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In Minnesota, Republican State Rep. Morrie Lanning is so shocked that college kids in his state are doing what they have always done-consuming unsafe quantities of alcohol-that he has decided to go on a crusade against the entire alcoholic beverage industry. He is attempting to pass a law that would stop the use of certain drink specials, like those offering limitless drinks and those offering free drinks to women.

Now, you may be thinking the same thing I did when I first saw this news: "There is no way that legislators could pass a law that takes away this much freedom and imposes unnecessary government regulation on businesses."

But don't be so sure. Three years ago, Minnesota passed a law that banned 21-year-olds from purchasing alcohol within the first 8 hours of turning 21. This was meant to curb binge drinking on 21st birthdays.

As you may have guessed, this law has not helped curb binge drinking in the slightest. Just like the prohibition of the 1920's failed, so will the laws that Rep. Lanning is proposing.

When home sales are down what do Chicago politicians plan to do? Raise real estate taxes, of course!

The CTA financial fiasco never seems to end, now with a new tax being considered by the Chicago City Council in order to pay for CTA workers' pension plans. These plans act as nearly a second salary for workers AFTER they retire.

This is why today--right at this moment, in fact--realtors' organizations are holding a news conference at City Hall to protest a 40% increase in real estate transfer taxes. Aldermen are due to vote on the proposal on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

The 15,000-member Chicago Association of REALTORS® vehemently opposes the increase, which will raise transfer taxes on all Chicago-area real estate transactions by 40%, to roughly $10.50 per $1,000. Revenue from the increased tax would be used to fund CTA pension plans, not improve CTA quality or service. “The people of Chicago deserve to know that this tax will not put a new bus on our streets, or a new train on our tracks,” said Hanna. “This is the wrong tax on the wrong people at the wrong time.”

On Monday, I posted about Robert Young, a citizen who is making a stand against the stubborn municipality of Campton Hills, which has blocked lawsuit after lawsuit from unhappy citizens who wish to un-incorporate from the viillage.

Today, I want to share the stories of two more Campton Hills citizens who are taking action in this situation.

Bill Lundberg has lived in Campton Hills with his two children for 10 years. Susan Secondi has spent three years in Campton Hills, and recalls local family roots. Like Bill and Susan, other local residents appreciated the rural independent atmosphere that the area once had before being incorporated into the village of Campton Hills. The debate now circles around the best type of governing body for preservation-is a municipality a better agent to fend off developers?

Not if you can't trust them.

Bill and Susan have honest concerns about the direction of the newly-appointed village leaders. There is a substantial lack of transparency, and this taxing and spending in the dark would make any citizen uneasy.

But Bill and Susan haven't given up yet-rather than get steamrolled by the village, they are taking action, and stepping up to the plate to run as candidates in the election for village trustees.

I'm getting tired of all of these predictions of "doomsday" by big-government supporters. First it was that the Chicago Transit Authority would have to cut all sorts of services if it didn't get loads of new taxpayer cash. Unfortunately, it worked for the CTA, but the end-of-days rhetoric by property rights foes doesn't seem to be resonating as well. 

In a Wall Street Journal column today, new data from the Institute for Justice show that eminent domain reform--that is, when personal property cannot be seized and given to private developer friends of politicians--does NOT slow down economic growth in the slightest.

But one constant since Kelo v. New London has been the refrain, echoed by developers and politicians alike, that eminent domain is necessary for redevelopment. In 2006, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack vetoed an eminent-domain reform, arguing that it would harm the economy if the state restricted the power to expropriate private property. Groups such as the National League of Cities make similar arguments. 

Heck, when people feel secure to own property, they buy more of it and prosper.

The most grandly conceived plans are also often those most likely to fail. If a project cannot proceed without government interference, it is reasonable to ask whether it is worth putting the hamfist of government on the scales at all. As the Institute for Justice's report notes, Baltimore's much-touted Inner Harbor redevelopment remains dependent on government handouts. At the same time, private redevelopments without eminent domain, such as in Anaheim's A-Town, are thriving.

What's the eminent domain law in YOUR state?

A few dozen people joined Paul Jacob, Rick Carpenter, State Senator Randy Brogdon, State Rep. Mike Reynolds, Kim Wright, Charlie Meadows, Stuart Jolly on the OK City Courthouse steps to rally for the unhindered right to the citizen initiative process.

Our friends at The Tax Foundation have  published a blog post with this equation for local property tax rates:

Local Property Tax Burden = Level of Local Government Services X Cost Per Unit of Local Government Services X Local Share of Financing Local Government Services X Share of Local Revenue that comes from property taxes

Quite simply, local government revenue is determined by the amount of money that is coming in through various taxes, and, as the Tax Foundation's Senior Economist, Gerald Prante, has stated here , "Property tax cuts are no free lunch."  Unless wasteful spending is reduced, local property tax cuts, offset by other tax increases, do not constitute a reduction in the tax burden.

As highlighted in this article published yesterday by the Associated Press, "Cash-strapped states resort to odd taxes."  This trend also applies to any local government.  

Nate Bailey, the Tax Foundation's Manager of Media Relations says, "People at the local level already feel overtaxed and politicians, in a somewhat spineless way, look for a hidden way to increase revenue without raising taxes." 

The idea is that local or state governments feel less wary raising taxes so long as an increase is not called a "tax."  Fees, lotteries, tolls, or any other regulation aimed at increasing government revenue out of citizens' pockets is a tax pure and simple.

The next time your local government debuts a generous property "tax cut," do some research in order to follow the money.  Keep the Tax Foundation's principle that no real cut comes without a reduction in spending.  Don't let tax-hikers hide old property tax rates under the guise of new and increasingly imaginative "fees" and penalties.

At yesterday's press conference in support of Paul Jacob and the "Oklahoma 3," our namesake sent a message in support of the citizen's initiative process.

