Goldwater Institute's New Year's Resolutions

Goldwater Institute issues 100 Ideas to advance liberty in 2008

By Starlee Rhoades

With the next Arizona legislative session just ten days away, the Goldwater Institute has released 100 ideas to advance liberty. 100 Ideas for 100 Days provides one idea for each day that the legislature is supposed to be in session. Each idea is linked to a policy report or a Goldwater Institute analyst who can help legislators with research and analysis.

The full list of 100 Ideas for 100 Days is available here. But, for those of you who like to cut to the chase, here is our top eight for '08:

8. Allow private companies to assume the full responsibility of promoting Arizona as a tourist destination by eliminating public funds for the Tourism Authority. Idea #2.

7. Make all health-related out-of-pocket expenses tax deductible under the state's income tax. Idea #93.

6. Enact a "Spending Accountability and Transparency Act" requiring all state and local government, board, and commission expenditures to be individually posted online, including recipient, amount, purpose, and categorical coding. Idea #21.

5. Replace the state's flawed TerraNova exam with a reliable national norm-referenced test. Idea #72.

4. Tap the private sector to finance the construction of new roads in exchange for the ability to collect tolls for a defined period of time. Idea #96.

3. Conform the state budget to the debt limit and special law requirements of the Arizona Constitution. Idea #7.

2. Keep Arizona regionally competitive by lowering the corporate income tax rate to the same rate as the individual income tax, 4.54 percent. Idea #9.

1. Relieve overcrowding and give every Arizona child an equal opportunity in education by creating a universal system of parental choice that includes private options. Idea #85.

Each idea would expand freedom and that's a New Year's resolution worth keeping.

Starlee Rhoades is the vice president of communications at the Goldwater Institute.