Category Archives: Fiscal Freedom

Ex chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian has called for institutional freedom

As the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised its outlook for inflation to 6.7 per cent for the current fiscal, up from its previous projection of 5.7 per cent, former chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian said that the central bank has reacted late to rising prices.

In a freewheeling chat with NDTV over a host of issues ranging from global economy, importance of social harmony, India's investment climate as well as on the need for institutional freedom, Mr Subramanian, while reacting to RBI's outlook on inflation, expressed disappointment that though prices have been rising for almost three years, it was late in taking measures to check them, which showed a certain loss of institutional independence.

What has been disappointing is that it is not just that inflation has been high and RBI has been late to react to it, but it smacks of certain loss of institutional independence. Mr Subramanian said.

The former chief economic adviser said that RBI has been keeping the upper ceiling for inflation at 6 per cent but its target is 4 per cent, therefore much more action should have been taken. In economic parlance, RBI is like Supreme Court. We don't want conflict among these institutions, but we don't want RBI to become an extension of the Government.

When inflation goes up, RBI is meant to raise rates to control it. But it has not done it because Government's interest burden goes up. We call it fiscal dominance, which means that fiscal situation dominates monetary policy. So RBI is trying to do what Government wants it to do, rather than bringing down inflation, Mr Subramanian explained.

Emphasising on the importance of institutional freedom, he said that if institutions are not going to be robust as they should be, then it takes a toll on broader investment climate, therefore the question as to why foreign investors are choosing other nations like Vietnam etc (over India), becomes relevant.

On being asked whether rate hikes which are impacting EMIs and loans and putting pressure on the common man are going to continue, Mr Subramanian said that though RBI is mandated to bring inflation down to 4 per cent levels, it has kept the forecast for this fiscal at nearly 7 per cent (6.7 per cent).

Some global prices may cool off but RBI has to show that it has the desire and will as well as independence to achieve that (control inflation), he said, while adding at the same time that rate hikes are likely to continue for some time, depending on external situations.

Quizzed whether India can be an investment destination in the wake of China's economic slowdown, Mr Subramanian said that India's Atmanirbhar policy is proving to be a deterrent in this.

We have Atmanirbharta policy, so India is not really an attractive place as we have become protectionist and have raised tariffs. So this policy is a problem in attracting investment which can service the global market, the former chief economic adviser said.

Mr Subramanian also blamed arbitrariness in investment policy as another deterrent in India becoming an investment hub.

To be fair to the Government, it has started negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs). But there is tension between such pacts and Atmanirbharta We will have to abandon this policy as FTAs require doing away with trade barriers, the economist noted.

He said that there was too much arbitrariness in investment policy as some companies are favoured over others, which has turned away foreign investors.

We need independent institutions, steady rules and social harmony as well as better Centre-State relations, to attract investors. For the moment we are missing that, Mr Subramanian pointed out.

Underlining the significance of cooperative federalism, which he said was visible when the Centre had framed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime in consultation with states, Mr Subramanian said that spirit of consultation was missing while framing the farm laws.

However, he added that Centre alone was not to be blamed, as states too were guilty of indulging in populism or rather imitative populism.

Here, the Centre has to take lead and create an atmosphere of trust. These are challenging times and both Centre and states have to come together, Mr Subramanian emphasised.

Highlighting the significance of social harmony in creating a conducive investment environment, the economist said when you have social conflict for a long time, then it takes a toll on investment. Many countries have tried to suppress such conflicts but it catches up, as can be seen in Sri Lanka.

When conflicts become weaponised (like in Ukraine), it is the people who aremost vulnerable, he said.

In such a conflict we forget that if we have so many Indians working abroad whoare vulnerable to weaponised interdependence. We have Indians in Gulf countries and overseas governments might get annoyed if social harmony is disturbed in India. These are flammable things and may happen anytime and their repercussions could be massive, Mr Subramanian cautioned.

So we need social harmony for ourselves and for maintaining stable relations with other nations in order to attract investmentTherefore social harmony and peace are very important, he emphasised.

On the global economic scenario and its impact on Indian economy as well as inflation, Mr Subramanian said that currently the spectre of global stagflation is being seen right now.

World Bank has revised the forecast for global economy and for it, anything less than 2 per cent is considered a recession. We will not only have high international prices of fuel and fertiliser, but also there will be a global slowdown. This will be a double whammy for India, as we are not just net importer of oil but will also face price shocks from global economy. At the same time, exports willfall. So both on growth as well as on inflation side, there are going to be shocks for India, he summed up.

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"Don't Want RBI To Become Extension Of Government": Ex CEA Arvind Subramanian - NDTV Profit

As the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan, 6 Attack on the United States Capitol starts public hearings, we must ask what motivates those on the committee.

Is the sole concern the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States? Or is it to get media to attack and undermine political opponents?

It is indeed possible that infractions of law can be investigated without a carnival platform designed to mobilize media and national attention.

The public material of the committee already reeks of motivations other than seeking truth.

The committee has already announced on its website that the Jan. 6 incident was one of the darkest days of our democracy.

Really? Against a civil war where some three-quarters of a million Americans were killed, fighting over what American freedom is about, one incident of a few hours, where law enforcement finally prevailed, was one of our darkest days?

There are just 24 hours in any day, so time taken on one matter means attention not given to other matters.

If these members of Congress really cared about our principles of freedom and democracy, they wouldnt be ignoring every day other pressing matters in which the freedom of American citizens is blatantly violated.

Take, for example, that as the Jan. 6 investigation monopolizes media attention, on June 3 the Trustees of Medicare and Social Security issued their annual report.

Both systems are bankrupt and in dismal shape financially.

The cash shortfall of Medicare in 2021 was $409 billion. Projection is that Social Security will be out of adequate cash flow to meet obligations to retirees by 2035 just 13 years from now.

The Trustees estimate that there are only adequate funds in Social Security to meet 80% of benefits in 2035. The payroll tax, now 12.4%, would have to be raised 26% in order to generate sufficient funds to meet those obligations.

In other words, today every working American age 55 and below who plans to collect Social Security benefits at age 67 is paying a payroll tax into a system that cannot provide the benefits promised.

Can you imagine a private insurance company sending a letter to policy holders saying that, in 13 years, they will only be able to meet 80% of the payments promised to policy holders?

The lawsuits would be flying.

Lets forget about the fiscal situation of the system for a minute and whether it is even worth saving this program. How about the issue of freedom that our members of Congress want us to believe they care about so much?

Take a young citizen, age 21, fresh with his or her new degree, entering the work force for the first time. Immediately, 12.4% of their paycheck is deducted into a system they involuntarily enter, in which there are inadequate funds to meet promised benefits.

Shouldnt this new young worker be able to say, No, thank you, I dont want to participate?

Even if the system were not broken, and benefits could be met, in our free country, shouldnt everyone be free to manage their own retirement?

According to the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, the average return of Social Security over the last 40 years was 1%. Over the same period, average return on stocks was 6%.

Back to this new young worker, by the calculations of the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, this single worker, if they earned the median national income and were able to invest 10% of their income into a diversified stock and bond portfolio over 40 years, instead of paying the payroll tax, could have annual income at retirement of $55,143 against $19,646 from Social Security.

