Jefferson Journal: Tax Conformity Alone Is Not Enough
When the General Assembly meets in January, it should fully conform Virginia’s tax system to the new federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but it shouldnot stop there. It should also take immediate steps to reduce the state tax increases that conforming the tax code will automatically create for many Virginia families and businesses.
Jefferson Journal: Next Steps for DACA
President Obama’s Executive Order on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was clearly unconstitutional and deserved to be upended. But there is also a clear case for Congress to take action on behalf of those who came here as children and are now contributing to society and the American economy.
Jefferson Luncheon Draws 70 to Hear Davis and Frost on ‘The Partisan Divide’
Nearly 70 of Virginia’s top business, government, and academic leaders packed a Thomas Jefferson Institute luncheon at the state capitol to hear former Republican Congressman Tom Davis and former Democratic Congressman Martin Frost discuss their recent book, A Partisan Divide. Davis and Frost, who headed their respective party’s congressional campaign committees, argued that Congress is […]
Testimony: Time to Reform COPN Laws
Thomas Jefferson Institute President Michael Thompson offered testimony February 4 to encourage dramatic reform of Virginia’s Certificate of Public Need law, an outdated provision that is raising the cost of health care in Virginia.
How Are Virginia’s Hospitals Doing Today — A Review of Hospital Finances
Virginia’s hospitals are lobbying in favor of Medicaid expansion, arguing that they need the extra revenue to survive. Yet, their own filings show that the combined profit of reporting hospitals is more than $1.7 billion, and their net worth is more than $16 billion — both double digit growth over last year.
Choice for Pre-K Students
Today, there are more than 7,800 unfilled slots in the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) program offering early childhood learning services to at-risk children. They aren’t filled because local governments can’t match the funds or because they simply have no space. Chris Braunlich, vice president of the Thomas Jefferson Institute, offered a solution to the General […]
New Report: Reform Youth Prison System With Community Reforms
The Thomas Jefferson Institute, Justice Fellowship and Right on Crime issued a report highlighting new research aimed at finding meaningful solutions for Virginia’s juvenile justice system. These recommendations would advance public safety, reduce costs for taxpayers and improve proportionality of punishment for youth while providing greater tools for restoration of the whole community.
Tax Restructuring in Virginia: September 2015 Update
The Institute has updated its Tax Restructuring in Virginia study, offering 23 different revenue-neutral economic scenarios to expand the state’s economy and create more private sector jobs. A summary was sent to all candidates in this year’s General Assembly races in a letter co-signed by the Virginia Manufacturers Association, the National Federation of Independent Business, […]
Jefferson Journal: Virginia Open for Business With Iran?
The Iran nuclear deal will soon become a reality even though a bi-partisan majority in Congress opposes it, as does a vast majority of the American people. But because the deal is an “agreement,” not a treaty, states are free to divest themselves of holdings with companies doing business with Iran, just as they did […]
Jefferson Institute Leads Major Virginia Organizations in Call for Tax Reform
The Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy has led three other major Virginia organizations — the Virginia Retail Federation, the National Federation of Independent Business, and the Virginia Manufacturers Association — in calling on Governor McAuliffe and the General Assembly to reform Virginia’s tax system in light of the $2.4 billion state budget shortfall.