From the Swamp to the States- an ATR Podcast

Texas Public Policy Foundation's Derek Cohen joins From the Swamp to the States to talk Texas. We cover protecting taxpayers from local govt and taxpayer-funded lobbying, and the state's chances for a school choice win, their success on criminal justice, & more.  

Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist joins From the Swamp to the States to talk about state income tax cuts. How tax cutters are winning and how will the losers who fall behind handle dwindling population.

A government takeover of the energy utility on Long Island would risk higher costs, & less accountability. Why are government takeovers of utilities a bad idea? Empire Center's James Hanley discusses on #SwamptotheStates.

Big tax hikes are on the ballot & cuts as well. Colorado and Massachusetts tax policies are covered by Paul Craney, Mass Fiscal Alliance, & Ben Murrey, Independence Institute. South Carolina Policy Council kicks things off with rainy day fund measures that will enable tax cuts.

Ballot measures have become the latest battleground for election integrity. Dave Guenthner, Mackinac Center, & Jason Snead, Honest Elections Project, discuss.

Tax hikes, election reforms, attacks on free speech, #Arizona has the busiest ballot this year. Jenna Bentley with the Goldwater Institute discussed on the From the Swamp to the States podcast.

This Illinois ballot measure would make big unions more powerful than the state legislature. Mailee Smith Illinois Policy Institute explains on the "From the Swamp to the States" podcast.

Amendment 1 is a big opportunity to limit regulatory overreach in Kansas this election cycle. Liz Patton with Americans for Prosperity Kansas joins to explain how the fight is unfolding.

End it for Good President Christina Dent talks drug policy & fixing the addiction crisis, live on the Swamp to the States podcast.

Most states allow the government to hire lobbyists to push for more taxpayer handouts to the government. Texas Rep. Mayes Middleton & Elizabeth Stelle from Commonwealth Foundation join From the Swamp to the States to discuss fixing this conflict of interest.

New York and New Jersey have driven out millions of residents, and billions of tax dollars. Can the exodus be stopped? Dipal Patel, Founder and CEO of Hexa Builders, LLC, and Garden State Initiative Board Member joins “From the Swamp to the States” to discuss.

A constitutional spending cap is a deal Pennsylvania Republicans need to jump on, and the clock is ticking. AFP's Ashley Klingensmith joins us for a livestream podcast to discuss as Swamp to the States returns!

We were joined by PEW experts Tracy Velasquez and Connie Utada to talk about new data showing opportunities many states are missing to improve probation practices and public safety along the way.

Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, FanDuel's Andrew Winchell, and Jessica Feil with American Gaming Association talk about how states can win with low taxes and good regulatory policies for sports betting during a recent panel event.  

Election Day is almost here! For voters in some states, ballot questions offer the chance to save taxpayer dollars, but others would drastically change the election process. How would radical reforms like ranked choice voting change elections forever? Former Representative Bruce Poliquin joins the podcast to discuss!

ATR’s 2020 State Ballot Measure Guide is out (ATR.org/ballotguide), covering all the key measures taxpayers need to know before they head to the polls. Sal Nuzzo from the James Madison Institute joins to discuss Florida’s proposed Amendments, and we run down some of the big tax hike threats.

The spending, borrowing, and taxing continue in New Jersey. The Garden State just added a tax on healthcare, wants a piece of your retirement investments, & the legislature has yet to wrangle with Gov. Murphy’s budget plan tax hikes. Garden State Initiative’s Regina Egea joins to discuss.

Government employees get raises in the middle of a pandemic, some fraudulently claim unemployment. Just a sample of the challenges Connecticut faces. Yankee Institute’s Carol Platte Liebau joins the podcast to talk about fixing Connecticut and lessons for other states.

Policing in the U.S. is facing blame – often for problems driven by overcriminalization, and aggressive revenue grabbing practices, that they did not create. Meanwhile, Democrats in Congress block reforms they used to support for cynical political reasons. We discuss reforms that are on the table with Jeremiah Mosteller of the Due Process Institute (idueprocess.org).

It has been a rough pandemic for Las Vegas, and the state of Nevada. Now, the Governor has pressed legislators back for a special session to cut spending, and potentially hike taxes. Is this a sign of things to come in other states? Nevada Policy Research Institutes’ Michael Schaus explains.

A special panel discussion with ATR President Grover Norquist, who is joined by Tay Kopanos with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Latoya Thomas, Doctors on Demand, and Nick Schilligo, 1-800 Contacts.

A special panel: ATR’s Grover Norquist, Katie McAuliffe, & Doug Kellogg discuss Governor Andrew Cuomo’s betrayal of healthcare workers who answered his pleas for help in New York by promising to tax them, & send aggressive tax authorities after them.

If there is another round of coronavirus legislation, Nancy Pelosi & Governor Cuomo are among those who want no-strings-attached money in the bill. ALEC's Lee Schalk joins the podcast to discuss what is going on with state finances and how many have mismanaged their budgets.