So, hey, members of the Select Committee. Enough of pretending that you care about American freedom. How about wrapping up the carnival and getting down to the real challenges every American faces today?

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show Cure America with Star Parker.

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Congress ignores pressing business while it obsesses on Jan. 6 - Minot Daily News

In the constant churning on Wall Street, Wednesday was a down day that gave up gains from the previous session. Optimistic views on the economy gave way to nervousness about the looming reading on inflation with the Consumer Price Index release later this week, and bond yields moved above 3% again. That sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI -0.81%), S&P 500 (^GSPC -1.08%), and Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC 0.00%) down as much as 1% on the day.

Index

Daily Percentage Change

Daily Point Change

Dow

(0.81%)

(269)

S&P 500

(1.08%)

(45)

Nasdaq

(0.73%)

(89)

Data source: Yahoo! Finance.

Yet a couple of consumer-oriented companies released financial results that showed that U.S. consumers are still doing whatever they can to fight back against economic pressures, at least for now. Gains for Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings(OLLI 4.69%) were fairly substantial, while recreational vehicles specialist Thor Industries (THO 0.97%) had to settle for more modest gains. Read the details below.

Shares of Ollie's were up nearly 5% on Wednesday. The discount retailer reported results for the fiscal first quarter ending April 30, and although the numbers showed just how much strain consumers are under, investors liked the sentiment the company has about its future.

Ollie's reported a 10% year-over-year drop in quarterly net revenue to $407 million. Comparable-store sales were even worse, nearly entirely reversing last year's 18.8% gain with a drop of 17.3%. Adjusted net income plunged 76% to $12.8 million, resulting in earnings of just $0.20 per share.

Yet CEO John Swygert did a reasonably good job of putting Ollie's results in context. Consumers had just received stimulus payments in the year-earlier period, and that was especially important for the lower end of the retail industry in which Ollie's operates. Moreover, Swygert was optimistic about the near future, saying that sales trends in the current quarter have improved substantially.

In the long run, discount retailers like Ollie's have a huge opportunity to serve new customers who've had to move down in their shopping aspirations because of inflation. If it can capitalize, then Ollie's could see further gains ahead.

Shares of Thor Industries were up just 1% by the end of the trading session on Wednesday, after having been higher by as much as 4% earlier in the day. The RV manufacturer's fiscal third-quarter sales hit new records, and the situation for the industry looks strong.

Thor's numbers included a 35% jump in net sales to $4.66 billion. Gross profit margin improved, and earnings of $6.32 per share came close to doubling from year-ago levels. That marked yet another strong quarter on the bottom line for the RV specialist. Moreover, Thor reported a backlog of RV demand of $13.88 billion, working out to about three quarters' worth of sales.

Indeed, Thor is still seeing a bit too much of a good thing. The company has made some progress in managing and fulfilling orders, but supply constraints on RV chassis are holding back its ability to maximize production. Thor doesn't see itself getting inventory levels at dealerships back up to normal levels until early 2023 at best.

It's somewhat surprising to see demand for RVs remain strong even with gasoline prices at extremely high levels. Yet consumers have been stuck being unable to travel for a long time, and with hotel prices being equally expensive right now, Thor's financial performance suggests that consumers want the freedom that comes with hitting the open road with your own accommodations.

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These 2 Stocks Show Consumers Are Fighting Hard - The Motley Fool

COLUMBIA, S.C. Governor Henry McMaster, Lieutenant Governor Pamela S. Evette, and First Lady Peggy McMaster's schedules for the week of June 6 will include the following:

Monday, June 6 at 12:00 PM: Gov. McMaster will attend the Health Supply US announcement, The Westin Poinsett, Gold Ballroom, 120 South Main Street, Greenville, S.C.

Monday, June 6 at 2:30 PM: Gov. McMaster will hold a ceremonial bill signing for H. 3105, S.C. Religious Freedom Act, First Baptist North Spartanburg, 8740 Asheville Highway, Spartanburg, S.C.

Wednesday, June 8 at 10:00 AM: Lt. Gov. Evette will participate in GEA Beach Cleanup, Beachside of the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel, 1110 N. Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Thursday, June 10 at 3:15 PM: Gov. McMaster will attend an office tour at BDV Solutions, 631 South Main Street, Greenville, S.C.

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Gov. Henry McMasters Weekly Schedule: May 31, 2022

COLUMBIA, S.C. Gov. Henry McMasters schedule for the week of May 31, 2022, included:

Tuesday, May 31

Gov. McMaster was in the Office of the Governor for office hours, State House, first floor, 1100 Gervais Street, Columbia, S.C.

10:00 AM: Gov. McMaster oversaw a State Fiscal Accountability Authority Meeting, Room 252, Edgar Brown Building, Columbia, S.C.

1:15 PM: Economic development meeting.

2:00 PM: Gov. McMaster participated in the 2022 Governors Award for Excellence in Science,State House,first floor, 1100 Gervais Street, Columbia, S.C.

Wednesday, June 1

Gov. McMaster was in the Office of the Governor for office hours, State House, first floor, 1100 Gervais Street, Columbia, S.C.

10:00 AM: Gov. McMaster participated in a press conference with S.C. Center for Fathers and Families to proclaim Fathers Matter Month and present the Order of the Palmetto to Pat Littlejohn, State House, North Steps, 1100 Gervais Street, Columbia, S.C.

12:00 PM: Gov. McMaster spoke to the Lexington Chamber & Visitors Centers Business Over Lunch, Doubletree by Hilton, 2100 Bush River Road, Columbia, S.C.

1:45 PM: Constituent meeting.

2:15 PM: Constituent meeting.

2:45 PM: Economic development meeting.

4:03 PM: Agency call.

Thursday, June 2

Gov. McMaster was in the Office of the Governor for office hours, State House, first floor, 1100 Gervais Street, Columbia, S.C.

11:45 AM: Gov. McMaster spoke at a law enforcement appreciation luncheon with U.S. Senator Tim Scott, Riverland Hills Baptist, 201 Lake Murray Boulevard, Irmo, S.C.

1:38 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

1:40 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

1:41 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

1:42 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

1:43 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

1:46 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

1:50 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

1:55 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

1:56 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

1:58 PM: Call with a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

2:00 PM: Policy meeting.

5:30 PM: Gov. McMaster, First Lady Peggy McMaster, and Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers held an Agriculture Appreciation reception, Governors Mansion, 800 Richland Street, Columbia, S.C.

Friday, June 3

10:30 AM: Gov. McMaster met with state and local emergency management officials, Horry County Emergency Operations Center, M.L. Brown Public Safety Center, 2560 Main Street, Conway, S.C.

12:00 PM: Gov. McMaster met with state and local emergency management officials, Charleston County Emergency Operations Center, 8500 Palmetto Commerce Parkway, North Charleston, S.C.

2:30 PM: Gov. McMaster met with state and local emergency management officials,Beaufort County Emergency Operations Center, Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, 2001 Duke Street, Beaufort, S.C.

4:15 PM: Gov. McMaster visited and toured Parris Island with Commanding General, Brigadier General Julie L. Nethercot.