If you're having difficulty reading it, this is the quotation on the facade of the Oklahoma City Courthouse, where Paul, Susan and Rick were indicted (again) yesterday...and where they, again, pled not-guilty:

"He who has the most zeal and ability to promote public felicity, let him be the servant of the public."

Are you listening, Drew?

I'll have video from yesterday's event online before the end of the day. Stay tuned... 

Got one of these in the mail the other day...more than a month after the alleged violation. Eh...make that the confirmed violation.

Yes, it's a ticket. A red-light camera ticket. And unlike the curbside 5-o, this method of traffic enforcement is really covert, and thereby, really effective. But really effective at what? Reducing accidents? Or just documenting offenders like me and issuing them $90 citations?

Bingo to the latter.

Of course, at this realization, dollar signs start appearing in the eyes of revenue-strapped politicians everywhere. Mayor Daley, never an exception to this rule, instituted a red-light camera program that collected nearly $20-million in 2006 alone.

Alas, drivers aren't excited. Some take on arguably extreme measures, like the man who fired three rounds at a red-light camera in Knoxville, Tennessee, last November. Others employ more civil methods, like the three individuals that filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Chicago's red-light cameras. Their argument? Car owners are ticketed regardless of whether or not they are behind the wheel. As it turns out, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit last week.

Now, I don't necessarily disagree with the ruling, which revolves around owner responsibility. But, as I've made clear, I'm also not naive as to the political motivation for implementing red-light cameras in the first place. It's all about revenue and hardly at all about public safety.

So, with that said, here's a website that maps out the exact location of every red-light camera in Chicago, as well as those in every other major US city. Nice.

In New Mexico, legislators are introducing a bill that will raise the tax on video games and televisions to-get this-fight childhood obesity! The idea is, apparently, to make these items too expensive for parents to buy for their children, and thus the children will not participate in these activities. Then, the funds raised from this tax will allegedly go to fund programs combating childhood obesity.

This is an unnecessary tax hike that will do more to hurt business than to help fight childhood obesity in New Mexico. This tax also meddles in the lives of far more people than just those with young children. Many people purchase televisions and plenty of adults play video games now. Last, but certainly not least, what lawmakers in support of this legislation do not seem to realize is that it is not the government's role to tell people how to live their lives or raise their children, and there are certainly more efficient ways of combating childhood obesity than raising taxes on certain items.

If you live in New Mexico and enjoy video games or television, or just plain hate nanny laws, contact your state representative and let them know what you think.

Robert Young isn't a professional politician. He's a business accountant; but that hasn't stopped him from defending liberty within his own community.

Last year, Young's neighbors asked for his help against a stubborn new municipality. It's a rural village of 10,000 residents, now called Campton Hills. Initially, Campton Hills was voted into existence last April via referendum with the understanding that reluctant residents would be allowed to subsequently un-incorporate (assuming that lived along the municipalities edge). Eleven lawsuits later it's clear the city doesn't intend to let anyone go (see "FREE US from Campton Hills" ). The newly appointed village leadership has also proved agile at referendum blocking. This is where Mr. Young enters the picture.

Robert Young has been drafted for Village President by the grassroots "Free US from Campton Hills" movement. It's a municipal struggle for freedom, honesty, and government transparency. Ultimately, it comes down to taxes.

Robert Young is a regular citizen making a difference.

 

To learn more about this struggle, click here .

I'm in Oklahoma City, OK today to cover the SECOND arraignment of Paul Jacob and the Oklahoma 3.

It's a beautiful day outside, but it's going to be anything inside the courtroom, where the Oklahoma Attorney General's dream of crushing the citizen initiative process takes another step forward...unless we, the people can stop him.

Check out today's press release, including Paul's latest statement on this assault on our First Amendment rights:

"I have committed no crime," said Paul Jacob, president of Citizens in Charge. "What is my actual offense but that of daring to help Oklahoma voters hold an election to decide an issue?"

I'll have video and images from today's press conference online tomorrow, so check back soon, and be sure to visit two websites for the whole scoop of what's going on: FreePaulJacob.com and FreetheOK3.com. 

In the 11th hour of a four year initiative campaign the state of Florida discovered that its new $23 million computer voter system is skewing the count of petition signatures.

Instead of figuring out the error, the Department of State asked county election supervisors to go back through four years of records and resubmit their own tallies.  As a result of the glitch, the Hometown Democracy Amendment discovered that it was 110,000 signatures short to qualify for the 2008 ballot.  With less than two weeks to remedy the fact, the initiative died in the water.

The reaction of "Ah-well, better luck next time," by the Florida Elections Division is abominable.  For $23 million of the taxpayers' money, the equipment should be able to do cartwheels.  Instead its only action is successfully failing citizen-sponsored initiatives.  I'd like to urge Florida citizens to write to the elections division and demand better performance--and not just from the machines.

Here is the address:

Florida Division of Elections
Room 316, R.A. Gray Building
500 South Bronough Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250 

 

Remember how the CTA’s major funding problems meant they were going to have to slash service and raise fares a few weeks ago?

(Basically, if you haven’t followed the news surrounding the Chicago Transit Authority for the past year or more, let me catch you up. It goes in this cycle:  CTA DOOMSDAY! Services will be cut and rates will go up! Then…the state legislature swoops in with funding bail-out at the last minute. Then…CTA DOOMSDAY! Call your state legislator to tell them how important public transit is to you, or services will be cut and rates will go up! Then…the state bails them out. Then…you get the idea.)

Anyway, well, we just finished the “state swoops in with funding bail-out” portion of the cycle, and now the CTA is moving forward with $27 million in upgrades for 406 rail cars, paid for by federal funds and a local matching program.

To be fair, some of these upgrades seem legitimate:  like security cameras, and onboard technology that will diagnose mechanical problems, thereby reducing maintenance costs.

