Fw: NCPA Policy Digest 10-12-98
H. C. Covington (ach1@sprynet.com)
Tue, 13 Oct 1998 19:22:20 -0500
-H. C. Sonny Covington at I CAN America
Community Based Resource Consultants
125 S. Buchanan Street - Lafayette, LA 70501
(318) 235-7005 Fax 318-235-7602
hccovington+AEA-usa.net
Subject: NCPA Policy Digest 10-12-98
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National Center for Policy Analysis
DAILY POLICY DIGEST
Monday, October 12, 1998
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IN TODAY'S DIGEST
o THE RICH ARE PAYING A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF ALL INCOME
TAXES, and paying a larger portion of their income in
taxes....NCPA
o STATE EDUCATION REPORT CARDS INCLUDE A VARIETY OF DATA,
such as student test scores, campus crime and teacher
absences....WALL STREET JOURNAL
o AN OREGON INITIATIVE WOULD RESTRICT TIMBER HARVESTS ON
PRIVATE LAND, putting, for example, 96 percent of one
company's land off limits....WASHINGTON TIMES
o DUCK HUNTERS ARE SUBJECT TO COMPLEX RESTRICTIONS on
feeding the waterfowl they hunt....WALL STREET JOURNAL
o SOME 51 PERCENT OF MARRIED COUPLES GET BONUSES from filing
joint income tax returns, while 42 percent are
penalized....CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE/BUSINESS WEEK
o DESPITE A NEW LAW, BILINGUAL INSTRUCTION IS CONTINUING in
California public schools, say analysts....CATO
INSTITUTE/NATIONAL REVIEW
o FEWER SMALL BUSINESSES ARE OFFERING HEALTH INSURANCE, with
health insurance costing employers an average of +ACQ-1.13 an
hour....BUSINESS WEEK
o LABOR VIOLENCE HAS INCREASED since the Supreme Court
exempted such crimes from federal prosecution, say
analysts....CATO INSTITUTE
IN TODAY'S NEWS
RICH PAY MORE TAXES
Recently the Census Bureau released the latest data on income
distribution in the United States, and the Internal Revenue
Service released new data on taxes paid by the wealthy.
According to the Census Bureau, the rich have gotten richer
faster during the Clinton Administration than at any other time
in history.
o In 1992, the share of total income going to the top 5
percent of households by income -- before taxes -- was
18.6 percent.
o By 1997, this figure jumped to 21.7 percent.
o This represents a much larger increase in just five years
than occurred during all eight years of the Reagan
Administration (see figure
http://www.ncpa.org/pd/gif/taxpaid.gif ).
There is a benefit to this trend and that is the increasing share
of total income tax revenues that is paid by the wealthy.
o In 1980, the top 5 percent of taxpayers paid 36.8 percent
of all federal income taxes, in 1988 they paid 45.5
percent.
o In 1992, the top 5 percent of taxpayers paid 46 percent of
all federal income taxes+ADs- but in 1996, the latest year
available, this same group paid 51 percent of all income
taxes.
o If their share of federal income taxes had remained
unchanged from 1992 on, the top 5 percent of taxpayers
would have paid +ACQ-32 billion less in taxes in 1996 than
they did.
The wealthy also increased the percentage of their income paid in
taxes. In 1992, the top 5 percent of taxpayers had an effective
tax rate of 21.15 percent (taxes as a share of income). By 1996,
this figure had increased to 23.88 percent. If this group had
continued to pay taxes in 1996 at their 1992 tax rate, they would
have paid +ACQ-38 billion less taxes than they did.
Source: Bruce Bartlett, senior fellow, National Center for Policy
Analysis, October 12, 1998.
For text http://www.ncpa.org/oped/bartlett.html
For more on Tax Burden by Income Group
http://www.ncpa.org/pi/taxes/tax33.html+ACM-1
MORE STATES ISSUING REPORT CARDS ON SCHOOLS
Since Illinois began compiling and releasing reports on the
performance of its public schools in 1985, 15 other states have
implemented the same idea. While the specific content varies
from state to state, they usually contain data on a school's
discipline problems, dropout rates, teachers' salaries and SAT
college-entrance scores -- then compare a school with district
averages and with the rest of the state.
Another 24 states report at least test scores and attendance.
o Along with other data, Illinois reports how many minutes
each school spends teaching English, math and science each
day+ADs- how many youngsters have missed 10 or more school
days+ADs- and how many children move from one school to
another each year.
o Texas uses an Internet site to report on how many students
in certain grades at each school passed state reading
tests, student/teacher ratios, average daily attendance,
what percentage of teachers had more than 10 years
experience, the school's budget and much more.
o Virginia's report card includes such diverse data as how
many students were caught with guns or drugs at each
school and how many take accelerated courses or graduate
with advanced diplomas.
o The Education Commission of the States says that only four
states report how often teachers are absent from work,
five report on teachers' experience or academic
attainment, and even fewer report on how many teachers are
instructing in subjects they are not trained or licensed
to teach.