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Gov. Henry McMaster, Lt. Gov. Pamela S. Evette, and First Lady Peggy McMaster's Weekly Schedule, June 6, 2022 | SC Governor Henry McMaster - S.C....

Meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 will cost Asia $1.5 trillion annually

As foreign support to the social sector shrinks, Asia turns to domestic funding, corporate funding, and government grants

Lack of trust among sectors government, private, and social remains the foremost impediment to building a sustainable social support system

Ambiguous and inconsistent regulations and policies enacted by Asian governments send mixed messages to donors about the role of philanthropy and the social sector

HONG KONG, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Covid-19 has exacerbated income inequalities and social disparities across Asia, serving as a force multiplier for trends already in place. A new social impact study released today by the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) shows how to maximize philanthropic and policy responses to cope with these post-Covid challenges.

Assessing performance across four sub-indexes Regulations, Tax and Fiscal Policy, Ecosystem, and Procurement CAPS' biennial flagship study, the Doing Good Index 2022, examines the social investment landscape in Asia. It exposes the underlying structural conditions preventing the region's social sectors from thriving, whilst highlighting enabling factors that can empower governments, companies, philanthropists, and social delivery organizations (SDOs) to tap resources and work together to meet Asia's challenges.

Mr. Ronnie Chan, Chairman of CAPS, said, "Two-thirds of those newly forced into poverty live in South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific, underscoring the need for philanthropic giving in these economies. The pandemic has forced an immediate and united response from individuals, companies, and governments, demonstrating how a collaborative 'Asia for Asia' philanthropic approach can guide the region's recovery and rehabilitation. That said, we need to urgently do more if we are to protect and support the most vulnerable members of our society."

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Asia on Track to Fail All Sustainable Development Goals if Immediate Action Isn't Taken

In order to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, economies in Asia will need to invest US$1.5 trillion annually. However, Asia is currently not on track to meet any of the SDGs as a region. Private capital plays a critical role in closing this funding gap. An estimated US$701 billion per year can be unleashed if Asia home to 26% of the global rich were to match the United States in terms of philanthropic spend. This is about 14 times the net foreign aid flowing to Asia and roughly 28% of the expected costs to fulfil the SDGs by 2030.

The Doing Good Index 2022 identifies four key trends across Asia:

Trust deficit among sectors impacting the power of collaboration: The lack of trust among the government, private, and social sectors remains the foremost impediment to creating a supportive and enabling environment for the flow of private social investment. As a result, many Asian governments have put in place regulations that limit the social sector's freedom and flexibility to operate, thus impacting donors' motivations to engage with them. This results in a loss of both funding as well as talent to the sector, in turn reducing its capacity to deliver on its objectives.

Ambiguous policies and government oversight driving away donors: Throughout Asia, governments have enacted ambiguous policies governing philanthropy, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and the social sector in general, which, at times, seem to work against each other. The incoherence around the fluctuating regulations often leads to mixed messages from the government. This dilutes the incentivizing potential of their fiscal policies to encourage systemic philanthropic giving, ultimately translating into a lack of support for the social sector.

Funding to the social sector characterized by shortfalls: Almost half (47%) of social delivery organizations (SDOs) in Asia have reported a decline in funding, with 75% of those reporting a decrease of up to 50%. A number of factors have contributed to this shortfall including diminished foreign funding as a result of regional affluence, companies and donors redirecting their funding to other areas or opting to engage in humanitarian work themselves in the wake of the pandemic, and the zero-sum nature of Covid-19 support. At the same time, eight of the 17 governments in Asia have enacted policies that make it more difficult for foreign funds to enter the country. Few economies have been successful in leveraging domestic and government funding to close the funding gap.

Synergies among the sectors imperative for a vibrant social sector ecosystem: Despite unrivalled challenges and structural impediments, Asia's social sector has demonstrated its capacity as a trusted partner for sustainable development, working with governments, companies, and philanthropists to build back better. However, as the Covid-19 crisis abates, it will be critical to harness the strengths of all parts of society government, private and social sectors, and individuals and maximize collaboration to drive long-lasting change in the direction of inclusive and sustainable development. Addressing the region's unmet social needs will require a coordinated "all-hands-on-deck" approach that includes not only funding but also talent, knowledge and a shared commitment towards the most vulnerable in our communities.

Dr. Ruth Shapiro, Founder and Chief Executive of CAPS, commented, "The remarkable resilience of the social sector amidst the current crisis is a beacon of hope, but all the same, fundraising to the sector has never been more challenging. Foreign funding in Asia has been progressively declining in recent years, particularly in lower-middle-income economies that have relied heavily on foreign support for decades. It will be critical for economies in Asia to develop a clear and consistent set of policies to unlock domestic funding that will allow for inclusive and sustainable development."

The Doing Good Index has established itself as the most comprehensive social impact index in Asia, evaluating systems in place to meet the most pressing issues in the social sector. The index draws on surveys as well as interviews with experts and strategic partners in Asia, including academia, foundations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and policy think tanks to provide a granular view into the state of the social sector in the region. CAPS has been invited to brief government officials on implementing effective policies across the region, illustrating the pioneering nature of its work.

A total of 2,239 SDOs were surveyed and 126 experts were interviewed as part of the study conducted across 17 Asian economies: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Download the Doing Good Index 2022 here and visit the interactive microsite.

About the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS)

CAPS was established in 2013 in Hong Kong as an action-oriented research and advisory organization committed to maximizing private resources going toward doing good in Asia. CAPS accomplishes its mission by understanding fundamental strengths and cultural practices in Asia as well as researching and promoting public policies that best enable the giving and receiving of private social investment. More information on CAPS research and services is available at: http://caps.org/.

For more details or to arrange interviews, please contact:

GolinStephanie MazinyiPhone: +852 2501 7901Email: smazinyi@golin.com

Cherry MaPhone: +852 2501 7916Email: cma@golin.com

CAPSAnnelotte WalshPhone: +852 6925 0551Email: annelotte@caps.org

SOURCE Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS)

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The Doing Good Index Reveals Asia's Social Sector Sees a Funding Decline Despite Having the Highest Pandemic-Induced Poverty Globally - Yahoo Finance

Brexit was meant to be a new beginning for the Tory party, but by making trade with Europe more difficult and costly, it has so far only added to the countrys travails.

Instead, Britains new-found freedoms busy themselves with apparent trivia, such as a return to imperial measures and the reimpositionof the crown on the side ofpint glasses. None of these things helps the economy and, by further inflaming Britains culture wars, may even be mildly negative.

Whatever happened to the supposed Brexit freedom of abolishing VAT on gas and electricity bills? There could scarcely be a better time to avail ourselves of it, yet that promise too has been left by the wayside.

Rather than looking to a newly invigorated future, we find ourselves drowning in nostalgia, as if returned to the well-meaning but ineffective back to basics posturing of John Majors last administration, where the imagined comforts of warm beer and the gentle sound of leather on willow were shamelessly invoked to deflect from the gruesome reality of political and economic decay.

It should be obvious by now, even to the carelessly optimistic Johnson, that economic policy is failing disastrously. Rather than seeking to address underlying weaknesses and fault lines in the UK economy, on both the monetary and fiscal fronts it only compounds them.