However, several other upgrades hardly seem necessary, especially for a service that has been struggling so much with funding:  like “seats with an anti-stain fabric less likely to absorb odors; flat-screen TV monitors that give the train's location on the route, the next station, and travel time estimates; and more seats facings the aisles.”

Really? I wonder how long it will be until the next Doomsday.

When Oro Valley, AZ resident Art Segal endorsed two candidates for City Council on his blog, he began to hear from city officials that he needed to register as PAC. Is this America?

If we define it as the "home of the red-tape," then I guess the answer is "yes."

According to the Arizona Daily Star, an unnamed citizen registered a complaint with the town clerk, which prompted the town attorney to give Segal, the operator of the Let Oro Valley Excel blog a ring:

Sidles [the interim town attorney] also asked the blogger if he would be willing to add links to the Web sites of the three incumbent candidates, as he had done for challengers Salette Latas and Bill Garner, Segal recalled.

Sidles, now the town prosecutor, said he only asked Segal if he planned on adding the Web links: "It was more of a curiosity question."

Yeah, curiosity.

Here’s the poll you never wanted to take. Citizens Against Government Waste want to determine who was the worst steward of taxpayer funds in 2007—and you can help decide!

You have your pick between a number of worthy (or unworthy, really) candidates, all of whom were among the CAGW’s Porkers of the Month throughout 2007. Will it be Rep. John “Jack” Murtha (D-Pa.) “for throwing a temper tantrum and threatening his colleagues over a challenge to a $23 million pet project he inserted into the Fiscal 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act and for purposefully putting up roadblocks and barriers to hinder earmark accountability and reform”?

Or how about Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) for pushing an $11 million earmark for his alma mater, the University of Alabama?

You pick. Click here to see the rest of the contestants, and to vote.

This week, Careerbuilder.com published an article entitled "Earn More Pay Working Fewer Hours."  The article highlights 32 careers that allow one to earn more than the average American income of $37,000 per year, while simultaneously working less than the American average of 40 hours per week.  

A cursory review of the highlighted occupations reveals that half are either government jobs or jobs that are heavily subsidized by government (careerbuilder does not supply this information, but it can be easily deduced from the job titles-- see if you can pinpoint these 16 here).  While an argument could be made that some of these occupations, through educational attainment or otherwise, are entitled to their well-above average hourly rate, at least a few warrant scrutiny, particularly where actual contributions are difficult to measure.

This is particularly true of our public educational system, which houses American's highest, sub-40-hour work-week earners.  University professors average $61 per hour, while enjoying 38 hour work weeks (Law Profs top the list at $66 per hour).  Meanwhile, the average school counselor bring in $29.15 per hour, with school psychologists even higher at $37.64 per hour. 

We all know where the money that pays these high rates comes from, right?  So, are such high hourly rates warranted?  Should these professionals work more hours for their high salaries?  Do we have enough information to answer that question?  Is such information available?  Should it be? 

The Michigan Taxpayers Alliance gained a small victory last Friday when a Wayne County Circuit Court judge reversed the decision of the County Elections Commission, allowing the MTA to begin petitioning for the recall of Representative Mark Corriveau and several other elected officials.

Several state representatives and senators, both Republican and Democrat, have been targeted by the MTA, led by Sammy Award winner Leon Drolet, for raising taxes last fall.

Across Michigan, however, the MTA has encountered local politicians and judges who have tried to block their efforts to recall these tax-loving lawmakers, so this latest court victory is great news. It's especially significant because Wayne County is home to three of the targeted lawmakers, including Speaker of the House Andy Dillon.

Many residents of Wayne County applauded the court's decision because the county has seen many job losses in recent years and residents cannot afford unnecessary tax increases like the one seen last fall. Rose Bogaert, Wayne County resident and Chair of the Wayne County Taxpayers Alliance, noted that the state's increasing taxes has prohibited a recovery from this economic slump.

If you feel the same way, please visit the MTA's website to see how you can get involved in this opportunity to oust tax-hungry legislators.

(photo by  Mary Beth Nolan | Daily Herald Photographer)

Lynda and Chris Jacobs like to be left alone.

That's why they originally settled in a quiet, rural, unincorporated area west of St. Charles, in Kane County, Illinois. But then last April, during a municipal election, 55 percent of the voters within 20 square miles of the area supported incorporating it into what is now the village of Campton Hills.

The Jacobses don't like it; nor do a sizeable portion of their neighbors. They don't want the taxes or the trouble that accompanies additional government oversight. The Daily Herald reports: "Since the village's incorporation, 11 groups of property owners have filed civil lawsuits seeking to detach from the town and revert to unincorporated turf, including the Cheval de Selle subdivision to the southwest, where the Jacobses live."

But would a village allow these citizens to quietly secede? No-because that would be a threat to their tax base.

Village President Patsy Smith, appointed last May, argues that by allowing property owners to leave Campton Hills, they "could be disenfranchising and taking action against what the people in those areas wanted." She also claims village operating funds are so low that "any dollar lost would unduly harm" the village. Is this about the welfare of the citizens, or of the village board?

On the other hand, the newly assembled village board already passed a pay raise.

Nevertheless, citizens of Campton Hills continue fighting to free themselves from another layer of government-government they neither need nor want.

[The Free Us from Campton Hills Committee is organizing candidate debates on 1/23 and 1/30]

A new political environment and the rebuilding process after Hurricane Katrina have opened the door to new experiments in Louisiana. How to improve its schools is one that may be most promising.

Shreé Madlock with the Black Alliance for Educational Options recently moved from next door in Texas to become the group's Louisiana director. WBRZ news reports that part of her time will be focused on something that I don't think has done well enough by people and groups advocating for more choice to be in the hands of parents and students: teaching them how to take advantage of programs that they may not know exist.

Because each child is different, the same school setting won’t work for every youngster, and parents need solid information to make the best choice, Medlock said. But many poor, working parents lack the information they need to make informed choices about their child’s education, and Medlock said her group is trying to change that.

