By Randall G. Holcombe, Ph.D. In a recent blog post I argued in favor of shifting the Florida Retirement System (FRS) that provides pensions for retired state workers to a defined contribution system, and privatizing the system. Governor Scott and many legislators favor the shift to a defined contribution system, and because many private companies … Continue reading Fix the FRS Before It Breaks
Privatize the Florida Retirement System
By Randall G. Holcombe, Ph.D. Over the past few years both Governor Scott and several members of the Florida legislature have been pushing the idea of transforming the Florida Retirement System (FRS), which pays pensions to retired state workers, from a defined benefit system into a defined contribution system. A defined benefit system, which covers … Continue reading Privatize the Florida Retirement System
Florida’s Dysfunctional Property Insurance System
By Matt Kelly Many readers will remember the hurricane season of 2004 as a chaotic time to be a Florida resident. The Sunshine State received four torrential storms that year, causing $45 billion in losses. School was cancelled, streets were covered with debris, and 37 lives were lost. Since 2005, Florida has experienced a nine-year … Continue reading Florida’s Dysfunctional Property Insurance System
B-Corps: A New Kind of Company
Original post date: September 23, 2014 Article by: Matt Kelly On July 20th, 2014, Rick Scott signed SB 654 into law, creating two new types of business entities. These benefit corporations or “B-Corps” are designed to encourage corporations to pursue charitable purposes, attempting to combine the strengths of both for-profits and nonprofits, while discarding each’s weaknesses. Such hybrid businesses could allow … Continue reading B-Corps: A New Kind of Company
Will Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Doom High-Speed Rail?
Original post date: August 15, 2013 Article by: Sam Staley Elon Musk unveiled his pneumatic tube inspired Hyperloop, a “fifth mode” of transportation that he hopes will revolutionize intercity travel on Monday. His “technical paper” sketches out the engineering and technical plausibility of the concept, and the proposal seems surprisingly robust as I point out … Continue reading Will Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Doom High-Speed Rail?
Some Miscellaneous Links to Kick Off the Week
Post date: June 04, 2013 Article by: Anonymous 5/8/2023 Edits: Some links that were no longer working have been fixed. ● Rick Scott and tuition hikes. ● Should Florida spend more on education? ● In case you missed it, Florida TaxWatch released its annual Turkey report. ● Peace and harmony in the Supreme Court. ● … Continue reading Some Miscellaneous Links to Kick Off the Week
Municipal Pension Forcing Florida Over a Fiscal Cliff
Original post date: October 05, 2012 Article by: Anonymous 5/8/2023 Edits: Some links that were no longer compatible have been fixed. Florida public pension programs have become a cause for concern in recent years, and the debate just ramped up with the publication of a new report by Florida State University’s Leroy Collins Institute. Florida … Continue reading Municipal Pension Forcing Florida Over a Fiscal Cliff