A complete rethink is required that turns conventional thinking on its head. It would be a big move and one fraught with danger to abandon the current inflation targeting regime in favour of something more suited to current economic challenges, but it is as plain as a pike staff that this 25-year-old sacred cow of economic convention no longer works as it is supposed to.

The only reason for keeping it going is the potential damage to international confidence and credibility that might result from kicking against it. But you dont knowingly keep using an unsafe bridge simply because everybody expects you to.

Just how wrong does the Bank of England have to be before someone shouts the emperor has got no clothes? The failure is as much in the framework as the execution. Its no longer clear that the simplistic targeting of a 2pc inflation rate through a nominally independent central bank now a global obsession that bizarrely originated from tiny, little New Zealand makes any sense.

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Boris needs a sophisticated recipe to save the economy - and himself - The Telegraph

Tax relief for seniors

I was disgusted to read the editorial recently that had the AARP Montana Executive Council members pleading with the upcoming Legislature to seek some help for Social Security tax relief for seniors.

I proposed SB76 in the 2017 session to eliminate taxes on Social Security. We were then only one of 13 states that still had this law. There were 135,000 seniors over 65 in Montana definitely more now.

Did AARP show up to testify in favor? Heck, no! There were only opponents to SB76 the director of revenue, the Montana taxpayer lobbyist, a lobbyist for the Montana Budget & Policy Center and Eric Feaver, representing MEA/AFT. He felt we all should pay in a progressive way.

The $75 million fiscal note was the reason it didnt get through the Senate Finance Committee, but it did begin a conversation.

My seatmate, David Howard, proposed SB217 in 2019. His bill revised the taxation on Social Security to relieve the marriage penalty. The fiscal note was $15 million though still opposed by the revenue director and the policy center. The Montana taxpayer lobbyist supported this bill. Did AARP weight in? No!

Senator Howards bill made it through the Senate and the House with Republican support and very few Democrat votes. It was later vetoed by Governor Bullock.

It is well known in legislative hallways that AARP does not show up in support of bills with Republican sponsors. I even called out one of the lobbyists for not showing up to support bills for seniors. Excuses, excuses.

Bills and votes, along with hearings can be seen/heard on the leg.mt.gov site. Dont let AARP blow smoke without holding them accountable. Seniors deserve better representation than they have given historically.

Where were you when we needed you, AARP? Start talking to your side of the aisle. The Rs have been on the side of the seniors all along!

Dee Brown, Hungry Horse

I was going to write this right after the prom but now it seems so much more relevant that I have to say something.

The location of the Flathead prom was potentially a huge disaster. Not only was it difficult to find and on the end of a rough dirt road but people had to park in a field. If it had rained it would have been a huge mess if not inaccessible.

But my biggest concern was the open access to the public and the time it would have taken for first responders to get there in an emergency.

Call me paranoid but how easy would it have been for gunmen to come in from across one of those fields loaded with weapons and opened fire on the kids? There were no police in site. I drove my kids and waited in the field/ parking lot so I know.

Last year it was at the high school and if there had been an emergency police could have been there in minutes. Who in the hell thought it was okay to have prom at the end of a rough dirt road in the middle of nowhere?

April Harrington, Kalispell

I own guns. I can also read, and I know what a well regulated militia doesnt mean.

An 18-year-old boy in Texas should not be able to walk into a store and buy not one, but two short barrel ArmaLites with virtually no checks in place.

In 1787, at a time when there were just 13 states, the U.S. Constitution was drafted and signed. Four years later in 1791, as a result of changing times, those states made 10 changes to update that Constitution. Those changes, which include our 2nd amendment, were called The Bill of Rights.

Those great men, who helped forge this great nation, knew that as society and technology developed certain adjustments must be made. The fundamental rules, that were signed into law 235 years ago, were writted for a fledgling nation called the United States. However, the United States of 2022, both figuratively and literally, is simply not the United States of 1787.

I believe in the right to bear arms. Our Second Amendment calls for a well regulated militia. Its time we revisit Americas regulations.

Benjamin Spencer, Plains

Bidens latest scheme to cancel $10,000 of student debt for those attending a four-year college or graduate school would cost taxpayers $450 billion and demonstrates how Democrats continuously come up with new ways to buy elections.

Liberals supporting this action need to answer this: How is this fair to those of us who paid back our student loans (in my case for medical school after going to an inexpensive in-state college), those who worked while going to school to pay for their own education, those who went from high school into the military to qualify for the GI bill or those who entered the work force after high school? Why should we be paying the tab for those who signed a contract to repay a loan, just as one signs for a car loan or mortgage?

No, once again Democrats will alienate many of the 87% of Americans who do not currently have a student loan in an attempt to buy the votes of one of their favored demographics under 30 snowflakes who dont accept responsibility.

David Myerowitz, Columbia Falls

Another election year is upon us and to my disappointment some of the same tactics are being used as we have seen before.

The liberals cannot win elections in this county without lying to the voters. They have found a candidate in Jack Fallon who they are backing for county commissioner on the Republican ticket. Nothing could be further from the truth. Fallon is not a conservative Republican.

While on the school board, he backed the transgender movement. This is not something we would want in our schools. The smear campaign brought to us from Jack Fallon against Pam Holmquist is nothing more than a liberal movement to gain a county commissioner seat that they cannot get by running on a Democrat ticket.

There has been tens of thousands of dollars donated by known liberals to a PAC being used against Pan Holmquist. This should be enough for all Republicans to see that the liberals are at it again, the same as they did to get Gary Hall and Gary Krueger elected on a Republican ticket. It took six years of discourse in the commissioners office to get rid of them. Lets not let this happen again. These two liberal commissioners were beaten badly in the next election.

We do not need liberal Jack Fallon in the commissioners office. He will not bring conservative values as Flathead County wants.

Pam Holmquist has had to make some difficult decisions to follow our conservative values. She will continue to work in this manner for Flathead County. We certainly do not want these liberals to buy this election.

Please join us and vote for Pam Holmquist as you have in the past as loyal Republicans.

Robert Spoklie, Kalispell

I support Ronalee Skees as a leader in our community and believe that she will lead well in Helena. She has supported families in crisis, with her work at Hope Pregnancy Crisis Center. Ronalee also raised funds to bring a memory care garden and the Music and Memory program to help seniors with Alzheimers. I know her to be a leader with integrity and unmistakable character.

It is upsetting to see her opponent spread lies and misinformation about her. In March 2020 it was Gov. Bullock with the power of an emergency order initiated by President Trump that brought a lockdown to the state of Montana. Flathead County resisted many of the mandates, as a result, Flathead County had the freedom to make personal decisions on how to navigate 2020.

The members of the Health Board have the obligation to protect public health, and they did that duty with honor and integrity for this whole community. It was through that challenging time of leadership I believe Ronalee Skees has earned my support and my vote.

Marianna Gilbert, Kila

A recent letter endorsing Pam Holmquist as a master of fiscal responsibility just about knocked me over. Lets take a quick look at how she has ignored the will of the citizens of this county and has squandered our taxpayer money.

