Read more about the article California Bans Bags; Arizona Bags Bans

California Bans Bags; Arizona Bags Bans

This article appeared in The Washington Examiner on May 18, 2015 Two neighboring states with similar environmental challenges are forging wholly distinct approaches to the old supermarket question: "Paper or plastic?" One state government bought into junk science and suspect emotional appeals about plastic bags, while the second did what's best for the environment and economy. You might be surprised to learn which is which. In California last year, Gov. Jerry Brown green-lighted a first-in-the-nation statewide ban on lightweight plastic bags and a dime-a-bag fee on paper bags. But directly to the east, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a ban on municipal bans of plastic grocery totes into law last month. (Missouri, too, got in on the pre-emption act this month when its legislature also stripped cities of the regulatory ability to ban bags.) Soon, California voters will have an opportunity to bring the two states into alignment by overturning the plastic bag ban in a ballot referendum.

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Read more about the article Recap: European Resource Bank 2015

Recap: European Resource Bank 2015

From May 14 to May 17, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) had the honor and pleasure to attend the European Resource Bank meeting. This year’s meeting was the 12th annual gathering of taxpayer and free market groups from around the world with the focus on Europe and the challenges Europe faces. Before the meeting officially started, taxpayer groups from around the world convened at the Taxpayers Leaders Forum and Coalition Leaders Forum (hosted by Americans for Tax Reform) to talk about progress that the groups are making in their respective countries. There were many presentations from representatives from Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Serbia, and Spain. The most striking presentation was from a woman who works for a Venezuelan taxpayer/free market group. She talked about her efforts to address government spending, property rights and transparency in a country that is hostile to freedom. The Venezuelans hold a monthly meeting of like-minded folks to talk about issues and what they can do to open up their government. They have to change the meeting location every month because of fear of government harassment. They also don’t have a physical office because of fear they will get raided by the government. All of their files are on hard drives that they carry with them. Despite these seemingly long odds they have 60,000 twitter followers and are growing their membership.

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Read more about the article After Amtrak Tragedy, Politicians Foolishly Call for More Taxpayer Money

After Amtrak Tragedy, Politicians Foolishly Call for More Taxpayer Money

On May 12, Amtrak Northeast Regional Train 188 derailed north of Philadelphia while en route to New York. In the aftermath of the damage done, eight individuals lost their lives, and more than 200 others were injured. The event immediately dominated the news on the internet, television, radio, and print with folks looking for answers and brave first responders doing what they could to get passengers away from the wreckage to safety. Unfortunately, amid the chaos and bravery in the aftermath of the accident there was a horrid display of selfish political cowardice from some who sought to use the tragedy as means to make a political point, as well as a play for taxpayer money.

Continue ReadingAfter Amtrak Tragedy, Politicians Foolishly Call for More Taxpayer Money
Read more about the article Trade Vote is Perfect Timing to Eliminate Wasteful USDA Catfish Inspection Program

Trade Vote is Perfect Timing to Eliminate Wasteful USDA Catfish Inspection Program

This week the Senate will vote on whether or not to approve Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), a critical tool needed in order for the Obama Administration to finalize trade agreements like the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). Taxpayers Protection Alliance supports TPA (yes, you read that right) and we are encouraged by recent developments in Congress as we near votes on this important legislation. However, there are still some things that are causing problems for the U.S. with some of our potential trade partners and one of those is the wasteful and duplicative USDA catfish inspection program, which TPA has continuously fought against. It has already had an impact on negotiations for the TPP as ten Asia/Pacific countries have written to the United States Trade Representative calling the program an obvious violation of international law. The program itself will cost taxpayers a minimum of $170 million dollars but the impact on bilateral trade could be almost incalculable. With that in mind, TPA joined with Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, National Taxpayers Union, and Taxpayers for Common Sense to show our support for efforts in the Senate, particularly those of Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), to get rid of the program. Click 'read more' below to see the full letter

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Read more about the article In Pennsylvania, Go for Spending Cuts, Not Tax Increases

In Pennsylvania, Go for Spending Cuts, Not Tax Increases

This article originally appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesdsay, May 6, 2015 Pennsylvania is not different from any other state where legislators are confronted with decisions on whether to raise taxes or cut spending to balance their books. The easiest (and laziest) option is to raise taxes. Gov. Wolf seems to be taking the lazy way out by proposing a $4.5 billion tax increase. Some Pennsylvania legislators are trying to help the governor by introducing a bill that would increase the state 911 fee on wireless service from $1 to $1.65 (a 65 percent increase). This would result in a $78 million annual fee increase on wireless consumers ($114 million annually when including the increase on home phone and VOIP services). Wolf's broader tax plan, which calls for increasing income and sales taxes while cutting property taxes, is getting a chilly reception.