A number of other states not currently issuing report cards are
reportedly considering doing so.
Source: June Kronholz, +ACI-More States Give Schools Grades on
Performance,+ACI- Wall Street Journal, October 12, 1998.
For more on Student +ACY- School Performance
http://www.ncpa.org/pi/edu/edu7.html+ACM-a
OREGON CLEAR-CUTTING PROPOSITION GOES TOO FAR
Although mainstream environmentalists have long opposed clear-
cutting of timber, they say an Oregon initiative on the ballot
this November is overkill. And groups that do endorse it are
doing little to promote it.
o Proposition 64 would put any tree larger than 30 inches in
diameter off-limits to lumber companies -- whether it was
located on state or private lands -- and would require
certain numbers and sizes of trees to be left on every
acre logged.
o Current Oregon law now permits clear cuts as large as 120
acres, although the average clear cut runs closer to 50
acres.
o One lumber company inventoried 33,000 of its 80,000 acres
and found the proposition would bar 96 percent of the land
from harvest.
o Timber companies argue the initiative would force a 60
percent cut in harvests worth +ACQ-1.2 billion a year -- as
well as eliminate 28,000 logging jobs and slash state tax
revenues by +ACQ-88 million.
A recent poll of 605 voters statewide found that 38 percent
supported the measure, versus 51 percent who opposed it.
Source: AP, +ACI-Environmentalists, Timber Industry Fight Forestry
Ban,+ACI- Washington Times, October 12, 1998.
For more on the Environment go to
http://www.ncpa.org/pi/enviro/envdex1.html
+ACI-DUCK COPS+ACI- ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR BAITING
The Interior Department's Fish and Wildlife Service employs 200
field agents, or +ACI-duck cops+ACI- as they are called, to issue tickets
to hunters who shoot birds over fields seeded with corn. The
practice is called +ACI-baiting+ACI- and federal rules against it date to
1935. Although the rules have been changed 10 times since then,
there is still confusion.
The hunters -- many of whom are farmers shooting on their own
lands -- argue that the law is too complex.
o The government agency estimates that there were 3.1
million wildfowl hunters in the U.S. in 1996
o Those who write the federal rules in Washington, called
+ACI-biocrats,+ACI- often disagree with the duck cops over how
stringently the rules should be applied -- especially
since tickets can run to many hundreds of dollars.
o Experts explain that the confusion arises over the fact
that a farmer can grow a crop of corn, rice or wheat and
then legally hunt over that land in the fall -- but he
breaks the law if a duck cop finds him with a sack of corn
over his shoulder.
o In 1995, duck cops arrested 88 people in a Florida
incident -- including a number of prominent politicians --
and charged them with participating in a baited hunt for
doves.
The law was originally designed to stop commercial hunters who
used to bait and slaughter thousands of ducks in the 1920s.
House Republicans are now studying ways to clarify the law.
A Virginia farmer who had to pay a +ACQ-510 fine for baiting and
hunting on his own land argues that +ACI-it's the American farmer who
feeds all the wildlife and not the federal government.+ACI-
Source: John J. Fialka, +ACI-From Blinds to Congress, Duck Hunters
and Agents Battle,+ACI- Wall Street Journal, October 12, 1998.
For more on Environmental issues go to
http://www.ncpa.org/pi/enviro/envdex1.html
IN OTHER NEWS
A MARRIAGE PENALTY FOR SOME -- A BONUS FOR OTHERS
More couples benefit from current tax laws governing joint
returns than those who lose, according to a recent Congressional
Budget Office study.
o Some 51 percent of couples filing joint returns wind up
with marriage bonuses -- versus 42 percent who pay more
than if they were single.
o Those who benefit the most are families in which one
spouse works outside the home and the other's main concern
is staying home and rearing children or performing other
household duties.
o Overall, married couples paid about +ACQ-4.1 billion less in
taxes in 1996 than they would have if they had filed
individual returns -- with +ACQ-2 billion of the net bonus
going to couples with adjusted incomes over +ACQ-50,000.
o Couples with relatively equal individual earnings now pay
higher taxes than if they were single -- but those with
relatively unequal earnings enjoy lower tax bills.
About one-fourth of all adult Americans live alone -- and singles
file about 58 percent of all tax returns. Congress had been
considering legislation to reduce the so-called marriage
+ACI-penalty.+ACI- But that tax bill has been pigeon-holed, for this
year at least.
Source: Gene Koretz, +ACI-Congress' Iffy Wedding Gift,+ACI- Business
Week, October 12, 1998.