First, we only have to look at how she and her fellow commissioners refused to act on the Egan Slough Zoning initiative vote passed by 70% of the voters in this county.

Can you imagine how critical this issue was to the residents of this county that 70% of us agreed to this measure in order to preserve our precious water resources and our agricultural land. Holmquist and her two partners dragged their feet in spite of a court ruling ordering them to implement the measures required by the court. Instead they dug in and hired an outside firm from Missoula to defend them which ended up costing the county tens of thousands of dollars just in legal fees. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld the legality of the water bottling zoning initiative thereby showing the folly in Holmquists judgment.

Then there was the Lake Five development fiasco which she and the commission approved costing more in legal fees as well as tens of thousands in settlement costs. Another loss for the taxpayers and another example of bad judgment on Holmquists part. Before that there was the bridge to nowhere decision costing more and more wasted resources.

Holmquists record is a clear sign that she needs to go. Not only for her irresponsible decision making but her unwillingness to listen to we the people who depend on her and our other commissioners to make sound reasonable decisions. To call her a master of conservative fiscal responsibility is laughable.

David Eychner, Kalispell

Our great countrys Founding Fathers had the God-given foresight to design our U.S. government to embrace federalism and states rights to counter-balance the over-reach and failure of our federal government. (Research Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution: Reserved Powers and Concurrent Powers.)

Two years ago who would have believed the sky-rocketing fuel prices? Inflation? That Montana would be one of the states hit hardest by the baby formula shortages? The list is much too breath-takingly long to enumerate.

Voting smart, honest, get r done kind of people into office is our responsibility. Yes, elections DO have consequences. It starts with our local and state governments. I see one candidate for District 9 of our state legislature who stands out with all those qualities--and more. Constance Neumann is legal savvy, articulate, has personal integrity, and has the fire in her belly to accomplish great things for our area and state. Montana must continue to stand with states like Florida and Texas who are putting freedom and whats good for their citizens first rather than promoting the woke globalist agenda.

Please vote Constance Neumann into office as our representative for District 9 She will unceasingly fight for our conservative values and to uphold our constitutional rights such as: parental decision-making in their childrens education, freedom of speech, freedom from big tech censorship, less regulations to stifle our economy, etc. You will not regret that vote. She will do us proud!

Bethany Potts, Columbia Falls

It is my perception and my understanding that Pam Holmquists apparent wild popularity stems from her willingness to grant anybody anything just to extend the bottom line and to insure her popularity, with no regard to the long term effects and general well-being of this precious and endangered land.

As I said before, if I could single-handedly vote her out of office the way she is single-handedly ruining our valley, I would.

There is too much power in the hands of too few, especially in the hands of people governed by self-interest. This power is evidenced in the extravagance of Ms. Holmquists campaign; The Lady doth protest too much, methinks. (Shakespeare) Twelve years is too long. Its time for a change. Holmquist should go.

Kathryn Berg, Bigfork

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe, as it appears poised to do, they will stike a devastating blow to the most vulnerable in our country. Roughly half of the pregnant people in our nation seeking abortion will be forced to bear children they arent prepared for. Many, disproportionately poor, black and brown, will be forced to have children and asked to rely on a social safety net that is dangerously thindecimated by the very same politicians that claim to be fighting for the lives of children.

To be able to choose if and when and with whom to parent are basic human rights. Those rights are under threat and will be severely eroded with the overturn of Roe.

I am an abortion provider and run a clinic in Whitefish, which is the only abortion provider for miles in any direction. We need to step up and work hard in this state to keep abortion accessible for those who most need it.

There is only one candidate for the U.S. House that I trust 100% to protect our freedoms. I am voting for Monica Tranel for Congress. She is a fighter. She is unequivocally committed to reproductive freedoms. And as a lawyer, she knows actually what can be done and how. She has the experience and knowledge to be able to make a difference in Congress.

On her campaign website, Monica has written two op-eds and identified specific proposed laws that will protect abortion access. No other candidate has the specificity and knowledge she does.

Please join me in voting for Monica.

Helen Weems, Whitefish

The last couple of times Flathead County experimented electing liberal commissioners, it cost the taxpayers over $3,000,000. That was the North Shore subdivision where Commissioners Brenneman and Hall thought they were above the law and the taxpayers had to foot the bill.

Flathead voters are at the same commissioner crossroads this election. Pam Holmquist has a proven record for her respect of the law and the process. On the other hand, her opponent has shown his flagrant disrespect for honesty and open discussion. He led the committee to enact the transgender policy that the students of SD 5 are now subject to and he did it behind a consent agenda item where board members voting record is hidden from the public. He has no respect for transparency or the process.

If you really want to experience how Pam Holmquists opponent operates, I invite you on a trial run with a project through the Evergreen Water and Sewer Board. For me, that is enough of a portend of the future to sour any support for Pams opponent.

Please vote for Pam Holmquist for County Commissioner.

Rick Breckenridge, Kalispell

Why did Pam favor professional recreators with a path in Lawrence Park, over safe sidewalks for Evergreen school kids to walk to and from their schools? Why doesnt Pam support the cannabis tax dollars for Flathead County that could fund more law enforcement?

We seem to have lots of money for lawsuits since Holmquist was elected 12 years ago. To name a few are: Creston water-bottling plant, (selling off Flathead water.), Lake Five Development in West Glacier and in Bigfork the notorious bridge to nowhere.

Meanwhile, our Sheriffs Office is some 10 years behind in staffing while we have experienced both increased population growth of some 15%, and increased crime. From the May 4 Flathead Beacon: To keep up with the calls, Heino is requesting five more deputies, two additional ICAC deputies, two more court staff and a fifth judge for the 2023 fiscal year. For 2024, Heino is requesting four more deputies.

As Flathead County officials review the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which will be approved in June, Commissioner Pam Holmquist and County Administrator Pete Melnick say, its too early in the budget process to tell if the department will receive more funding.

Additionally, The commissioners do want to support the sheriff as best we can, understanding we are under fiscal constraints.

Overbudget by $2 million for the old dilapidated Centurytel building, but we dont have funds to support the Sheriffs Office due to budget constraints?

Politics isnt meant to be a career and 12 years of Pam Holmquist is enough. She has no answers, no solutions, and her actions/votes on the commission dont reflect that she will Back the Blue and allocate funding to support our Sheriffs Office. Holmquist must go.

Vote Jack Fallon for Commissioner!

Dee Kirk-Boon, Kalispell

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Letters to the editor June 5 | Daily Inter Lake - Daily Inter Lake

According to a study released in mid-May by The Century Foundation, a progressive think tank, one in six students attend a school where over90% of their peers were of the same racein the 2018-19 school year. The publication of the report was timed to mark the 68th anniversary ofBrown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Courts decision which ruled that state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools were unconstitutional.

While this may be news to some, the results are hardly surprising. For varied reasons, people tend to live in areas populated by those similar in race and class. And to complete the picture, we have a ridiculous zip-code mandated education system, which, courtesy of the Big Government-Big Teacher Union duopoly, forces children to go to the public school that is closest to their home no matter how awful it might be throughout most of the country.

