The Blog at MSPC

"This is taxation without representation- something we fought a war over 250 years ago. I hope that Utah’s leaders realize that these dependencies run both ways, and as dependent as Idaho is on Utah for motor fuels, Utah is dependent on Idaho for water. I hope we don’t have to enter a cycle of mutual exploitation. I hope we can remain good friends and partners.”

This research piece is one of the most extensive reviews to date of short-term rental regulation, synthesizing academic research, economic data, and real-world case studies from major cities and resort communities.

One of the perennial questions that gets asked each legislative session is “How many bills are enough?” Too often, monitoring legislative bill introductions can feel like that scene in the original Harry Potter movie, where thousands of pieces of mail are floating around the house.

Authoritarian mandates do not belong in a constitution for a free people. And a constitution should leave no doubt that the people, not the government, are the source of all political power.

Even under the most conservative assumptions, thousands of Idaho families are expected to participate — a strong indication that educational choice is not a niche issue, but a mainstream priority.

The bill would require governing bodies to provide an opportunity for public comment at all open public meetings, either in person or through remote means like telephone or video conferencing.

Although unstated, the goal of SJR 8206 is a constitutional amendment to force Washingtonians into a thinly veiled state-run, taxpayer-funded health care system.

Montana has taken a meaningful step to expand educational opportunities for families across the state.

Idaho’s “Blaine Amendment” — singles out religious institutions and religious schools for unequal treatment. It broadly prohibits public funds from being used “in aid of” any church or religious organization and blocks support for schools controlled by religious denominations.

Over and over, justices pressed on two major problems: whether petitioners even have standing to bring the case at all, and whether Idaho’s Constitution truly can be read to prohibit the state from supporting an education policy outside the public school system.

Idaho has taken a significant step forward in expanding educational opportunity by joining the nation’s first federal education choice tax credit scholarship program.

New figures from the Idaho State Tax Commission show Idaho families are moving quickly to take advantage of the state’s new parental choice tax credit — and early application volume suggests demand will be strong throughout the open enrollment period.

Washington needs to seriously consider additional nuclear power that can meet the rising grid demand for generations to come.

Society should work towards putting patients in charge of their health care, reducing the role of government, and focusing on access, not health care as a supposed “right.”

the legal theory petitioners are asking the Court to adopt isn’t narrow. It’s sweeping. If accepted, it could transform Idaho constitutional law into a weapon against not just this program, but other long-standing public policies—and even ordinary tax credits.

Just two weeks ago, the state increased the mandatory bag fee from 8 cents to 12 cents. That’s already a slap in the face to families who are being told to pay more for a product the government forced onto them—thicker plastic bags that are worse for the environment and cost more than the thin bags people used for decades.

Washington already has the highest per-resident debt in the region, owing approximately $15,400 per capita, making it the 11th highest in the nation. While more maintenance and preservation dollars are needed, a significant amount would go to add-ons like bike lanes on highways in lieu of preserving the system that carries the most traffic.

On day one of the application window for Idaho’s new parental choice tax credit, more than 3,300 families applied. That’s 200 per hour. Four every minute. Since the window opened at midnight, applications have poured in at a pace that’s impossible to ignore.

The most important aspect of a country’s health care delivery system is its responsiveness and success in treating specific diseases. When a person becomes ill, the critical issue is the medical system’s ability to reduce the morbidity and mortality of that patient.

The appeal is obvious: if prices are too high, force them down. Unfortunately, economics doesn’t work that way — and decades of evidence show that interest-rate caps, however well-intentioned, end up hurting the very people they’re meant to help.