For more on the Marriage Tax
http://www.ncpa.org/pi/taxes/tax32.html+ACM-4
CALIFORNIA'S BILINGUAL ACTIVISTS FLOUTING LAW
In June, California voters passed Proposition 227 -- doing away
with bilingual education. Bilingual supporters promptly asked a
federal court to issue a restraining order against this statement
by the people, and asked the state board of education to issue
blanket waivers to continue bilingual education in the state's
classrooms. Both the court and the board said no.
Nevertheless, bilingual advocates have refused to give up and
bilingualism continues to reign in schools.
o The bilingual education director in Contra Costa County
has announced that the district will continue to offer
bilingual instruction +ACI-essentially the same as what we
offered last year.+ACI-
o Schools in the San Francisco area are continuing to offer
bonuses of +ACQ-1,000 to +ACQ-5,000 to bilingual teachers.
o Schools in Los Angeles are offering a choice of
conventional 90 percent English immersion instruction or
classes in which up to half of all instruction is in
native languages -- even though Prop. 227 requires that
+ACI-nearly all+ACI- instruction be in English.
o Although the law says that waivers from English immersion
are to be granted only if a child has +ACI-special physical,
emotional, psychological or educational needs,+ACI- experts
report that bilingual activists are using the waiver
section as a loophole wide enough +ACI-to drive their whole
native-language program through it.+ACI-
Observers say that the law fortunately makes school board members
and school administrators +ACI-personally liable+ACI- if the law is
disregarded. This means that those who flout it must pay legal
expenses and penalties out of their own pockets.
Source: Stephen Moore (Cato Institute), +ACI-Bilingual Betrayal,+ACI-
National Review, October 12, 1998.
For more on English +ACY- Bilingual Education
http://www.ncpa.org/pi/edu/edu5.html+ACM-b
FEWER SMALL BUSINESSES OFFERING HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
Overall, the proportion of the population covered by employer-
provided health insurance has held steady since 1993. But fewer
employees of small firms are being covered.
o In 1987, employers insured 69 percent of the nonelderly
population -- but by 1993 that level had dropped to 64
percent, where it has remained ever since.
o Meanwhile, only 39 percent of small businesses offer
health insurance coverage to their employees, compared
with 46 percent just two years ago, according to a Dun +ACY-
Bradstreet survey.
o The share of the U.S. population with no health insurance
rose from 15.6 percent in 1996 to 16.1 percent last year,
an increase of 1.7 million, according to Census Bureau
figures.
o Employers are shelling out an average of +ACQ-1.13 an hour on
employees' health care, the Economic Policy Institute
estimates.
Workers paid an average of +ACQ-120 a month for family coverage last
year. That represents a decline of 5 percent from 1992, after
adjusting for medical inflation, according to KPMG Peat Marwick.
Sources: Aaron Bernstein, +ACI-The Health Care Net Is Shrinking,+ACI- and
Gene Koretz, +ACI-The Widening Health Care Gap,+ACI- both Business Week,
October 12, 1998.
EFFECTS OF EXEMPTING UNION VIOLENCE FROM PROSECUTION
Critics wonder what the Supreme Court could have been thinking
when it issued its 1973 decision in United States vs. Enmons.
The decision effectively made vandalism, assault, even murder by
union officials exempt from federal anti-extortion law, so long
as it is aimed at obtaining +ACI-legitimate+ACI- union objectives -- such
as wage or benefit increases.
The result has been an epidemic of union-related violence,
according to a recent study by David Kendrick, issued by the Cato
Institute.
o Culling newspaper reports, the National Institute for
Labor Relations Research has verified 8,799 incidents of
labor-related violence since 1975.
o At least 181 Americans have died and there have been more
than 5,600 assaults, kidnappings and threats -- almost all
committed by striking union militants.
o Since the reports show fewer than 2,000 arrests and only
258 convictions, a conviction rate of less than 3 percent
can be inferred.
o Kendrick points out that local law enforcement authorities
get many more reports of strike violence than journalists
can possibly cover.
In the Enmons decision, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court
ruling that three electrical union members indicted for
sabotaging a substation and perpetrating other violence had done
nothing illegal because they were pursuing +ACI-legitimate+ACI- union
objectives.
Kendrick advocates passage of the Freedom from Union Violence Act
introduced by Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) last year. The
legislation would impose a prison term of up to 20 years on
anyone who +ACI-obstructs, delays or affects commerce, by robbery or
extortion, or attempts or conspires so to do, or commits or
threatens physical violence to any person or property.+ACI-
Source: David Kendrick (National Institute for Labor Relations
Research), +ACI-Freedom From Union Violence,+ACI- Policy Analysis No.
316, September 9, 1998, Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave.,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, (202) 842-3490.
For text http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-316.pdf
For more on Union Violence
http://www.ncpa.org/pd/unions/government.html
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Internet Address:
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