June, 2015 - Independence Institute

June 25 Colorado Energy Roundup 0
- June 25, 2015
Last week at the Steamboat Institute, Independence Institute Energy Policy Center Director Amy Oliver Cooke moderated a panel entitled “The Coming Storm of Federal Energy Regulations and Their Impact on Colorado Business”–with attorney Ray Gifford discussing the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Clean Power Plan,” Dan Byers of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce offering an explanation of
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Big Bucks or Big Misconception? Report Sheds Light on Philanthropy in Charter Sector 0
- June 24, 2015
Last Friday, we celebrated votes in two of my favorite districts, Jeffco and Thompson, to provide more equitable funding to charter school students. In that post, I briefly mentioned that there were some inaccurate anti-equitability arguments floating around before the board votes. We’re going to tackle one of those misconceptions today: The argument that charters […]
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The Supreme Court Uses Magna Carta to Curb Federal Property Grabs 0
- June 24, 2015
This article was first published at CNSNews. The Fifth Amendment provides that “private property” shall not “be taken for public use, without just compensation.” When I wrote my book, The Original Constitution, I had to address the question of whether the Fifth Amendment phrase “private property” referred only to real estate or whether it included
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A Liberal Supreme Court Majority Grants Businesses Bill of Rights Protection 0
- June 24, 2015
This article was first published on the American Thinker website. Some on the left now argue that only individuals—not businesses or business associations such as corporations—should enjoy First Amendment rights. To be sure, their argument contradicts decisions made, not just by the current centrist Supreme Court, but also by “progressive” Supreme Court majorities throughout the
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Freedom Minute: The Nuttiness of Teachers Union Contracts 0
- June 20, 2015
Education policy research associate Greg Bratton gives some, interesting examples of items from Colorado teachers union contracts.
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Thompson and Jeffco Stand up for Fair Charter Funding 0
- June 19, 2015
Many school districts do not share the additional dollars they get from voter-approved property tax increases with charter schools. Traditional public schools often have access to a good deal more money than charters. But two Colorado districts recently passed budgets that reflect more equitable funding for charter school students. Jefferson County completed its journey toward equalization, and Thompson took the first step. Reform majorities on both school boards drove the move toward funding equalization. Other districts take note: This is how you do it.
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