It’s Friday! A personal note: Our condolences to those affected recently by terrorism in France and elsewhere. “There is a saying in Tibetan, ‘Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.’ No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster.” – Dalai Lama XIV Events December 8: Register by December 4 to attend, “The Case for K-12 Student-Based Budgeting in Georgia,” a summit and luncheon hosted featuring experts from the Reason Foundation and Allovue.10:30-1:30 p.m. at The Gallery, Cobb Galleria Centre. $30. Registration and information here. Have you seen our Giving Tuesday posts? We’re at No. 13 today! Visit our Facebook page and follow as we… View Article

Heartland’s Broadband Article Quotes Foundation’s President

posted 4 years ago on November 5th, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Georgia Public Policy Foundation President Kelly McCutchen was interviewed for a November 2, 2015, Heartland Institute article by Tony Corvo on Peachtree City’s planned taxpayer-funded broadband. The full article is below; access it online here. Georgia Lawmakers Boot Up Taxpayer-Funded Internet By Tony Corvo The Peachtree City, Georgia City Council recently approved spending $3.2 million in taxpayer dollars to build and fund a municipal broadband Internet system. The new taxpayer-funded Internet service provider (ISP) will be funded through a mixture of subscriber fees and excise fees paid by cable television subscribers. Broadband ‘Boondoggles’ “I can’t speak for Peachtree City residents, but I think taxpayers are fed up with funding government boondoggles, especially when government is attempting to compete with… View Article

December 8 Event: ‘The Case for K-12 Student-Based Budgeting in Georgia’

posted 4 years ago on October 20th, 2015 by admin 1 Comment

EVENT INVITATION October 20, 2015 Contact Benita Dodd at 404-256-4050 or benitadodd@georgiapolicy.org The Case for K-12 Student-Based Budgeting in Georgia Atlanta – The recommendations from the funding committee of Georgia Governor Deal’s Education Reform Commission, which were expected in August, have been delayed until December 18. That means, according to news reports, a postponement of least one year – until summer 2017 – in implementing any new education funding model for Georgia. Reform is past due: Georgia’s Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding formula has stagnated since 1985 while the education landscape has transformed around it. Today, more than one dollar in every three of Georgia’s state budget is allocated to K-12 education. Just how does Georgia ensure that funding follows… View Article