Then, on the educational freedom front, a RealClear Opinion Research poll in February revealed that 72% of the respondents support school choice, with just 18% opposed. The results dont vary much by race, with 77% of Hispanics, 72% of Whites, 70% of Blacks, and 66% of Asians expressing support.

In March, the American Federation of Children released the findings of a survey which shows that77% of those surveyed support education-savings accounts(ESAs), which allow parents to withdraw their children from public schools and receive a deposit of public funds into government-authorized savings accounts with restricted but multiple uses. Interestingly, the poll finds that 75% of Democrats support ESAs, as do 85% of Hispanic voters and 84% of Black voters.

And unsurprisingly, when any privatization measure shows promise, the teacher unionistas and their fellow travelers step up their deceitful propaganda campaign. Traditionally, their argument has revolved around money. The unions claim that privatization siphons funds from public schools. This is a terrible argument for so many reasons, but mostly because we should be funding students, not systems. The unions other main talking point used increasingly these days is that school choice is racist.

The ever-quotable Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, insists, Make no mistake: This use of privatization, coupled with disinvestment are only slightly morepolite cousins of segregation. (A question for Weingarten and other choice-haters: While you despise any public money going to a parent who wants to send their child to a private school, youpraise Pell Grants. Thesefederal dollarsgo to needy college students, and can be used to attend private colleges, including religious schools likeNotre DameandBrigham Young. But on the k-12 level, giving parents choices vouchers, ESAs, etc., especially if used at a religious school is your worst nightmare. Why is the private option perfectly okay for college students, but not elementary and high schoolers?)

The rarely coherent teacher union mouthpiece Diane Ravitch blogged in early May that the origins of school choice are well-known; resistance to the Brown decision. She blathers on, referring to libertarian Milton Friedman as a right-winger, and asserts that Republicans are dedicated to destroying public schools, and stealing their funding. Then doubling up on her wackiness, she exits with, My addendum: if they destroy our public schools, they will destroy public libraries, public lands, the right to vote and, in time, our democracy.

The National Education Association, the biggest union in the country, is a pit-bull on the issue. It regularly slams any privatization measure. In an extended piece on their website, the union trots out all the usual bromides including that choice will lead toresegregation.

Homeschooling is also in the crosshairs of the purveyors of the segregation myth. In May, MSNBC got into the act, sharing a tweet claiming that homeschooling is being driven by the insidious racism of the American religious right.

And now for some facts.

Regarding the siphon argument, Martin Lueken, Director of Fiscal Policy and Analysis at EdChoice, researched the actual school choice participation rates and found that it does not have a negative effect on public-school systems or their funding. In fact, research suggests that greater take-up in choice programs leads tobetter student outcomes for the vast majority of students choosing to remain in public schools. Looking at these facts, it seems clear that the claims of exodus and harm caused by choice programs are greatly exaggerated.

Another analysis examined 11 choice programs across eight states and D.C. Of the 26 studies examining the effects of these programs on public school students,24 reveal positive effects, one study shows no visible effect, and only one finds negative effects.

Concerning segregation,10 empirical studies have examined private school choice programs, and nine find that the programs reduce it, while one shows no visible difference. Not one revealed that choice leads to any racial discrimination whatsoever.

Despite the ridiculous homeschooling assertion made by MSNBC, the number of Black homeschoolers jumped, from3.3% to 16.1%in 2020. Thus, Black children are homeschooling in much greater numbers than their White counterparts.

The Milton Friedman allegation is miles beyond inaccurate. In fact, Friedman and likeminded souls began touting vouchers as a strategy to combat segregation. Writing inThe Wall Street Journal, researcherPhillip Magnessexplains that Virginias segregationist hard-liners recognized the likely outcomes of school choice and began attacking it as an existential threat to their white-supremacist order.

So, now just who are really the racists? The ones who want to free Blacks to choose their schools? Or those who force them to go to their frequently failing zip-code mandated school?

Going forward, school choice should be branded as a civil rights issue.Lt. Col Allen Westsaid it best in a recent opinion piece.

We must reassert educational freedom and parental choice in America, this is the new civil rights battlefield. My very own parents made the decision about my early education realizing that a good quality education unlocks the doors to equality of opportunity. If we continue down this current path we lessen the opportunities for our children, but we increase the ability for others to determine their outcomes. If taxpayers, parents, are the ones funding public education, then they are the investors and have a definitive interest in their return on investment.

Amen, brother West!

Originally posted here:

The Sandstorm: School Choice And Segregation: Fact And Fiction - The Heartland Institute

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There are 23 primary elections for Legislature this year, the most in decades. In 1994 and 1982, there were 21.

Voters can find their legislative districts on the Legislatures website by entering their voting addresses. Make sure to look twice, as some districts have been redrawn and renumbered and its possible you will be voting in a numerically different district you voted in two years ago.

[Related: Utahs national race primary election guide]

Republican incumbents in multiple districts were forced into primary elections by GOP delegates at the state or county conventions, which is part of an overall shift to the right in the Republican base.

Earlier this year, longtime moderate Republican Rep. Steve Handy was knocked out of his seat by Davis County Republicans who nominated political newcomer Trevor Lee for the race. Handy said he was mounting a write-in bid in the general election after Lee made transphobic comments on a conservative podcast.

And three top Republicans in the Utah Senate were forced into primary elections by delegates. Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers of Cedar City, Majority Whip Ann Millner of Ogden and Jerry Stevenson of Layton, the chair of the top budgeting committee, have challengers from their political right. Vickers opponent, Patrick Larson, has posted calls for political violence on social media.

If any of those three were to lose the primary election, it would send a political shock wave through the GOP-controlled Utah Senate, where leadership changes usually happen through retirement or scandal instead of election losses.

Primary defeat of any of those GOP leaders would send a political shock wave through the Utah Senate, where leadership changes usually happen through retirement or scandal instead of election losses.

Utah legislative primary elections by the numbers:

Number of primaries: 23

GOP primaries: 20

Democratic primaries: 3

Primary elections with signature-gathering candidates: 16

Republican incumbents in primaries: 12

Democratic incumbents in primaries: 2

Republican state Senate primary elections: 4

Democratic state Senate primary elections: 3

Republican state House primary elections: 16

Democratic state House primary elections: 0

In Senate District 5, which includes the greater-Ogden area and Hill Air Force Base, both Republican candidates told The Salt Lake Tribune that education and tax cuts were top priorities.

Incumbent Majority Whip Sen. Ann Millner, a former president of Weber State University, is being challenged by attorney Doug Durbano. Millner has represented what was previously Senate District 18 since 2015, but with redistricting this past year is now running in the redrawn district.

Millner said she is a strong supporter of education, a thriving business community, economic development and making sure we maintain our quality of life in Utah. That includes, the state senator said, focusing on fundamentals, like increasing parent engagement in education and making sure every child has a plan that best meets their needs and their parents goals for the child.

She is also happy with the tax cuts the Legislature made this past general season, a priority that Durbano shares. He is running on a Freedom Formula, a term he coined that equates to lower taxes equals less government, equals more freedom.

And like Millner, Durbano also supports parental rights in education but said theres a lot of light between himself and the incumbent. The lawyer and businessman calls himself a Constitutional conservative and private sector guy. He said hes a strong supporter of the Utah GOPs platform but isnt OK with Republicans that only join Utahs predominant party to get elected. I believe in truth over harmony, he adds.

