A great resource has started up for state policy wonks, with the launch of www.statebooks.org, an aggregate of all #statebooks Twitter hashtags - check it out!
Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. endorsed a $2.30 tax increase on a pack of cigarettes yesterday, giving Utah the highest state cigarette tax in the country; Arkansas Gov. Mark Beebe wants to increase cigarette taxes to expand health care, and Rhode Islander Carcieri plans to increase cigarette taxes to solve the states overspending problem.
An Ohio state task force is recommending that Ohio's 28 cents per gallon fuel tax be increased by 13 cents; in Iowa special interest groups are lobbying hard to increase the gas tax by at least 5c a gallon to fund their pet projects - even though 70% of Iowans are against it.
Florida State Senator Sen. Mike Haridopolos has proposed legislation that would end welfare for politicians known as public financing.
Iowa Republicans have proposed to, cut in half the money given to each state agency, then ask leaders of those agencies to justify why they should get more.
Peter Brown has a great article at the Wall Street Journal demonstrating how low tax states fare better in times of economic downturn.
A new taxpayer-rights group was formed in Illinois: the Illinois Alliance for Growth
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley announced the launch of Maryland's spending transparency website, which allows taxpayers to search and view summary information on payments made to vendors that received $25,000 or more for the respective fiscal year
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