Best of luck, Shreé! 

For Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, giving free ride handouts to senior citizens and “solving” the CTA’s budget woes (meanwhile, breaking his pledge not to raise taxes) was just as easy as this spontaneous poem—which sprung from his lips at this morning’s annual PUSH Excel Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast—suggests:

“There were some dark clouds hovering over the CTA.

But those dark clouds have rolled away.

Now the sun is gonna shine

So you can get on the blue line, the brown line, the red line.

And everything will be just fine."

Because, you see, it really is a breeze “to roll the dark clouds away” when you’re spending other people’s money.

At the tail end of my post Monday, I referenced Mayor Menino's opposition to retailers like CVS opening medical clinics inside their stores. His reasoning again:

"Allowing retailers to make money off of sick people is wrong."

My short response suggested that the overall quality of health care decreases without the profit motive. An argument of consequentialism or pragmatism.

But, to be fair, I think the Boston mayor was less interested in the ends involved (convenient, quality health care) and more concerned about the means used (free enterprise) to achieve those ends, which - according to the mayor - are exploitative. I'm not sure why Menino limited his target to "retailers", but in any case, for him, personal autonomy is compromised when the free enterprise system attempts to treat illness. When health care becomes a business.

In an article entitled "Hating Free Enterprise", John Stossel rallies against this line of thinking, defending personal autonomy, and thereby the use of free enterprise, in an area where the support of "government and professional societies" is not: human organ sales. Check it out.

And if this doesn't satisfy your philosophical proclivities, take a look at John Stacey Taylor's Stakes and Kidneys: Why Markets in Human Body Parts Are Morally Imperative. I got the chance to see Dr. Taylor speak at an IHS seminar in 2006. Seriously? It changed my understanding of the human condition. Autonomy!

 

Fresh from the Citizens Advocacy Center based in Elmhurst, IL:

Tonight at 6 pm, the Center's Executive Director/ Community Lawyer will be talking about the Illinois Toll Highway Authority's Flawed Fine Enforcement Program on "Outside the Loop RADIO", WLUW 88.7-FM. WLUW is a community radio station in Rogers Park.

You can listen to WLUW 88.7-FM online here.

---late addition---

"Outside the Loop Radio" has a podcast of this episode available here:

http://www.outsidetheloopradio.com/otl/2008/01/18/otl-episode-69/

The tollway interview segment begins roughly at 3:30.

 

Indiana has a property tax crisis on its hands.

The combination of a broken system and ever-increasing government spending has caused property tax bills across the state to skyrocket in the last year—from 30 to 50 percent, or higher.

In fact, it was Indiana’s growing property tax burden that led Sammy winner Melyssa Donaghy to stage numerous Tea Party protests across the state.

Thankfully, other citizens are fighting back as well. Hoosiers for Fair Taxation—a citizens group that Donaghy is associated with—has been joined by numerous taxpayers and homeowners to speak out against this issue. They’re calling for the property tax to be repealed completely with an amendment to the Indiana Constitution.

On January 3, a group of activists braved frigid temperatures to hold a candlelight vigil at a property tax repeal hearing. On January 10, activists gathered together in Indianapolis for a tax forum, where they discussed the possibilities for property tax reform. And this Tuesday, January 15, even more activists came to the Indiana Statehouse to listen to Governor Mitch Daniels’s State of the State speech—and to protest loudly when his calls for property tax reform weren’t enough.

Stay tuned—this fight isn’t over yet.

I posted on Tuesday about the political shenanigans going on in my hometown, and today I have an update.

The Schoolcraft Village Council recently sent surveys about the sewer project to the 158 businesses and residences in downtown Schoolcraft, and presented the results (69 surveys were returned) at their meeting last Monday.

The response was clear:  citizens are opposed to this project. Seventy-five percent of the residents who replied said no, as did 62 percent of the businesses.

Of course, this wasn't the end of it. The Council was supposed to vote after presenting the survey results, but—surprise, surprise—the vote was delayed.

Doing a bit of surfin' on Amazon today I noticed that they've recruited four characters from one of my favorite TV shows to demonstrate the different sorts of American taxpayer.

That's right, you can now figure out whether you're more like Pam Beasly, Dwight Schrute, Ryan whatever-his-last-name-is, and Jim Halpert when it comes time to do that most joyous of tasks: Filing your taxes.

Of course the point is to sell you tax prep software, but I'm just happy to see that I can include 'The Office' characters in a blog post. Check it out here, and see which filer you're more like. I'm most like Ryan: a "Typical Taxpayer." 

 

I-Pass: Fresh Revenue Strategies with Electronic Tolling

 

Leslie Boudreau was billed $4,619 by the Illinois tollway, with only two weeks to pay up before charges would inflate to $15,739.

Two taxi drivers were billed $80,571 last year for unpaid tolls dating back to 2003.

And Carla Meier-a resident of downstate Illinois who doesn't use the tollway-recently received a $62 tollway fine while incapable of driving due to a broken foot.

Sadly, with the tollway's modern I-Pass system, these situations are not unique. The top 50 toll violators have $2.2 million in outstanding fines, and although present information isn't available, violators owed $78 million at the end of 2005.

But how do these monstrous fines accumulate?

Well, electronic tolling is both a blessing and curse. While I-Pass reduces traffic congestion (you can pay a toll without stopping at a booth), it also streamlines the taxing process. First, you put down a deposit for a transmitter that attaches to your windshield. This deposit is then used for tolls, and you can set up your account to automatically replenish itself via your credit card. Otherwise, you're forced to monitor your toll account and manually send in money. A fine occurs when you drive through the I-Pass lane without adequate prepaid funds in your account.

Now, say your I-Pass account breaks. Perhaps you stop monitoring your account online, or there are complications with your automatic credit card deduction. You'll continue cruising along the tollway, unaware, until-if you're lucky-you get a nasty bill in the mail. Committing such an offense will then cost you $20 per toll, and that's only for the first month. This toll fine jumps to $70 a pop in following months.

