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The Jefferson Journal

Commentary

Two Reforms to Help Virginia’s Students

Jefferson Forum
January 19, 2011
Despite widespread support in Virginia for teacher merit pay and using tax credits to spur educational opportunities, little progress has been made in either area. Thanks to some support from the Governor, that may be about to change....

Transparency Roundup

Jefferson Forum
January 19, 2011
The Virginia General Assembly session and the new OpenGovernment.org...

Virginia Education Improvement Tax Credit Introduced

Jefferson Forum
January 18, 2011

Delegates Jimmie Massie (R-Henrico), Algie Howell (D-Norfolk) and Tag Greason (R-Loudoun) have introduced legislation (HB 2314) creating a new tax credit program to improve education for at-risk children. Corporations will be able to contribute to scholarship foundations and receive a 70 percent tax credit. In turn, those scholarship organizations must...

A December to Remember

Mike Thompson
January 6, 2011

December 2010 could well go down as a dramatically important month in modern Virginia history. Here’s why …

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Time for Government Pension Reform

Jefferson Forum
January 5, 2011
Taxpayers are faced with an enormous bill for the luxury of having too many government employees, making too much money (salary and benefits), for too long. Fortunately, some in Virginia are taking steps to prevent the Old Dominion from falling into such a morass....

Inside EPA's Pollution Diet

Jefferson Forum
January 5, 2011
In September, 2009, I wrote that EPA was proposing to clamp down on water runoff from your farm or ranch. It has happened!...

Virginia will Remember December 2010

Jefferson Forum
January 5, 2011
Thanks to the Governor’s $4 billion transportation program and the Attorney General’s big victory against Obamacare, December 2010 is a month to remember in Virginia....

2010 Highlights in Local Government Privatization

Jefferson Forum
January 5, 2011
With many local governments in Virginia facing continuing fiscal challenges, privatization should be considered an attractive and viable option for policymakers to ensure high quality and cost-effective services....

Transparency Roundup

Jefferson Forum
January 5, 2011
The coming General Assembly Session, transparency in Virginia and around the country and a look back at 2010....

Letting Schools Innovate

Christian Braunlich
December 29, 2010

School board members frequently say that they could accomplish the same things successful charter schools do – more, in fact – if only they had the flexibility. A law like the “Red Tape Reduction Act” would give them that chance. In short, it makes a bargain with local school districts:...