February, 2000, Editor: K. Lloyd Billingsley

PRI continues to impact public policy in California, the nation, and abroad. The following is a sample of PRI’s influence in February 2000.

Education

On February 29, PRI released the California Index of Leading Education Indicators 2000 at the state capitol in Sacramento, an event covered by National Public Radio, both in Sacramento and in the Bay Area, along with KFBK 1530 Newstalk and KGO-TV. State Senator Ray Haynes, who attended the press conference said that the Index paints "a comprehensive picture of a system in need of fundamental reform." A reception for the release of the Index at Sacramento's Sutter Club drew state senator Richard Rainey, Bill Lucia, chief of staff for Senator Chuck Poochigian, and staffers for Assembly members Dick Ackerman, Charlene Zettel, George C. Runner, and Tom McClintock.

On February 7, KQED in San Francisco broadcast a commentary by Lance Izumi, author of the Index and director of PRI's Center for School Reform, on the mismanagement of tax dollars by local school districts and the California Department of Education. On February 8, the San Jose Mercury News interviewed Lance about new teaching methodologies. The Orange County Register interviewed Lance on February 9 about per-pupil spending and passage requirements for school bonds. The Register's February 6 editorial "Davis' barrel of school reforms," also quotes Lance. On February 15, the Napa Sentinel interviewed Lance on public-school bureaucracy and the ratio of non-teachers to teachers. "Gray Davis' pork barrel of school reforms," by the editor, quotes Lance Izumi in the February 9 Appeal-Democrat of Marysville.



Sally Pipes and Lance Izumi participated in the Miller Forum on Government, Business and the Economy on February 24, in Los Angeles. Sally spoke at two policy planning sessions titled Competition: Promises and Pitfalls and Setting an Educational Agenda for a New President and a New Century. Sally Pipes also spoke on education to the Libertarian Party convention in Libertarian Convention in San Diego on February 19. PRI fellow Tom Dawson gave a speech about federal regulations and Proposition 26 to the Contra Costa County Republican Assembly on February 24. PRI's primer on per-pupil spending was mentioned in the Desert Dispatch of Barstow on February 17. KTVU, the Fox affiliate in Oakland, interviewed PRI's Pam Riley about school choice on February 18.

Enterprise and Opportunity

Entrepreneur Magazine interviewed Naomi Lopez, director of PRI's Center for Enterprise and Opportunity, on the issue of women and government contracting. Scripps Howard News Service distributed Naomi Lopez's "Clinton Non-Solutions in the Entrepreneurial Century." The Business Journal of Syracuse, New York, ran Naomi's "The Naked Truth About Pay Equity," on February 4. PRI's privatization competition was mentioned in an editorial by the Tyler Morning Telegraph (Tyler, TX) on February 10. "Keeping the tax hounds at bay," by Steven Greenhut quotes Lance Izumi in the February 13 Orange County Register. "Women share in breakfast of champions," by PRI's Laura Steadman appeared in the February 21 Triangle Business Journal (Raleigh-Durham, NC).

Health and Welfare

Naomi Lopez was interviewed about workplace issues on February 17 by Patricia Kitchen of New York Newsday. On February 18th, Naomi discussed President Clinton's prescription drug proposal for Medicare on Radio America's nationally syndicated Nolan at Night with Gary Nolan. On January 31, Naomi's "Don't Hamstring drug-makers in the AIDS fight" appeared in Houston Chronicle. "'Big Doctor' is watching you," by policy fellow Joanna Elachi ran in many papers including the January 26 Los Angeles Daily News, the Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington , KY) and Santa Barbara News Press.

Freedom and Technology

"A month of red tape," by Sonia Arrison, director of PRI's Center for Freedom and Technology, was published in the Journal of Commerce on February 5. The Washington Times published "And now, on-line democracy?" by PRI fellow Justin Matlick, on February 5. On February 8, Sonia Arrison and PRI fellow Helen Chaney participated in a digital divide debate on ZDTV's Silicon Spin. PRI's sponsored a Feb 8 lecture, "Anarchy, State, and the Internet: E-Libertarians on the Global Frontier" by David Post of Temple University law school. "Let Market Decide Internet Access Debate," by Sonia Arrison appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on January 28. "Open Access Will Give S.F's Cable Internet Consumers a Choice," a February 6 Chronicle article by Jim Billings also quoted Sonia. Helen Chaney's "Foggy thinking about Microsoft," appeared in the February 12 Huntsville Times (Huntsville, AL).

Events

On February 2, Peter Huber, author of Hard Green: Saving the Environment from the Environmentalists addressed a PRI luncheon at the Banker's Club, co-sponsored by the Federalist Society. James Glassman, author of Dow 36,000 discussed high-tech policy and market issues at PRI on February 5. Stephen Goldsmith, former Mayor of Indianapolis, and chairman of the Center for Civic Innovation at the Manhattan Institute, discussed The Entrepreneurial City at a PRI luncheon on February 15.

Environment

"Rational Natives," by Terry L. Anderson mentions PRI book Sovereign Nations or Reservations in the March issue of Reason. "Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico," by Frank Yates Jr. cites PRI's The Heated Debate in the American Oil & Gas Reporter, January 2000.

Notables

"Canada's Run-Amok Political Correctness," by PRI president Sally C. Pipes appeared in the Investor's Business Daily on February 7, 2000. Lloyd Billingsley's "Bury His Heart," about convicted murderer Leonard Peltier, appeared in the latest Heterodoxy. On February 25, the Toronto Star interviewed Lance Izumi about California's presidential primary. The Oakland Tribune interviewed Lance on February 24 about criminal justice issues. "CRTC: On guard for Canadian culture," by Sonia Arrison appeared in the National Post on January 29. "Regulate alcoholic beverages, not firearms," by Kenneth E. Mathison mentions PRI's The Great American Gun Debate in the February 18 Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY). "Is the initiative process at risk?" by Amy Frantz, mentions the Pacific Research Institute in the Siouxland Press (Hospers, IA) on February 16.