Monthly Archives: December 2011

Well, at Least We Didn’t LOSE Population…

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Greg R. Lawson

When there is bad news, it is human nature to seek out any silver lining that it can.  Human nature probably is serving Ohioans well when they see the latest U.S. Census numbers that show Ohio’s population growing at a …

Posted in Economy | 1 Comment

Painful Pension Reality Hits Retirees Hard

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Adam Schwiebert

A growing number of communities across the nation are caught in between the proverbial rock and a hard place. On one hand, municipal bond holders want their money; on the other, retired public employees want their guaranteed pension benefits with …

Posted in Pensions | 1 Comment

US EPA to Ohio: Merry Christmas- Those Tree Lights Will Cost More Next Year

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Greg R. Lawson

The U.S. EPA has just given Oho a nice big Christmas gift. I would say it’s a lump of coal, except that would actually be better than the new rules the EPA is preparing to foist upon electricity producers. According …

Posted in Regulation | Leave a comment

Failure to Reform Doomsday Watch: Westerville

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Greg R. Lawson

So the word “doomsday” may be a bit loaded and even a little over the top.  But it sure must feel like that for many local governments around the state lately as the layoff parade hits the road pretty hard …

Posted in Public Sector Reform | 1 Comment

Bureau of Labor Statistics Find Teachers Highest Paid Government Workers

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Greg R. Lawson

That headline may shock you, but it is absolutely what the U.S. government itself indicates.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a division within the U.S. Department of Labor that does nothing but crunch numbers just released its September, 2011 …

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Hate to Say We Told You So… More on the Failure to Reform

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Greg R. Lawson

We don’t like having to be the ones to say “told you so,” but sometimes things happen that make it impossible not to point out the obvious. For months the Buckeye Institute has made the case that there are only …

Posted in Public Sector Reform | 1 Comment

Weathering the Storm? Or How to Not Monitor Taxpayer Money

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Greg R. Lawson

Ok, we all can forgive a few mistakes here and there. We’re all human right? But how can anyone reasonably justify a mistake that could result in what amounts to $266 million in potentially misspent money- taxpayer money? The Columbus …

Posted in Government | Leave a comment

Tough Lessons Mean it’s Time to Feel the Pain

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Greg R. Lawson

For anyone that has been paying attention to the fiscal condition of both the state and local governments, it should come as no surprise that layoffs are coming.  In fact, they are already at hand for many communities.  Already numerous …

Posted in Public Sector Reform | Leave a comment