by Randall O’Toole Does rail transit improve urban livability?  To answer this question, The James Madison Institute reviewed transit, congestion, cost, safety, and other data for all two-dozen U.S. urban areas that have rail transit. Our conclusion is that, far from enhancing livability, rail transit reduced the livability of ever urban area that has it.  …

Read Full Post

by Diane Katz A bill to permanently bar some taxes on Internet access is stalled in the U.S. Senate, despite swift passage two months ago by the House. Predictably, states and localities, ever eager for more revenue, are vigorously fighting the measure. But unbeknownst to millions of taxpayers who benefit from an online oasis is …

Read Full Post

Winston Churchill once said, “No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worse form of government, except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Arguably, the worst thing about democracy is that elected leaders tend to believe they are responsible …

Read Full Post

How taxpayers fund the union machinery Public sector employees, of which teachers are the largest group, have every right to form and join unions for the purpose of collectively bargaining contracts. Florida passed a collective bargaining law in the early 1970s granting this right to employees. As such, these unions have a right to assess …

Read Full Post

Florida’s economy and state government would fare better if the intangibles tax were repealed, according to a new policy report by The James Madison Institute to be released next week. In “Florida’s Intangibles Tax: The Case for Repeal,” JMI Research Advisory Board Chairman Randall Holcombe reveals that the elimination of the intangibles tax would actually …

Read Full Post

by Doug Bailey Next week, The James Madison Institute will release Policy Report #39, “Florida’s Constitutional Ballot Initiatives: Is This Any Way to Run a Government?” by Douglas S. Bailey. The report will examine the history of the ballot initiative process and outline its fundamental issues: constitutional supremacy, money and interest group influence, minority rights, …

Read Full Post

Confused? Go Fly a Kite Usually when politicians explain that an issue is complex or that it requires a multi-faceted, nuanced approach it means that they are ducking the simple, politically difficult solution. Such is the case with medical insurance liability reform. The Florida Senate is behaving as if the medical malpractice insurance liability crisis …

Read Full Post

Regarding taxes, the Florida House and Governor have it right. The Senate, which wanted to raise taxes last year before the class-size amendment was even approved, has it wrong. And, of course, the media – which tends to see Cuba as a viable economic model – is infuriated at the Governor and the House and …

Read Full Post