In case you missed it…

John Tsarpalas

 

Clark County School District

Remember 2015, when Nevada lawmakers passed the largest tax increase in state history? Remember how Carson City pols told us the money would go toward boosting education funding? Well, that was then and this is now. Clark County School District, despite all the new tax dollars it received, not only ran a deficit last year but is now asking for even more taxpayer funds. Why is the district so low on money after the massive tax increase? Turns out there are more major expenses sucking up your tax dollars. (Read more)

 

Taxes and fiscal

San Francisco seems to be determined to tax everything under the sun. In addition to a city-wide gross receipts tax, numerous sales taxes and various business taxes, one local politician is suggesting a slew of new taxes aimed at ride-sharing companies, self-driving cars and even Internet sales. This particular pol attempts to justify his tax hike by asserting such steps are required to “maintain a high quality of life and continued economic growth.” It’s an almost laughable comment, given the city’s recent role in facilitating the city’s rising homelessness rates, drug usage and excrement dotting the sidewalks. It seems unlikely regular San Francisco residents will think paying more for common 21st century technologies will somehow improve their quality of life. (Read more)

 

Employee Freedom

Public-sector unions in many states have long depended on legal coercion to maintain membership levels. Those days, however, are coming to a swift end, thanks to the recent Janus v. AFSCME Council 31 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. As Nevada Policy Research Institute Communications Director Michael Schaus recently told the Heartland Institute, “Every employee always had a Constitutional right to make a decision about union membership, and the Janus case makes that clear.” With National Employee Freedom Week coming up in one month, Schaus explained why employee freedom is more important than ever before in a post-Janus world. (Listen to the podcast)

 

Social media

More and more often, it seems that social-media companies are using their “community guidelines” to censor conservative and libertarian messages. Public pressure on these social media giants, however, is forcing some Silicon Valley executives to start backtracking. Facebook’s head of global policy management even went so far as to apologized to pro-Donald Trump vloggers Diamond and Silk during a congressional hearing earlier this week, saying the tech giant really “appreciates the perspective that they add to our platform.” (Read more)

 

Environmentalism

Pushing for an all-out ban on plastic straws is, apparently, the newest way for celebrities, politicians and “progressive” city councils to signal their environmental magnificence. Of course, there’s just one problem: Such a ban would do next to nothing to help curb the plastic pollutants that litter our world. Like many other items on environmentalist agendas, the ban isn’t really about protecting Mother Earth in the first place — it’s about showing that your heart bleeds for the politically correct cause du jour. (Watch the video)

 

John Tsarpalas

John Tsarpalas

President

John Tsarpalas is the President of the Nevada Policy, and is deeply committed to spreading limited government ideas and policy to create a better, more prosperous Nevada for all.

For over three decades, John has educated others in the ideals and benefits of limited government. In the 1980s, John joined the Illinois Libertarian Party and served on its State Central Committee. Later in the 90s, he transitioned to the Republican Party, and became active in the Steve Forbes for President Campaign and flat taxes.

In 2005, he was recruited to become the Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party where he graduated from the Republican National Committee’s Campaign College, the RNC’s Field Management School, and the Leadership Institute’s activist training.

Additionally, John has served as President of the Sam Adams Alliance and Team Sam where he did issue education and advocacy work in over 10 states, with a focus on the web.

John also founded or helped start the following educational not-for-profits: Think Freely Media, the Haym Salomon Center – where he served as Chairman, the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity and Midwest Speaking Professionals.

A native of Chicago, John now lives in Las Vegas with his wife of more than 40 years.