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WHAT WE COVER


WHAT WE COVER
Free
Markets
First.



JOIN JUDGE JEANINE IN COEUR D'ALENE APRIL 11TH!


Chris Cargill
Sep 30, 20244 min read
Spokane’s Prop 1: The Community Safety Sales Tax
Like many cities across Washington state, the city of Spokane is facing a public safety crisis. Graffiti and garbage line many downtown...


Sebastian Griffin
Sep 27, 20242 min read
Montana and Idaho's “Internet for All” initial proposals approved
Montana and Idaho continue to demonstrate their leadership in the Mountain States with the recent approvals of their Broadband Equity,...


Jason Mercier
Sep 25, 20241 min read
Review of 2024 ballot measures
Voters across the Mountain States will consider several important ballot measures this November. To help provide them with the...


Chris Cargill
Sep 24, 20243 min read
Bozeman plastics initiative: To ban plastic bags, straws
This November, voters in the city of Bozeman will decide whether to adopt a ban on plastic bags and straws, as well as foam containers. ...


Madilynne Clark
Sep 23, 20243 min read
Washington’s Initiative 2066: Promoting energy choice by protecting access to natural gas for homes and businesses
This November, Washington voters will decide if consumer energy choices deserve protection. Over the course of the last year, Washington...


Jason Mercier
Sep 22, 20243 min read
Montana’s CI-126 and CI-127: Enacting a Top 4 primary and 50% election threshold
This November, Montana voters will decide whether to adopt two separate constitutional amendments: CI-126 to require a non-partisan Top...


Sebastian Griffin
Sep 20, 20243 min read
Permitting reform is the key to unlocking broadband expansion
As billions of dollars in federal funding flows into states through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, the...


Sam Cardwell
Sep 18, 20242 min read
Mostly high marks for our region in Schweitzer's 2024 Index of Freedom report
Regionally based Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) recently released its 2024 Index of Freedom report . The top five states in...


Jason Mercier
Sep 17, 20244 min read
Idaho’s Prop 1: Enacting Ranked Choice Voting and a Top 4 Primary for State Elections
This November, Idaho voters will decide whether to enact Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for statewide elections while using a non-partisan...


MSPC Newsroom
Sep 16, 20242 min read
Judge Jeanine Pirro to speak at MSPC’s 2025 Spring Dinner in Coeur d’Alene
Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC) – the region’s premier free market think tank – has announced best-selling author and former Judge Jean


Chris Cargill
Sep 12, 20242 min read
New taxes, spending, recess time, and school board spouses
When the Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA) meets in Boise in November to pass a legislative platform, they may want to reconsider their


Dr. Roger Stark
Sep 11, 20242 min read
The doctor can’t see you now
The Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, became law in 2010 and provisions from the legislation began in 2014. The overall goal of the law...


Jason Mercier
Sep 9, 20243 min read
State worker contract secrecy benefits no one
Note: This is a joint op-ed with Elizabeth New ( Washington Policy Center ) and Jackson Maynard ( Citizen Action Defense Fund )....


Chris Cargill
Sep 6, 20242 min read
What Idaho's education choice plan should - and should not - include
Ahead of the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers in Idaho are reportedly considering various plans to expand education choice options in the


Sebastian Griffin
Sep 4, 20243 min read
Broadband expansion: let the private sector lead, not government-owned networks
Across the country, local municipalities and county governments are taking on the task of establishing their own broadband utilities,...


Sam Cardwell
Sep 3, 20245 min read
How are education choice programs working across the country? Three states provide their comments
Across the country, states are increasing education choice offerings such as Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) or tax credits to provide...
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