News
Month: March 2022
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Georgia House approves ‘constitutional carry’ legislation
(The Center Square) – Georgians soon could be able to carry guns outside their houses without a license. The Georgia House voted, 100-67, Wednesday in favor of Senate Bill 319 to eliminate the need for a permit. Currently, Georgians must obtain a firearms license, which costs about $75 but may vary by county. The “constitutional carry” measure now returns to the Senate to consider changes the House made to the bill. A similar piece of
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Federal budget includes funding for new Hudson River tunnel, Portal North Bridge
(The Center Square) – The proposed $5.8 trillion fiscal 2023 federal budget includes $100 million for a new tunnel between New Jersey and New York City and more than $330 million for a new bridge over the Hackensack River. The roughly $12 billion Hudson River Tunnel is part of the Gateway Program, a series of improvements on a section of the busy Northeast Corridor between Newark, New Jersey, and New York City. Both Amtrak and
Seeing America
A closer look at Georgia’s Allatoona Dam
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Georgia plans to use tax dollars to upgrade state-owned rail lines
(The Center Square) – Georgia plans to spend about $10 million to upgrade state-owned rail lines to Class II standards, which officials said would better integrate the lines with the national rail network and allow faster speeds. The funding is included in the proposed fiscal year 2023 budget Georgia lawmakers are considering. However, the funding isn’t enough for the state to completely overhaul the lines, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) spokesperson Natalie Dale told The
General
Georgia experiences all-time high employment numbers in February
(The Center Square) – Georgia recorded all-time high employment numbers in February. The number of workers – more than 5 million – increased by 21,102 in February, the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) said. The Peach State’s labor force of more than 5.2 million workers also is at an all-time high and increased 18,994 during the month. “This state has continued to be successful in creating jobs and getting Georgians employed in these positions,” Georgia
General
New Jersey’s February job numbers improve
(The Center Square) – New Jersey continued to see job gains in February, but the state’s unemployment rate lags the national average, according to an analysis of new numbers. New Jersey employers added 25,900 jobs, and nonfarm wage and salary employment reached a seasonally adjusted level of more than 4.1 million, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced. February’s gains were entirely in the private sector, officials said. Job growth continued for
General
New Jersey Senate committee advances bills to provide tax relief to Atlantic City
(The Center Square) – Legislation proponents say will provide Atlantic City with some tax relief has been advanced by the New Jersey Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee. S-1110 would authorize the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to work with the state or the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority to finance a transportation link between Atlantic City International Airport and the city’s tourism district. Currently, the CRDA must dedicate its assets and
Commentary
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Analysis finds Georgia provides the fourth-best return on investment for taxpayers
(The Center Square) – Georgia ranks among the states with the best return on investment for taxpayers. The Peach State ranked fourth in WalletHub’s study of the Best & Worst Taxpayer Return on Investment in 2022. It explored 30 metrics, and, nationally, it found Republican states outperformed states run by Democrats. While Georgia ranked sixth for total taxes paid per capita, it ranked No. 30 for overall government services. The state ranked second on the