City & Local Reform
There are almost 90,000 local governments in America, with an average of one new local government born every day. Many are unaccountable to taxpayers and special interest-driven, and the Goldwater Institute’s “New Charter for American Cities” gives citizens the tools they need to fight City Hall and hold their local governments accountable.
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A One-Two Punch to Government Union Release Time
Posted on January 31, 2012 | Type: Blog | Author: Taylor EarlIn December, the Goldwater Institute filed a constitutional challenge to the City of Phoenix’s practice of “release time” within the police union. This practice takes six city police officers off the streets and puts them behind desks to work as full-time union managers, 35 to work as part-time union representatives, and one to work full time as a union lobbyist – all while collecting city salaries and benefits.
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Do Police Officers Pay for Release Time?
Posted on January 18, 2012 | Type: Blog | Author: Taylor EarlThe Goldwater Institute recently filed a lawsuit challenging Phoenix’s “release time” practice that sends six city police officers to work as full-time union managers, 35 to work as part-time union representatives, and one to work as a union lobbyist. Although these employees are released from city duties to perform union duties, taxpayers continue to pay the officers’ salaries and benefits.
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City, Police Union Sued By Taxpayers
Posted on December 08, 2011 | Type: Press ReleaseCalling it an unconstitutional giveaway that harms taxpayers and takes police resources off the streets, two Phoenix residents today filed suit against the City of Phoenix and the city’s largest police union, seeking to end the widespread practice of allowing public-sector employees to do union work while on the city payroll.
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Taking on the union freebies
Posted on December 07, 2011 | Type: Blog | Author: Clint BolickIn September, my colleague Mark Flatten released an investigative report showing that Phoenix and other Arizona cities spend millions of dollars every year to pay employees to perform union work on city time. Less than three months later, we are going to court on behalf of Phoenix taxpayers to put an end to the practice of union “release time.”
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The Missing Reform: Regulatory Tax Credits
Posted on November 09, 2011 | Type: Policy Report | Author: Nick DraniasFederal regulations have been estimated to cost $1.75 trillion per year, which is roughly 14 percent of total national income. All of these incredibly costly regulations slow economic activity and prevent the creation of jobs and wealth. Unfortunately, efforts to rein in excessive regulations have proven inadequate. But there is a powerful way to give government the missing incentive it needs—the regulatory tax credit
