Across the country, reduced mass transit use and lower sales tax revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic are wreaking havoc with the finances of transit operators. Given the extreme nature of this pandemic, including shelter-in-place orders that are limiting ridership, …
Proposal to Ban All Tobacco Products Wouldn’t Help New York Fight Coronavirus
New York state is at the epicenter of the COVID-19 emergency. As the state scrambles to ensure its health care infrastructure can handle the surging number of patients, it’s disappointing to see some respected groups pushing for extreme policies that …
Map: Comparing State Pension Plans’ Assumed Rates of Return
Each pension plan uses an assumed rate of return to estimate how much current assets—made up of contributions from both employers and employees plus any investment gains/losses—will be worth when promised pension benefits are finally due. This assumption plays a …
Pension Reform Newsletter: New Mexico Enacts Pension Reform, Coronavirus Compounds Pension Debt, and More
This newsletter from the Pension Integrity Project at Reason Foundation highlights articles, research, opinion and other information related to public pension challenges and reform efforts across the nation. You can find previous editions here. In This Issue: Articles, Research & Spotlights New …
How California’s Schools Can Best Adapt During Coronavirus Pandemic
Communities around the world are taking social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has already infected over 700 people in California. Schools have been closed for at least 42.1 million students, or around 74 percent of the K-12 student population in …
To Fight COVID-19, Governments Smartly Remove Bureaucratic Health Care Regulations, Unnecessary Licensing Restrictions
Health care systems across the world are under increasing pressure due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent press briefing, Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Program, stated that health care systems …
COVID-19’s Economic Fallout Wreaks Havoc on Education Budgets
As educators scramble to serve millions of children while schools are shut down there’s another crisis looming: the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic is going to blow substantial holes in education budgets. It’s difficult to think about dollars and …
President Trump and Federal Agencies Botched Initial Coronavirus Response — Bailouts Will Make It Worse
There have been some large failures in the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic thus far. Rather than preparing the American public and getting ahead of COVID-19, it is clear that the president aimed to downplay the threat. “We …
Privatization and Government Reform Newsletter: Private Sector’s Recovery Role in the COVID-19 Pandemic
In this issue: Main Articles: COVID-19 Pandemic: Private Sector’s Role in Fighting Coronavirus, Bond Rating Threats Transportation: FAQ on Mileage-Based User Fees Water: Tradeable Permits, Private Innovation Key to Florida’s Water Future Government Reform: Short-Term Rentals Pit States Against Municipalities …
How Pension Debt Is Driving Rising Costs for Arizona’s Municipal Governments
This series of briefs explores the impact both the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and the state’s Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) have on Arizona’s city and county budgets and draws a direct line between the financial risks these …
The Airlines and Boeing Don’t Deserve Special Treatment In Coronavirus Stimulus Bill
As I write this, Republicans and Democrats are at odds over what is now a $1.6 trillion coronavirus-related stimulus bill. One major point of contention is a $500 billion loan and loan guarantee program, which Democrats are resisting as a …
Moody’s Considers New Mexico Pension Reform Credit Positive
In a recent report, the rating agency Moody’s Investors Service tagged New Mexico’s recently enacted, bipartisan pension reform legislation as credit positive, acknowledging its effectiveness in reducing the Public Employees Retirement Association’s (PERA) unfunded pension liabilities and improving the system’s …
