In 2017, I wrote the study “High-Speed Rail in Texas: Caution Ahead,” which detailed concerns about Texas Central’s proposed Dallas-to-Houston privately financed high-speed rail line in Texas. While I noted the potential advantages of private high-speed rail service, including project …
Protecting Public Education and the Texas Teacher Retirement System
In his recent State of the State address, Gov. Greg Abbott scored a standing ovation when he said, “I am declaring school finance reform and increasing teacher pay as emergency items.” There’s no doubt that fixes to the school finance …
Surface Transportation Newsletter #185
In this issue: Express toll lanes proliferate nationwide Answering populist critiques of tolling and P3s Post-mortem on California high-speed rail INRIX re-ranks congested cities Insights on transportation and land use Truck produces keep innovating Upcoming Transportation Events News Notes Quotable …
Here’s What Texas Should Do, And Avoid, To Reform School Finance
Texas’ school finance system is riddled with complexities that diminish fairness and productivity. The Legislature and Gov. Greg Abbott are wise to prioritize school funding reforms, but it’s important to remember that it is also possible to make a convoluted …
Two State Reports Suggest Fixes for Georgia TRS, But Are They Enough?
In the past two months, the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts (GDAA) released two reports that are intended to improve the fiscal outlook of the state’s Teachers Retirement System (TRS). The first report, published in January, discusses options that …
Fort Worth Employees Vote for Meaningful Pension Reform
In February, Fort Worth took a positive step towards improving the solvency of its Employees’ Retirement Fund (FWERF). Last December the Fort Worth City Council passed a pension reform proposal that was then put to the employees for a final …
The Retirement System of Alabama Acquires One of the Largest Newspaper Groups, Expanding its Non-Traditional Investments
The Retirement System of Alabama (RSA), which last year managed over $45.5 billion in assets, recently acquired the CNHI LLC newspaper group, expanding its pool of non-traditional investments. Like any other public pension plan, RSA relies heavily on investment returns …
California School District Property Sales Are Needed, But Impeded by State Law
In California, declining public school enrollment means that many school districts have excess real estate on their hands. Selling unused or under-utilized facilities could potentially provide a needed cash infusion for struggling school districts, but state law places restrictions on …
Kansas Pension Proposal Would Add Long-Term Costs, Debt
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget proposal includes an element seeking to reduce Kansas’ annual pension payments by reamortizing pension debt payments out further into the future. While this might lower pension contributions in the near term, extending the pension debt …
Medical Marijuana Patients Are Being Denied Gun Rights
As cannabis legalization ripples across the nation, state governments have varied in their responses to a federal law that makes it illegal to possess both a federally-banned substance like cannabis and a legal firearm. While the federal government has been generally …
A Conceptual Framework for State Efforts to Legalize and Regulate Cannabis
In November 2012, voters in Colorado and Washington took a historic step by approving Amendment 64 and Initiative 502, respectively. These were the first voter initiatives in the nation to assume state control over the regulation of marijuana for recreational …
The Orange County Transportation Authority’s Long-Range Plan Is Better Than Most
Long-term infrastructure planning is a difficult task. When you throw in the current political chaos at the federal level, disruptive changes occurring in transportation-related industries caused by innovative companies like Uber and Lyft, and an uncertain technological future as companies …