That's not all. Let's say you fail to receive your initial violation notice for that first month (presently a common situation in Illinois since the tollway uses inaccurate mailing lists). You may not receive notification until the Secretary of State threatens to suspend your license (luckily, they use a better mailing list). Sixty percent of suspensions appealed were thrown out over this notification dysfunction.

What about Carla Meier, fined from afar when she couldn't even drive? There's another other problem. The tollway's enforcement program has difficulty discerning special license plates, which make up 25 percent of all license plates on the road. The result is confusion between similar numbers on different types of plates.

That's highway robbery!

In my next post, I'll review the internal tollway hearing process-check back soon to read it. (And, if you missed it, read Part 1 of this series.)

(A special thanks goes to Joseph Ryan with the Daily Herald for outstanding investigative reporting.)

Because government access is for everyone...even dapperly dressed elephants and donkeys.

The Sunshine Campaign is designed to spur campaign conversation — and commitment — to open government during this election year. Journalists, and anyone else with the opportunity, are encouraged to ask every candidate for public office from president to city council to explain his or her positions on open government and Freedom of Information issues.

The point is to get candidates on-the-record on the issue of government transparency. Voters should not only consider candidates' policy ideas, but also how they intend to carry out their jobs. Many times, much of this can be inferred from what's not said, but getting a commitment up-front is the best policy.

Check it out here, and consider posting one of their ads on your blog or website.  

A teenager, Miranda Rosenberg, and her father have proposed two initiatives in Florida.  No--the initiatives do not require every student to have an ipod (thats the Michigan legislatures genius plan), but two quality initiatives.

My personal favorite is the Leave No Legislature Behind Act. The act would require the legislature to take the tenth grade Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) during the first year they are elected. Those that fail would be forced to re-take the exam until they reach a passing grade.

The image of the legislature being forced to prove their intelligence is at a 10th grade level makes me giggle in a decidedly mischievous way.

Rosenberg is also responsible for proposing the Vote at 16 initiative because she doesn’t agree to taxation without representation.

Which leaves me to say: Miranda--you go girl.

Presidential primaries. Ballot measures. Recalls. Any way you cut it, people are voting...but some are trying to stop them!

Leon Drolet--a winner of a 2007 Sammie award and leader of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance--sent out a message today that illuminates the actions of "blockers" who are trying to prevent voters from having certain measures on the ballot this fall.

The blockers’ primary tactic is to lie. First by claiming that [the politician to-be-recalled] didn’t vote for any tax increases, and then by telling potential signers that the petitions are illegal and that they are committing a crime by signing. The blockers continue to harass citizens attempting to sign by getting right-up into the signers faces with a camera and taking multiple photos of the citizen’s face. Their tactics would be the envy of a third-world dictator attempting to suppress democracy at the polls.

And that is EXACTLY what the blockers are determined to do: suppress citizens’ democratic involvement in their constitutional right to engage in the petition and recall process. 

When I was home for Christmas last month, my parents and I got in a discussion over dinner about the latest shenanigans going on in my hometown. Here’s the situation in a nutshell:  because a few businesses in downtown Schoolcraft are unhappy with the current septic system, the Village Council has proposed putting in a new sewer, which will affect the entire community despite the fact that there isn’t a problem with the septic system, nor a proven need for the community to replace it.

(I realize this sounds like disgusting dinner conversation, but I assure you it was actually more about the politics behind the proposal, instead of about the actual sewer.)

Anyway, in other words, all of Schoolcraft would be forced to bear cost—to the tune of $8 million—of a new sewer simply because a few businesses have an issue with the current septic system.

To make matters worse, the Village Council is not being entirely honest with the community about this proposal and how it will actually impact Schoolcraft citizens. In turn, many ill-informed citizens remain apathetic about the whole situation because they believe it doesn’t really affect them.

The good news is that several citizens are working hard to give the community the facts on the proposal, confront the council members behind the proposal, and raise awareness about what’s going on. One woman, Dee Fitzsimmons, even did extensive research on the proposal and put together a guide to understanding it to help spread the word in the community.

It’s good to see citizens standing up for good government, especially when it’s a topic as unsexy as a sewage proposal.

Stay tuned for updates, and check out our Action Toolkit if you, too, want to get involved in your community but don't know where to begin.

The Goldwater Institute recently reminded me that these words, uttered by Ronald Reagan to "describe his philosophy of dealing with the Soviet Union on nuclear arms reductions, should also be our philosophy when it comes to how the government spends our money."

That’s where government transparency comes in.

Thankfully, real efforts are being in this arena, at both the state and federal level—check them out here, courtesy of Americans for Tax Reform.

When the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) was established in 1941, Austin Wyman (the initial head of the organization) said the tolls would be eliminated by 1984 when outstanding bonds were paid off.

Instead, the Authority has done just the opposite, maturing into a self-perpetuating bureaucracy without any end in sight. It's an excellent case study on the instinctive nature of bureaucracy; a testimony of self-preservation, growth, and government waste.

Historically, the tollway Authority served as an independent patronage empire with informal pay-to-play rules between private contractors. The headquarters in Downers Grove, formerly addressed "One Authority Drive," is commonly referred to as the "Taj Mahal." It's a helipad-equipped facility with marble floors and Herman Miller Aeron executive desk chairs for all employees. In Illinois political culture, such excesses are used to communicate clout.

During the 90s, distinguished employees at ISTHA attracted the public's attention. In 1992, John "Quarters" Boyle was sent to prison for stealing $4 million, mostly in quarters collected from tolls. He only repaid $720 and returned to prison in 2005 for involvement in Chicago's more recent "Hired Truck" scandal. Later, in 1997, executive director Robert Hickman (coincidentally a talented Illinois campaign fundraiser) was convicted of fraud for $240,000 in a tollway real estate deal.

