In recent years, a raft of studies has examined the effect of various institutions on state fiscal outcomes, especially per capita spending. A review of the literature reveals that one institution has an especially large effect on government spending: states with separate legislative committees...

State and local government spending has grown at a remarkable pace in the years since World War II. Many states have attempted to arrest this growth by adopting tax or expenditure limitations (TELs). These are formal rules – either codified in statutes or in state constitutions – that limit...

Four years into the deepest recession since World War II, the U.S. economy expanded at a rate of only 0.7 percent in the first half of 2011. This means that the economy is growing at a slower pace than the population and that capita output continues to fall. In response, the president has...

U.S. fiscal policy at the federal, state, and local level is on an unsustainable path. Although reformers look for ways to reduce spending on particular budget items, tomorrow's legislatures may easily reverse these cuts. In contrast, a change in the rules that govern the political process —...