Fiscal follies: Kansas cost estimates draw criticism

By   /  May 24, 2013  /  Accountability, Featured, Finances, Kansas, News, State Budgets  /  No Comments

Cash Grab

By Travis Perry │ Kansas Watchdog

OSAWATOMIE — When lawmakers craft a piece of legislation, they rely on state departments to give an honest account of what it could cost.

But when it comes to making sense of these fiscal facts, critics say things aren’t always what they seem.

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Darling: Why is UW System’s Reilly still here?

By   /  May 23, 2013  /  Accountability, Education, Featured, Finances, Legislature, News, Scott Walker, State Budgets, Supreme Court, transportation, Wisconsin  /  1 Comment

Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, voiced her dissatisfaction with the president of the University of Wisconsin System at the Joint Committee on Finance meeting this week.

By Ryan Ekvall | Wisconsin Reporter
MADISON – When the co-chair of the Legislature’s powerful Joint Committee on Finance says it might be best if you stepped down, you know you and your agency are in for a long, hard day.
“I can’t believe Kevin Reilly is still there,” Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills said of the [...]

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PA gov. pushes back on IFO Medicaid report

By   /  May 21, 2013  /  Affordable Care Act, Featured, Federal Government, Health Care, Issues, News, Pennsylvania, State Budgets, State Government, Uncategorized  /  No Comments

HIDDEN COSTS: As much as $515 million in costs and savings of Medicaid expansion were mis-estimated by the IFO, according to the Corbett Administration.

The administration of Gov. Tom Corbett says a report on Medicaid expansion by the state’s Independent Fiscal Office improperly claims as much as $515 million as savings, revenue or underestimated costs to the state.

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PA Dems press governor on Medicaid expansion

By   /  May 15, 2013  /  Featured, Issues, Medicaid, News, Pennsylvania, State Budgets, State Government  /  No Comments

CAPITOL DECISIONS: Medicaid expansion continues to hang over Gov. Tom Corbett and budget-making lawmakers.

By Eric Boehm | PA Independent
HARRISBURG – Democratic leaders in the General Assembly say Gov. Tom Corbett has delayed long enough on a decision about expanding Medicaid in Pennsylvania.
And if the governor won’t make a decision, they are ready to force his hand.
“If Gov. Corbett is unwilling to do the right thing, my colleagues in [...]

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WI Jobs committee gives WEDC reins of $25 million venture capital bill

By   /  May 10, 2013  /  Accountability, Featured, News, State Budgets, venture capital, WEDC, Wisconsin  /  1 Comment

venture capital

A bi-partisan group of legislators is one step closer to subsidizing risky startup businesses with taxpayer cash.

The venture capital bill narrowly passed out of committee Friday.

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