In Your Backyard - July 8, 2008

Arizona
Business Coalition Puts Fair Hiring Act on Ballot
A business-financed group has filed the signatures necessary to include a statute on the Nov. 4 ballot that would ease some of the provisions of the state's new employer-sanctions law dealing with illegal workers. Dubbed "Stop Illegal Hiring," the statute contains the same penalties as the state law that took effect Jan. 1, but requires prosecutors to prove the owner or an officer of the company had "actual knowledge" a worker is in the U.S. illegally. The statute also provides immunity to firms that either use the E-Verify system or comply with existing federal laws on checking the identity of new workers.
Source: Arizona Daily Star

 

Georgia
Private Consultant to Shape Transportation Overhaul
The state plans to pay a private consultant, McKinsey & Co., up to $2.5 million to develop the state's transportation strategy. Georgia Regional Transportation Authority Director Dick Anderson defended the decision, saying that McKinsey could "look at our transportation issues through a business lens and a return-on-investment lens." State Department of Transportation Commissioner Gena Abraham said all policy decisions will ultimately be made by government policy makers, but McKinsey's research will help shape GDOT's plan.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

Maine
Tax Delinquents Increase as Economy Slows
Concord officials say the number of people and businesses behind on their taxes is up significantly from a year earlier. The city is owed $1.8 million, which is nearly half a million more than the total a year ago. City officials blame the situation on the economic downturn. The owners who owe the most are a mix of developers, landlords and business owners who have been hit hardest by the slow economy and mortgage crisis. Some say they are in the process of contesting their tax bills. The city had nearly 700 delinquent tax accounts as of June 13.
Source: Associated Press

 

North Dakota
Exports Help State Outperform its Neighbors
North Dakota's economy had the highest growth rate in June compared with other Midwest states, according to Creighton University's Business Conditions Index.
The state was at 62.4 on the index compared with the average of 50.5 for rest of the region (anything above 50 represents growth and below represents contraction.) North Dakota continues to benefit from a cheap U.S. dollar and exports in agricultural and mining, which includes oil. The rest of the region, which comprises nine states from Minnesota to Oklahoma, suffered with flooding in Iowa and Missouri and weak economies in Kansas and Nebraska.
Source: Grand Forks Herald

 

Texas
Government Not Benefiting from Rising Gas Prices
Despite record-high oil prices, the state treasury isn't awash in oil money, indicating that oil is no longer king of the Texas economy. Natural gas production taxes are up by almost 30%, but unlike production taxes, which are keyed to prices, the state gasoline tax is a flat 20 cents per gallon and hasn't been increased since 1991. Furthermore, just like consumers, the state faces increasing energy costs but on an even larger scale.
Source: The San-Antonio Express News