Needless to say, this glaring corruption generated public outcry to "Free the Tollway," but politicians have offered little more than lip service.

On the campaign trail, Governor George Ryan promised to convert the tollways to freeways, but once in office, he replaced that concept with a less-intrusive cash cow, I-Pass (electronic tolling). And, of course, now Ryan is in prison, too.

To be continued...

This day in 1638 the British colony of Connecticut adopted the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, widely regarded as the first written constitution in the Western World.

Wikipedia knows all, and tells me:

The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut is a short document, but contains some principles that were later applied in creating the United States government. Government is based in the rights of an individual, and the orders spell out some of those rights, as well as how they are ensured by the government. It provides that all free men share in electing their magistrates, and uses secret, paper ballots. It states the powers of the government, and some limits within which that power is exercised. 

Too bad that the rights of the individual are being swept aside for the "rights of the society" and that things like secret ballots are being done away with all together.

Nevertheless, today is a day to celebrate what was...and what can be again if we work hard to make it happen! 

Mayor Bloomberg enjoys Cheez-Its. So do I. They're a delicious snack that really deliver a cheese explosion. I'm not sure what it is about them; maybe it's the half-gram of trans fat found in every serving. Who knows. All I know is that I'm a fan. A big fan.

But Mayor Bloomberg, the trans fat foe? The same guy who successfully spearheaded its total ban in New York City restaurants? That seems odd. I thought making something illegal generally reflected personal and moral opposition to that thing and its use. But, eh...I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised. Consistency was never a strong suit for paternalists.

But jumping on the bandwagon? Oh yeah. It's a collectivist impulse! And Boston is the latest city planning to follow suit. As the Boston Herald reports:

The Boston Public Health Commission took a major step toward banning harmful trans fats from all city eateries yesterday, when members officially opened a two-month public comment session on their proposed health measure. If all goes as commissioners plan, in about 18 months, all city schools, restaurants and hospitals will be prohibited from using the artery-clogging artificial substance in their foods.

Unfortunately, the freedom to eat what you want isn't the only freedom fading away for Bostonians. How about the freedom to get health care where you want? Not if Boston's mayor gets his way! As the Boston Globe reports:

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today blasted a state decision that paves the way for CVS. corp and other retailers to open medical clinics inside their stores.

The justification? In the mayor's own words: "Allowing retailers to make money off of sick people is wrong."

Really? Really?!

Hmm....I'd love to see the quality of health care after adopting that moral presciption.

If you're interested in blogging about local or state political issues, but don’t know where to begin, check out this wiki site: Voices. It aims to be a comprehensive how-to manual for conservatives and libertarians to help make your career as a citizen journalist rewarding, impactful, and fun.

Voices offers tons of tips and advice about various topics—including how to find political blogs in your state, plan a blogging schedule, set up your blog itself, keep track of your site traffic, and much more to help you be an effective blogger.

Even if you’re not a brand-new blogger, the site offers plenty of resources on how to make your blog better, including tips on how to write great headlines or how to perform search engine optimization techniques on your site.

Check it out, and get involved today.

After begging for months, the Chicago Transit Authority has finally gotten its wish: More money to run the same old, money-losing operation.

Politicians will impose 0.25% sales tax increase on residents of Cook County--where Chicago is--as well as several "collar counties" surrounding the city.

Although the tax increase is being billed as a "long-term" solution, our friends at the Illinois Policy Institute beg to differ.

"The Governor called this transit deal ‘a nice, happy ending’,” said John Tillman, CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute.  “Unfortunately, this is not a fairy tale, and it’s certainly not the ending to the CTA’s woes. The reality is that taxpayers will be soaked yet again while real, sustainable solutions are ignored.   Much is expected from taxpayers; little to nothing from the poorly managed CTA.  It’s not a fairy tale with a happy ending—it’s another nightmare for the taxpayers who have to bear the burden.” 

Mark my words. In fewer than 10 years we'll be right back at this point.

While the Chicago Tribune proudly declares that "Illinois Would be the First State to Offer Seniors Free Transit Rides," it, and the state politicians behind this scheme, are all to eager to ignore one key concept:  a free lunch for seniors, who are the wealthiest members of society, places a higher burden on the young, who are decidedly less wealthy. 

The governor's office indicates that, at a time when the state's public transit system is hemorrhaging money and pushing for a tax hike, this measure would result in a $19 million loss of revenue.  Who will make up for this shortfall?  The younger users who are left to pay. 

The problem with this policy (aside from its fiscal irresponsibility)?  Seniors are already by far the wealthiest cohort in the U.S.  The numbers, as recently offered up by USA Today, speak for themselves: 

The Median net worth of the elderly rose 97% over 15 years to $249,700 in 2004, the most recent year for which data is available. Median income rose 52%.  Meanwhile, median net worth for younger households fell 28% to $48,940, while median income fell 10%.

The increase in the wealth of older people tracks a sharp reduction in elderly poverty that began in the 1960s, when Medicare was introduced and Social Security benefits were increased.

The safety net — Social Security, pensions and Medicare — also has resulted in big increases in income for the elderly and a sharp decline in the rate at which they dissipate their assets in old age. Most people over 60 have no mortgage debt, no credit card debt and no car loan.

Trends for younger people have gone in the opposite direction. Mortgage debt peaks for people in their late 30s, the same time they have the most kids at home. About 11% are at least 60 days behind paying on some debt.

Given these circumstances, Illinois politicians aren't offering seniors a "free ride" at all, but only a ride on the backs of their less-wealthy children and grandchildren. 

"Citizens should be able to track state spending."  And so writes The Herald, a local Everett, Washington newspaper, on the prospects of more open government in the Evergreen State.

Taxpayer-accountability websites, when organized properly and with effective transparency, can serve as useful tools for citizen involvement.  When the ledgers of government are made viewable to the taxpaying public, wasteful pork barrel spending can be known, scrutinized, and publicized in order to keep their representatives in check.  