When it's time to move, many Americans have to leave their right to work in their chosen profession behind until they've jumped through the necessary hoops to get a new occupational license in their destination state. Steven Slivinski with the Center for the Study of Economic Liberty at Arizona State explains why these restrictions are harmful, and how universal licensing recognition can unlock jobs and lead to additional reform.

Less licensing, more jobs! R Street Institute's Shoshana Weissmann joins to talk occupational licensing, and deregulating labor so Americans can fight coronavirus.

Right on Crime’s Julie Warren talks coronavirus complicating policing, threat to vulnerable people in jail or prison, as well as state criminal justice bills that have stalled, including civil asset forfeiture reform, drug sentencing, reducing recidivism through job training.

The Sunshine State is a beacon of great tax and free market policy. The 2020 legislative session saw more progress made, but not always smoothly, as some priorities were left behind. AFP Florida State Director Skylar Zander joins the podcast to talk occupational licensing, health care reform, improving the criminal justice system and more.

Nancy Pelosi & House Democrats went after citizen privacy & free speech with their coronavirus bill, highlighting just how at-risk freedom of speech is. Many state governments also have attempted to silence citizen advocacy. Matt Nese from the Institute for Free Speech joins the podcast to discuss these issues, and how to proactively protect citizen privacy.

Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance's Paul Craney breaks down what the Transportation Climate Initiative is, and how it will impact you and your gas tank.

Heritage Foundation's David Ditch joins the podcast to discuss the boondoggles & union giveaways driving up mass transit project costs - and why all American taxpayers need to pay attention.

In the latest From the Swamp to the States podcast we talk about vaping bans being pushed by Governors, Clean Slate and expungement for nonviolent offenders, and keeping government from ruining an innovative cancer treatment, with Mackinac Center for Public Policy's David Guenthner.

The Buckeye State is making progress for taxpayers, with some tax cuts, regulatory reform, and more. While setting some good examples, the state's Medicaid expansion and rising spending levels aren't examples other states want to follow. Buckeye Institute's Greg Lawson joins the podcast to talk all this and more.

Uber-aggressive climate policy hits the states, as New York passes massive carbon reduction goals & renewable energy mandates that threaten to drown consumers. Empire Center's Ken Girardin joins the podcast to explain what's going on as these policies spread at the state level.

Not every state legislature is out for the summer, we recap the latest action, and discuss how New Jersey avoided massive tax hikes and punitive fees on guns. Is it a sign of future battles among blue state Democrats?

Opioid taxes are a misguided policy too many states are pursuing this session in response to the wave of drug addictions and overdoses that has hit the country. Jacob J. Rich with Reason Foundation (Reason.org) joins the podcast to discuss what he's found after diving into research on the opioid crisis and state reactions.

Nebraska is considering a massive property tax reform package, but it includes big tax hikes used to tamp down property taxes. Will it work? Or turn into a tax increase? Platte Institute's Sarah Curry and Adam Weinburg explain. Criminal justice reforms finally pass in Florida, though some measures didn't make it over the finish line. We have a conversation with Greg Newburn, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, on the Florida First Step Act.

Attacks on free speech at the state level continue to spread as governments look for ways to control how groups and individuals speak out on public policy and political issues. We talk to Erica Jedynak with Americans for Prosperity in New Jersey about the legislature's attack on free speech ahead of a vote in the State Senate Thursday (2/21); as well as an update on the Fight for 15's unfortunate win in Jersey. We also provide a brief heads up on issues alive in the states! For more, visit www.ATR.org.

Sal Nuzzo of the James Madison Institute discusses the most critical issues on the Florida ballot this November. Tune in as he evaluates property and income tax proposals, along with prohibitive measures, like a ban on offshore drilling and indoor vaping.

Taxes, the minimum wage, justice reform, and American energy. Listen as policy experts from across the country weigh in on more of the most important ballot initiatives this November. Mike Kraus of the Independence Institute tackles competing resolutions to fix Colorado’s “damn” roads. Patrick Ishmael from the Show Me Institute addresses gas taxes and a proposed hike in Missouri’s minimum wage. Brent Mead of the Montana Policy Institute reviews initiatives on mining and healthcare taxes. Daniel Dew considers criminal justice reform in Ohio. Lightning Round

Free speech, energy, and plenty of taxes. With elections near, experts discuss key ballot measures.     Jeff Kropf from Oregon Capitol Watch addresses proposals in the Beaver State to ban grocery fees and require super majorities for tax increases. (1:05)  Joe Coletti of the John Locke Foundation considers a proposition to constitutionally cap North Carolina’s income tax. (15:05)  Michael Schaus of the Nevada Policy Research Institute explores Nevada measures about taxes on medical equipment and environmental regulation. (19:55)   ATR’s Paul Blair & Mike Palicz analyze Washington’s proposal for a carbon tax. (37:55)  Eric Peterson of the Free Speech Institute deals with multiple measures to restrict first amendment liberties. (49:55)