In case you missed it…

Sharon Rossie

Cronyism:

The North Shore of Lake Tahoe, along Lakeshore Boulevard, isn’t exactly a “low income” neighborhood. And yet, that is where the one and only office is located for a company that uses taxpayer handouts to “invest” in federally designated “low income” communities. For an elite few, cronyism apparently has its benefits. (Read more)

 

Education:

Nevada has made a slight improvement in education, according to a new report. The Silver State is no longer the worst in the nation when it comes to education. Apparently, we’re only the second worst. Since "business-as-usual" in education doesn't seem to be improving things, perhaps it's time to let parents take control, by giving them access to the most comprehensive school choice program in the nation, Education Savings Accounts. (Read more)

 

Taxes and fiscal:

The Clark County Commission unanimously agreed this week to alter the wording of a ballot measure asking voters if they want to keep the fuel revenue index tax. Prior to the index tax, motorists paid a 52 cent tax for every gallon of gasoline. Today, motorists pay 62 cents per gallon. If the ballot measure is approved, over the course of the next decade that amount will increase to more than 98 cents per gallon. (Read more)

 

Minimum wage:

In a 21-18 vote, the New Jersey Senate has agreed to hike the state’s minimum hourly wage from $8.38 an hour to $15 by the year 2021. The increase is a big win for the Service Employee International Union, which has been pushing hard for the increase. But it’s a major loss for entry-level and low-skilled workers. The move is expected to kill roughly 33,500 jobs, with 91.7 percent of those losses impacting workers in the retail and food service sector who don’t have college degrees. (Read more)

 

European Union:

World leaders are quite clearly nervous now that Britain has voted to leave the European Union. However, leaders in Switzerland are showing optimism, having themselves decided to formally remain independent from the EU. “A big advantage of leaving the EU is free trade worldwide, not only between the member states, making it easier and cheaper for companies to export their goods to the rest of the world,” said Swiss MP Lukas Reimann. (Read more)