According to this morning's article in The Herald, a bill calling for the creation of such a website was killed in the Washington Legislature earlier last year.  Nonetheless, as early as Monday, State Senator Val Stevens will stand up to re-table the proposal. 

Washington legislators should have nothing to hide from the citizen taxpayers.  "How the state spends taxpayers' money is a mysterious and convoluted process to most folks. Lawmakers shouldn't be fearful of shining light on it, even if some warts are exposed. The more open government is, the more effective it's likely to become."  Quite simply, state government cannot expect to be more "effective" while willfully shutting the public out.  The discourse in Olympia concerns the public's own money. 

Voters in Washington should make their views on this clear.  Do not let the Legislature shut out another bill for government accountability in this coming session.  Washingtonians, click here to find seek out your representative and call for open government.

Since beginning to work in the liberty movement, I've had a change of heart regarding the matter of term limits for legislators. I used to think that they reduced voters' choices, but I now stand for them firmly, and here's why.

The mood all around our country--regarding government--is for "change." Now, let's be honest: "change" is vague, and can be good or bad, but it's a near certainty that any change is impossible when the same people who make the same rules that are causing us all the same grief over and over are working the levers of power.

That's not how our Founders envisioned our government, but it's precisely where we find ourselves today.

People understand the problem, which is why they vote, again and again, to enact term limits on politicians. Problem is, the politicians don't like term limits (because, well, let's be fair, they like having jobs), so they try to get around them by passing extensions and other so-called "reforms."

Take the current situation in Oklahoma, where legislators have term limits. OK State Rep. Jason Murphey wrote a great letter to the editor yesterday, which reads:

As a result of the term limits law, the Legislature is very different from just a few years ago. Gone are many of the old guard power bosses who tightly maintained the status-quo. These politicians held powerful committee chairmanships where they would bottle up reform-minded legislation. They have been replaced by a group of energetic professionals, many of whom wish to enact pro-growth policies such as cutting taxes to change Oklahoma for the better. And, should some succumb to the temptation to become part of the status quo, they inevitably will be replaced by term limits. 

If we really want a fresh approach to governing, a representative government and, yes, even "change", then we need to be vigilant and hold our politicians accountable to the promises they made. And that most certainly includes when they're going home.

If news about our national debt puts you to sleep, you need to wake up and watch this. You can’t afford to ignore this issue or say that it doesn’t really matter because it doesn’t affect you. These are the facts:  our country is essentially bankrupt, our government hides the truth about our federal finances—and this mess impacts every household in America.

Learn the real story here:

Our friend Sheila Weinberg, founder of the Institute for Truth in Accounting, is concerned about the financial state of our country, too—and she’s working to spread the word about it with the Truth in 2008 campaign. Learn about it here, and help spread the word or join the campaign. Getting out of this financial quagmire “will require bold leadership, citizen engagement, and tough decisions.” Please get involved today.

A few weeks ago, I asked what New Year’s resolutions you thought the governments of all levels should adopt to help make them more responsible and accountable to citizens and the Constitution.

Here are the best ones I received:

“A New Year’s resolution I would welcome is having public officials actually read bills before voting on them. To demonstrate familiarity with the bill, I suggest having pop quizzes before every vote.” —Sam Adam’s own Nic Hall of Chicago, IL

“This is applicable to both our local and state government: ‘I resolve to allow the citizens of New Jersey to keep the property they own, as protected by the US Constitution.’  Radical, huh?” —David Cotter of Towaco, NJ

I wasn’t the only one with this idea, though—Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner had a few suggestions for government New Year’s resolutions, as well:

“Fix the legislative process to ensure a federal budget is passed on time and to ensure Congressmen have enough time to actually read the legislation. The status quo is no way to run a government.”

“Enact a small change to the tax code so that capital gains taxes are indexed for inflation. Under this plan, an investor pays taxes only on the real gain, after inflation, which could save ordinary investors a lot of money and even ease concerns about the housing market.”

The Tax Foundation also posted their wish list for the government in 2008—read it here.

Ever wonder how you could possibly skirt around those pesky open-records laws that require you to provide public information to citizens in a timely manner? Well, here's your guide!

I found the link to this piece through the Lucy Burns Institute's weekly Sunshine Activist interview with John Washburn from WI. He said that he wished he had read it before beginning his various open records requests. 

Indeed, it's got a few helpful tips, such as:

Drive them nuts.  Be sure to repeat this "as soon as practicable and without delay"  phrase to the requester as often as possible with a straight face, especially while scheduling other delays.  Dare the requester to point out your hypocrisy.  Once they do, use the incident to gain more sympathy from your superiors.

And...

Don't say more than you have to.  The law says you need to surrender records, not explanations.  Do not respond to any general questions.  If they're asking general questions, say that those do not constitute a valid open records request and that there's no need to respond.
 

From tumultuous tundra, to flat farmland, to sluggish swamps, taxpayers across the US have reason to celebrate this New Year!

Cheers to Alaskan State Senator Bill Wielechowski who has introduced the "Alaska Open Government Act". If passed, concerned citizens will be able to keep their government accountable with the click of a mouse; the bill would establish a comprehensive website on state expenditures.

Cheers to Ohio State Auditor Mary Taylor and Attorney General Marc Dann who have published and released a resource manual to the citizens of Ohio regarding public records and open meeting laws. In the words of Attorney General Marc Dann, "I firmly believe that government at all levels should be transparent and accessible...transparency and accountability increase the public's trust and confidence in the institutions that serve them".

Cheers to the voters of Louisiana who have elected Bobby Jindal for governor - a staunch supporter for transparency and accountability. Governor Jindal plans to issue an executive order to post the state's expenses online. Sadly, with all the financial debacles during Hurricane Katrina at the local and state level such measures are well overdue - better late than never.