In Layton, Sen. Jerry Stevenson is running for reelection in Senate District 6 against GOP challenger Betty Young. Formerly Senate District 21, the newly redrawn Senate District 6 received new boundaries during last years redistricting process. Stevenson has represented the Davis County area in the Senate since 2010.

In a statement, Young told The Tribune that shes running for election because she doesnt think Stevenson, a three-term senator, has actively represented his constituency. If elected, Young said she would stay in office for one or two terms, and then it will be time for someone else to come in with renewed energy.

According to her campaign website, Young was born and raised in Italy before becoming an American citizen. She said shes interested in working on affordable housing, air quality and the rising cost of living that is weighing heavily on Utah families when they are buying their groceries and gas.

Stevenson, a former Layton mayor and the Utah Senates current Executive Appropriations Committee chair, did not respond to an email or phone call from The Tribune. Stevensons core values include believing in free enterprise and fiscal responsibility, according to his campaign website.

Ill continue to look for improved transportation options and ways to clean our air in an effort to improve our way of life in North Davis County. Doing so will attract employers, in turn increasing our ability to properly fund education without raising taxes, the incumbent writes on his campaign website.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) State Sen. Derek Kitchen, D-Salt Lake.

Sen. Derek Kitchen, fresh off a legislative session that saw him booted from a committee assignment by his own partys leadership, faces a familiar primary challenger in Dr. Jennifer Plumb, a pediatric emergency department physician and opioid mitigation advocate. Plumb lost to Kitchen by 550 votes in the 2018 Democratic primary for what was then Senate District 2.

Kitchen, first elected to the Senate in 2018, touts his experience as a lawmaker and said he is running for another term in what is now Senate District 9 to hold the powerful accountable. He said he wants his party to not only work across the aisle with Republicans, but also to use the rules of the Legislature more effectively to push Democratic priorities.

My goal, ultimately, would be to bring additional members into the Senate, Kitchen said, to pick up some seats so that we can build a powerful coalition on the other side.

Plumb said she has experience creating and shepherding more than a dozen bills through the Legislature since 2014, albeit not as an elected representative. Her advocacy, she said, has contributed to the passing of liberal causes like a syringe exchange program and giving residents access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone.

There are ways to build legislation and then work with the kind of competing interests or the parties to get things done, Plumb said. I think one of the crucial differences is that I am someone that is very capable of getting results and is very capable of working in those spaces.

If elected, Plumb said, she wants to help with appropriating money the state is receiving through a settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors, protect the rights of transgender Utahns and use her perspective as a female physician to do damage control in the Legislature if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, which protected a womans right to an abortion.

First-time candidate Nate Blouin argues he has a vision for Utahs future that sets him apart from longtime Sen. Gene Davis in the primary battle for what is now Senate District 13.

Blouin said hes focused on addressing climate issues, affordable housing and backing an independent redistricting commission.

Those things, he said, give us hope that we can make progress here in Utah.

Blouin, who has a background in renewable energy advocacy but left his job to campaign, said he wants to improve air quality along the Wasatch Front by reducing emissions and enhancing access and affordability for public transportation.

Davis, who has served in the Senate since 1999, said his knowledge of legislative rules and operations has allowed him to be effective for his constituents. He said hes delivered for his voters by working on air quality issues and improving education.

If elected to another term, he wants to boost wages for workers, improve low-income housing options, and address hunger by making visually unappealing produce that would otherwise be wasted available for consumption.

Ive still got the energy, he said, and I still have the drive to be able to continue to represent my district.

State Rep. Stephanie Pitcher currently represents House District 40 and is running in the newly drawn Senate District 14 against Deondra Brown. Utahs old Senate District 14 was represented by Republican Sen. Mike Kennedy and included conservative areas like Alpine and American Fork. The newly redrawn and renamed Senate District 14 is in Salt Lake County and much of it was represented by retiring Democrat Sen. Jani Iwamoto.

A musician and graduate of The Juilliard School, Brown said she offers a unique perspective that is missing from the Legislature.

Our vocation and our passion is all about connecting with people, she told The Tribune. Thats what we do. Thats what weve been trained to do.

She wants to boost teachers salaries, continue her decade of advocacy for victims of crime, improve mental health services across the state and fund art programs for students and communities. Brown is an abuse survivor herself and has lobbied for consent education.

During her time in the Utah House, Pitcher led a bipartisan effort in the Legislature to reform the states cash bail system and this past session sponsored legislation to crack down on illegal vehicle pollutants. Pitcher, whos a prosecutor, told The Tribune that she feels like shell be able to make more of an impact in the Senate, regardless of how bittersweet it would be to lose her House seat.

As any legislator, but especially as a Democrat, our relationships are our currency. And if you establish yourself as someone whos straightforward and honest and trustworthy, you can get a lot done up there she said of the Capitol, regardless of your party affiliation.

The winner will face Republican Dan Sorensen in the general election. Kennedy will run for reelection in Senate District 21, which now includes northern Utah Valley.

Days before he filed to run for the GOP nomination against incumbent Sen. Keith Grover, Brandon Beckham was charged with a second-degree felony after a woman accused him of forcible sexual abuse. That legal hurdle did not stop Beckham from continuing his campaign.

GOP delegates in Utah County decided to advance Beckham to the June primary election after his supporters called the charges a political hit job and claimed he was Kavanaughed, a reference to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of sexual assault during his 2018 confirmation hearings. Had Grover received four more votes, he would have secured the nomination at the convention, avoiding a primary.

During Beckhams most recent court appearance, the alleged victim in the case was granted a pretrial protective order against him.

Grover was first elected to the House in 2006 and won a special election to complete the term of Sen. Margaret Dayton in June 2018. Grover had been an administrator in the Alpine School District but was recently hired as an administrator at the University of Utah. He is also chairman of the subcommittee that sets the budget for higher education in the state.

He has sponsored legislation to encourage exploration of nuclear power in the state, created a scholarship program for high-demand technical jobs, and tried but failed to pass legislation creating a distinction between games of skill and gambling on games of chance, which are banned in Utahs Constitution.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City.

Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers is being challenged by candidate Patrick Larson in Senate District 28.

Vickers has served in the Legislature since 2009, and he is an advocate for increased local control, funding for education and the efficient use of water resources, as well as tax policies that spur small business growth.

Im well positioned to continue to represent these areas well, and [the] bottom line is I want to represent them, he told The Tribune.

Larsons website states his opposition toward SB54, which changed the candidate nomination process, RINOs (Republicans in Name Only), critical race theory and COVID-19 preventive measures calling lockdowns illegal, immoral and unconstitutional.

Larson has posted calls for political violence on social media.

Familiar opponents face off in the House District 2 primary, as former state legislator Val Potter challenges incumbent Rep. Mike Petersen, who beat him out in 2020.

Potter was critical of Petersens efforts in the Legislature, particularly on education and law enforcement issues. Mike Petersen has not been accomplishing the things that Cache Valley needs out of him, he told The Tribune.

