Better living through better policy.

Category: Government Spending

Food, Folks, and Fiscal Policy

Post author By D. Dowd Muska
Post date March 7, 2023
No Comments on Food, Folks, and Fiscal Policy

Is taxing groceries ‘regressive’?

Tags Food, Groceries

Domestic Policy Government Regulation Government Spending Health Care Legal and Judicial Medicaid New Mexico Political Thought Top Issues Updates

Lujan Grisham Allegedly Meddles in Medicaid Procurement

Post author By Patrick M. Brenner
Post date March 1, 2023
3 Comments on Lujan Grisham Allegedly Meddles in Medicaid Procurement

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks during a conference, Jan. 25, 2023, at the Capitol. Javier Gallegos/New Mexican file photo.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s decision to redo New Mexico’s Medicaid contracts has sparked criticism and raised concerns about potential campaign finance influences from Centene Corporation and Western Sky Community Care.

Tags Centene Corporation, Chris Hummer, Chris Koster, Colin Toney, David Scrase, John Garcia, Medicaid, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Procurement, Robert Sanders, Ryan Lane, Shannon Bagley, Transparency, Western Sky Community Care

Data Economy Government Spending New Mexico Oklahoma Space Policy Texas Top Issues

Austin, We Have a Problem

Space is booming in Texas — it doesn’t ‘need’ corporate welfare

Tags Corporate Wellfare

Arizona Budget and Spending Data Economy Education Government Spending New Mexico Taxes

No. 47 Stumbled — No. 48 Soared

Post author By D. Dowd Muska
Post date February 17, 2023
4 Comments on No. 47 Stumbled — No. 48 Soared

Why New Mexico has languished and Arizona has thrived

Tags Arizona, Economic Development, Economic Growth, New Mexico

Economy Government Spending New Mexico Space Policy

Hope Is Not an Economic-Development Strategy

Post author By D. Dowd Muska
Post date February 6, 2023
6 Comments on Hope Is Not an Economic-Development Strategy

Why is it so difficult to admit that Spaceport America is a complete bust?

Tags Corporate Welfare, Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic

Arizona Colorado Conservatism Debt Defense Domestic Policy Economy Firearms Government Regulation Legal and Judicial Oklahoma Political Thought Texas The Constitution Top Issues Utah

Draining the Swamp, from a Distance

Post author By D. Dowd Muska
Post date February 1, 2023
No Comments on Draining the Swamp, from a Distance

What states are doing to combat D.C.’s dysfunction

Tags Federalism, Tenth Amendment

Arizona California Colorado Data Economy Government Spending Nevada New Mexico Oklahoma Taxes Texas Top Issues Utah

It’s Time to Ditch the Double Tax

Post author By D. Dowd Muska
Post date January 27, 2023
No Comments on It’s Time to Ditch the Double Tax

Taxing corporate income is counterproductive — more states should learn from Texas and Nevada

Tags Corporate Tax, Economic Development, Taxes

Budget and Spending Economy Government Spending Oklahoma Top Issues

‘Unpleasantly Surprised Almost Every Single Day’

Post author By D. Dowd Muska
Post date January 23, 2023
3 Comments on ‘Unpleasantly Surprised Almost Every Single Day’

Is promoting tourism a legitimate government function?

Tags Corporate Welfare, Oklahoma, Spending, Taxpayers, Tourism

Arizona Budget and Spending California Colorado Data Government Spending Nevada New Mexico Oklahoma Texas Top Issues Utah

Let the Sessions (and the Spending) Begin!

Post author By D. Dowd Muska
Post date January 17, 2023
No Comments on Let the Sessions (and the Spending) Begin!

All eight states of the American Southwest are, or will soon be, in session. Will legislators return budget surpluses to inflation-battered taxpayers, or launch spend-a-thons?