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Read more about the article Coalition Urges House and Senate Judiciary Leaders to Support the LEADS Act

Coalition Urges House and Senate Judiciary Leaders to Support the LEADS Act

There are several debates ongoing in Washington right now, and one of the more contentious areas of discussion in Congress is privacy. In the next few weeks the House and Senate will be debating what to do regarding certain aspects of the Patriot Act, which is up for renewal. However, there is another piece of legislation that is making it’s way through Congress that falls under the area of privacy that Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has been looking at and that is the Law Enforcement Access to Data Stored Abroad Act (LEADS). The bill, from Chairman of the Senate Republican High-Tech Task Force Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Conn.), would provide better tools for the United States government to obtain needed information abroad in criminal pursuits, but at the same ensure privacy protections for Americans while respecting the laws of other countries. TPA has already come out in support of the legislation earlier this year and just last week our organization signed a coalition letter with eight others expressing our support for the bill’s passage. The letter was sent to both the House & Senate Judiciary Committee Chairmen. Click 'read more' below to read the full letter

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Read more about the article Coalition Petitions FCC to Deny Subsidies in Spectrum Auction Designated Entity Program

Coalition Petitions FCC to Deny Subsidies in Spectrum Auction Designated Entity Program

A few months ago The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) submitted joint comments with Americans for Tax Reform, Center for Individual Freedom, and the National Taxpayers Union to the FCC calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to look into problems with the Designated Entity program and how some have taken advantage of it in spectrum auctions, at the expense of taxpayers. Senator John Thune recently began an investigation into this very issue, requesting documents from both the FCC and those involved in the auction using the DE program to get what amounts to a $3 billion subsidy for auctioned spectrum (read previous TPA blogs on spectrum here and here). Yesterday, TPA along with Americans for Tax Reform, Center for Individual Freedom, Citizens Against Government Waste, Media Freedom, and the National Taxpayers Union continued this fight by submitting a joint Petition to the FCC to deny the subsidy so that taxpayers won’t be taken advantage of by this form of corporate welfare. Click 'read more' below to read the petition

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Read more about the article Another Quarter Gone, Another Billion Dollar Loss for the Postal Service

Another Quarter Gone, Another Billion Dollar Loss for the Postal Service

Another fiscal quarter for the United States Postal Service (USPS) has come and gone, and unsurprisingly, the outcome has proven more of the same. After maxing out their $15 billion line of credit with the U.S. Treasury and sustaining $50 billion in losses over the last eight years, there is no end in sight to USPS’s financial decline. The latest quarterly deficit totaled $1.5 billion, which means they are now more than $2.2 billion in the red for 2015 and yet are still continuing to operate beyond their means. With these figures, the U.S. Postal Service has run a deficit in 24 of the past 26 quarters. The agency was originally created to provide letter mail delivery service to everyone in the country, no matter where they live, at a reasonable rate. Delivering letter mail represents the core function of the Postal Service. According to their most recent Annual Compliance Report, standard mail letters and first class mail both cover their costs by more than 200 percent. Instead of focusing on money-losing ventures like deliveries of flowers and groceries, the U.S. Postal Service needs to focus on their main responsibility – mail delivery.

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Read more about the article As Highway Funding Deadline Nears, Bipartisan Appetite for Tax Hikes Grows

As Highway Funding Deadline Nears, Bipartisan Appetite for Tax Hikes Grows

The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is set to run out of cash on May 31, 2015. Established nearly sixty years ago by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, the HTF is a federal fund for transportation projects and programs that derives money from the federal gas tax (18.3 cents per gallon on gasoline, 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel fuel, and other related excise taxes). As Congress prepares to replenish the trust fund, some members of Congress (from both parties) are looking at options to raise taxes to keep the fund solvent. A bad idea that would do little to solve America’s transportation problems. Last month, USA Today reported that Democrats in Congress and their union allies are fighting to pass a gas tax increase before the end of May. But it isn’t just Democrats, there is legislation in Congress introduced by Rep. James Renacci (R-Ohio) that, “would allow gas taxes to rise as high as necessary to cover funding shortfalls, unless Congress agrees to an alternative solution by the end of 2016.” Raising the federal gas tax is a copout. The truth is that Americans are not just paying 18.3 cents per gallon, there are also state taxes on gasoline that need to be taken into account.

Continue ReadingAs Highway Funding Deadline Nears, Bipartisan Appetite for Tax Hikes Grows
Read more about the article FCC and DOJ Flex Big Government Muscle As Comcast-Time Warner Merger Fails

FCC and DOJ Flex Big Government Muscle As Comcast-Time Warner Merger Fails

The increasing power of federal agencies through regulatory and rulemaking pressure is one of the most troubling signs in the growth of big government over the last decade. During the Obama Administration there have been a number of instances where federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) have used their authority to circumvent Congress in order to put in place regulations that would otherwise go nowhere in the normal legislative process with the House and Senate. Recent events surrounding the failed merger between Comcast and Time Warner have only served to reinforce the fear of the heavy regulatory hand of government agencies. Last year, Comcast announced a $45 billion bid to merge with Time-Warner Cable (TWC). The deal was set to bring more opportunity for consumers and better quality service to a product from two of the industry’s major innovators. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) was just one of many observers who supported the merger moving forward with due diligence and felt it would be a wrong for regulators to stand in the way. There is no reason why the proposed merger should have been subject to any different treatment that what other major transactions have faced in terms of careful examination as it moved through the regular review process. The merger faced opposition from those who felt it would harm the market, but those criticisms couldn’t be further from the reality of today’s economy and landscape. The potential deal between Comcast and Time-Warner would have been a net positive for the economy and consumers.

Continue ReadingFCC and DOJ Flex Big Government Muscle As Comcast-Time Warner Merger Fails