As a first-term lawmaker, Petersen passed three bills during this years legislative session, two of which dealt with voting and elections. He pointed to his conservative record as the reason he should be reelected.

Its clear to me that Val and I have a very different set of principles: mine are consistently conservative while his are not, Petersen wrote in an email to The Tribune.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Kera Birkeland.

In the primary for House District 4, incumbent Rep. Kera Birkeland is being challenged by Republican candidate Raelene Blocker.

During this years general session, Birkeland was the sponsor of HB11, a high-profile and controversial transgender sports ban. She said that her current legislative focus is on education, rural issues and government accountability.

Birkeland recently sent a letter on official Utah House letterhead to school principals with guidance on transgender issues from an out-of-state conservative legal group with a history of suing schools over transgender issues.

According to her website, Blocker is a member of numerous community organizations, and she promises to support Utah educators should she be elected. She says she is pro-vaccine, while being anti-mandate, opposes abortion and supports the Second Amendment.

While telling The Tribune she supported girls playing with girls and boys playing with boys in sports, Blocker said lawmakers rushed to pass the revised HB11 in a completely dishonest process.

There is no incumbent in House District 8, and two fresh faces from the Republican Party are battling for a spot in the general election. Rep. Steve Waldrip dropped out of the race in April.

Candidate Jason Kyle identified the right to life, medical freedom and election integrity as a few key issues. He also advocates for state sovereignty and limited taxation, according to his website.

Candidate Kimberly Cozzens agreed on many of the same points and espouses strong support for the First and Second Amendments on her campaign website.

We have seen these past two years how our free speech has been stripped away in the name of misinformation, and public safety, she wrote. Misinformation and public safety according to who?

Cozzens also says she opposes critical race theory, but supports protecting womens sports and getting porn out of our schools.

Candidates Jill Koford and Lorraine Brown will compete in the House District 10 primary for a chance to challenge Democratic incumbent Rosemary Lesser in the general election.

A small-business owner, Koford is a strong proponent of limited government, free markets and the Second Amendment, and opposes pandemic mandates and critical race theory.

Brown focused her campaign on some of the same issues and highlights her opposition to abortion and desire to limit government. Her website says she will support teachers and protect the environment.

Incumbent state Rep. Kelly Miles will face Republican candidate Katy Hall in House District 11.

On his campaign website, Miles lists his top priorities as upholding the Constitution, protecting the family, bolstering education, supporting mental health needs in the state and preserving the caucus system.

Hall told The Tribune that she is running because of deficiencies she sees in Miles service to his constituents.

I feel the current representative is disengaged from many of the townships in District 11, she wrote in an email.

She is running on a platform of improving communication surrounding local issues, upholding conservative values and supporting a dialogue between parents and teachers.

In March, Rep. Tim Hawkes, R-Centerville, announced he was retiring from the Legislature. It was unexpected and set off a last-minute scramble to fill his seat.

Davis County GOP delegates sent Paul Cutler and Alena Ericksen to the June primary election after they tied in the final round at the convention, setting up a contest between the mainstream and far-right wing of the party in House District 18.

Cutler was elected Mayor of Centerville in 2014 and served on the Centerville City Council from 2004 to 2011. Hes earned the endorsement of several establishment Republicans, including Hawkes and former Gov. Gary Herbert.

Ericksen briefly was a candidate for Utahs 1st Congressional District against Blake Moore but dropped out a few weeks after declaring her candidacy. She was part of two lawsuits against Utah government officials and the Davis School District over coronavirus-related restrictions. Those lawsuits sought nearly $1.5 billion in damages. Ericksens cases relied on the language used by followers of the far-right anti-government sovereign citizen movement.

Ericksen is also a proponent of the constitutional sheriff philosophy, which asserts that sheriffs are the highest constitutional authority and can decide which laws to enforce and which to ignore.

Bountiful incumbent Rep. Raymond Ward squares off against candidate Lyle Mason in the House District 19 primary.

Ward has been in office since 2015, and he spoke to The Tribune about his support for public education and health care, noting that he was recently appointed chair of the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.

Mason states on his campaign website that he is for limiting federal power while opposing medical mandates, environmental, social, and governance scores for companies, transgender treatment for minors and heavy taxation.

Incumbent Rep. Melissa Garff Ballard faces candidate Ronald Mortensen in Republicans race to represent House District 20.

Ballard has served in the Legislature since 2019, and she is running for reelection on the platform of supporting families and improving air quality and education. She also believes in limited government and the right to bear arms.

A retired U.S. Foreign Service officer, Mortensen is an anti-illegal immigration activist, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump as an assistant secretary of state overseeing population, refugees and migration. The nomination was met with backlash due to his views on immigration.

He is also listed as a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, which was deemed a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Redrawn House District 29 has two candidates competing in the Republican primary, Bridger Bolinder and Mark Huntsman. The old districts incumbent, Rep. Matt Gwynn, is running in House District 6 and doesnt face a primary challenger.

Bolinder and Huntsman are running on similar platforms, and both emphasize the need for water management and conservation on their websites.

They also voiced support for tax cuts and the Second Amendment. Bolinder said he would advocate for more funding to address transportation needs, and Huntsman highlighted his years of service as chair of the Utah State Board of Education and his stance against government mandates.

Read the original here:

Primary elections: Who's running in the Utah Legislature's 20 Republican and 3 Democratic races - Salt Lake Tribune

The Barbados economy is now ranked mostly free with an overall score of 71.3 out of 100 and a ranking of 28th freest out of 177 countries in the latest Index of Economic Freedom.

This is a massive improvement from the moderately free ranking with an overall score of 61.4 out of 100 and a position of 92nd out of 180 countries, in the 2020 report.

In 2019 index, Barbados was also ranked moderately free with a position of 67th out of 180 countries.

Released earlier this year by the Heritage Foundation, the index of economic freedom, which is based on data from the prior year, is based on four broad sets of indicators rule of law, limited government, which refers to fiscal freedom and government spending; regulatory efficiency, which includes business freedom, labour freedom and monetary freedom; and open markets, which refers to trade freedom, investment freedom and financial freedom.

Bridgetowns ranking puts it at number one in the Caribbean when it comes to economic freedom and second in Latin America and the Caribbean combined, behind Chile, which is ranked at 20th with an overall score of 74.4.

Other Caribbean and Latin American countries are ranked in the category of moderately free or mostly unfree.

According to the report, the seven economies considered free in ascending order are Singapore, Switzerland, Ireland, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Taiwan and Estonia, who all scored 80 and above.

The five countries with the most repressed economies are said to be North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Barbados was assessed and scored in 12 areas out of 100, including property rights (72.6), government integrity (68.7), judicial effectiveness (88.2), tax burden (80.6), government spending (70.8), fiscal health (79.7), business freedom (63.4), labour freedom (63.4), monetary freedom (58.4), investment freedom (70) and financial freedom (60).

Economic freedom is defined by the Heritage Foundation as the fundamental right of every human to control his or her own labour and property.

In an economical-free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please. In economically-free societies, governments allow labour, capital and goods to move freely, and refrain from coercion or constraint of liberty beyond the extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself, it added. (MM)

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Barbados tops 'economically-free' countries in the region - Barbados Today