Each day, more and more "Modern-Day Sam" activists and politicians are advocating and fighting for a more open government, and their message is spreading like wildfire! Last year, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Minnesota began posting their state expenditures online, and the governors of Missouri and South Carolina issued executive orders for expenditure transparency. 2007 will continue to serve as a testament to a concerned citizenry as 13 states are now considering taxpayer transparency acts.

And when those local politicians like State Senator Bill Wielechowski reach the federal level, they take their beliefs and passion of a government that serves and get results like Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Faced with strong opposition from spend-happy politicians like Senator Ted Stevens (R-AL) and Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), these two worked tirelessly for the successful passage of the OPEN Act, which strengthened the FOIA and allowed for federal posting of expenditures online. Check it out!

No joke.  In Glenwood Springs, Colorado, a peaceful mountain town of just over 10,000, the local swat team raided a family's home, forced them to the ground at gunpoint, and took custody of the family's 11-year-old son.  The reason for the violent entry: according to the sheriff overseeing the raid, the violence was justified because the father is a "self-proclaimed constitutionalist."  Again, no joke. 

But the misguided nature of this attack doesn't end there.  Not only was the reason for the violent raid offensive and Orwellian, but the very reason for the removal of the child appears to have been equally inane:  social workers believed that the boy may not have been receiving adequate medical attention after falling down and bumping his head. 

Why is this so inept?  The boy's father is a former medic.  Oh, and After government authorities kidnapped the child and whisked him away to the hospital, the treating physician found nothing wrong with the child, and advised "a tylenol and plenty of fluids."  Again, no joke. 

The unconsionable nature of this event was well-described by the family's landlord:  "[i]nappropriate is not nearly strong enough a word. It was gross irresponsibility and stupidity."  "Is this Russia? I don't know what we're coming to when they think your kid needs medical help and they send a SWAT team."

In an entirely unrelated story, H.R. 1955, the Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007, which could significantly curtail the ability of U.S. Citizens to advocate for limited government, was passed by the House back in October and is currently before the appropriate Senate Committee.  Not that this could ever suffice as yet another reason for swat teams to welcome themselves into the homes of bloggers, homeschoolers, constitutionalists and other "radical dissidents." 

 

It's a big step to get government to post its spending habits and contractors online, but it's not enough. The data needs to be accessible and easily distributed, which is where enterprising Internet transparency buffs come in.

Jerry Brito, a senior research fellow at George Mason Univeristy's Mercatus Center, writes how citizens are filling the "transparency gap" left by government when it posts gobs of information online in an unorganized and relatively inaccessible fashion:

A number of independent computer programmers have reacted to this failure of government by creating online tools to fill the transparency gap. University of Pennsylvania linguistics student Joshua Tauberer created GovTrack.us to allow citizens to track Congress' activities. At that site, you'll find a page for each member of Congress that lists his or her votes on every bill since 1993, sponsored bills and other details, including biographical information, campaign-finance data and links to videos of floor speeches. You also can subscribe to a feed for a particular legislator or bill and for an instant alert when new information becomes available. 

Brito writes how these organized "unofficial databases" of official information make it comprehensible and distributable to the millions of bloggers and journalists that are just looking for a scoop.

Read the whole thing here.  

Chicago alderman got a cost-of-living pay increase January 1st. I'm not sure what that makes their salary now but, according to the Better Government Association, it was $100,971 in '07. 

But, no joke, the raise is totally necessary! I mean, how else are they supposed to afford all the new taxes they sign into law? Like the bottled water tax. 

It went into effect on the 1st, the same day as the alderman pay raise. Five cents on every bottle of water you purchase. Seriously, check out the first item on the receipt below.

Yep, right there. Naked and out in the open. Given Chicago politics, I suppose I should be thankful for such transparency...

However, the city may not be able to rely on the 7-day-old source of revenue much longer. As the Sun-Times reports:

The American Beverage Association, the International Bottled Water Association, the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Illinois Food Retailers Association are suing the city of Chicago, alleging the tax is invalid and violates the Illinois Constitution, according to a suit filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

I'm rallying for the industry groups. Now how do we go about lowering the alderman's salaries...

A new year, a new look back at what the media failed to cover.

The Chicago Daily Observer has a list of the five most underreported stories of 2007 with number four reading:

An actual local Civil Rights activist was arrested and brought in chains before an Oklahoma court charged with circulating petitions as non residents of the state. Paul Jacob, a fellow at Chicago’s Sam Adams Alliance faces 10 years in prison for practicing the 1st amendment, in a prominent case in the eyes of the Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine, yet totally ignored by the Chicago Media. 

Read the entire list here, and check back tomorrow for their list of the five most over-reported stories of the past year. 

Ever wondered how your state spends its (your) money? Or what the state’s spending restrictions are? Or what the top state appropriations are?

Well, if you’re an Oklahoma resident, you’re in luck:  the Oklahoma state government now has a website that allows citizens to learn this information—Open Books:  Oklahoma’s Finances, Online & In Action.

Check it out—and if you’re not an Oklahoma resident, encourage your state to enact similar measures of transparency.

You might think that when an incumbent mayor is defeated in an election, he would actually leave office.

Well, it turns out, in Anderson, Indiana, it’s not that easy.

Apparently the new mayor’s residency is under speculation, and the old mayor says he will “rule from exile” until that is resolved.

Oh, and the lawsuit challenging the new mayor’s residency was filed by 5 citizens, some of which worked for the old mayor.

Just when we thought elections might actually "get the bums out of office.” How silly of us.

Illinois citizens, are you tired of a corrupt government whose governors are regular residents in prison? Are you tired of an inept legislature that regularly increases spending and taxes by amounts in excess of the ability of citizens to pay for the largess? Are you tired of politicians who are unwilling to cast controversial votes for fear of how it will affect their chances in the next election?

These are questions raised by Steven R. Merican, a board member of the Sam Adams Alliance, who wrote an important piece for the