The States

The Center Square
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The States Powered by The Center Square is a show that highlights the work of The Center Square reporters from statehouses across the country to Washington D.C. all with an eye towards the impacts of today's news on the taxpayer.

  1. 2h ago

    Newsom Calls Trump Mail-In Ballot Order "Orwellian" After Supreme Court Ruling | The States

    On this episode of The States, mail-in ballots, ICE cooperation, student visas, inflation, Meta's $17.1 billion settlement, SpaceX's $100 billion Louisiana facility, and new midterm polling. A new The Center Square's Voters' Voice poll finds 63% of registered voters are concerned about the growth of socialism in American politics, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani weighing in on the controversy surrounding DSA figure Gustavo Gordillo. Gordillo faces allegations of lying about his job to The New York Times and living in a $1.5 million Brooklyn home despite his socialist platform. The U.S. Supreme Court allowed President Trump's executive order requiring the Postal Service to check voter rolls before mailing ballots to remain in effect, prompting a lawsuit from 22 Democratic attorneys general and the District of Columbia. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker called the order an attack on voting rights, while RealAmerica.vote founder Marley Hornick argues states have failed to properly qualify voters on their rolls. A group of New York sheriffs is suing the Hochul administration over the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, a new state law barring local law enforcement from signing agreements with ICE for immigration enforcement. Governor Hochul says local police will face legal action if they violate the law, while the Department of Homeland Security accuses New York of shielding criminal illegal aliens. A coalition of education groups and the American Federation of Teachers is suing the Trump administration to block a new Department of Homeland Security rule limiting international students to four years and foreign journalists to 240 days in the U.S. The rule is set to take effect September 15, with a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for September 3. The latest personal consumption expenditures report shows the average household is spending roughly $2,900 more per year than a year ago to buy the same goods, according to economist Orphe Divounguy. Divounguy says households are dipping into savings as spending outpaces income growth, with housing and durable goods demand pulling back sharply. Meta will pay $17.1 billion to settle claims from 32 states that it deceived the public about the addictive design of Instagram and Facebook, with California receiving up to $2.1 billion and Illinois receiving nearly $768 million. SpaceX announced a $100 billion commitment to build a new launch facility in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, with construction beginning in 2027 and first launch targeted for 2029. A new Center Square Voters Voice poll shows 47% of registered voters would back a Democratic candidate for Congress compared to 42% for a Republican, four months ahead of the 2026 midterms. Independents are breaking toward Democrats among those who have decided, though more than half remain undecided. Plus, America's Talking: Meta: https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_7fb8b251-e8d8-49e1-b0dd-1f079f6c6038.html Louisiana: https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_0dacff37-e3fc-404b-9c09-f7b184ab2ce2.html Poll: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_7368c1f2-92ca-4b5c-a094-2e3a3ae9dada.html   #TheStates #CenterSquare #MailInVoting #ElectionIntegrity #ICE #Immigration #PCE #Inflation #Meta #SpaceX #Midterms2026 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  2. 2d ago

    Polling Shows Vance Is in a Different Tier — Democrats Still Haven't Found Their Vance | The States

    The Trump administration announced a 90-day suspension allowing 300,000 metric tons of imported beef at 25% below current market prices to lower grocery costs, drawing criticism from cattle ranchers and rural-state lawmakers who say the move won't meaningfully lower prices given the U.S. cattle herd is at a 75-year low. Noble Predictive Insights' Voters' Voice poll (2,500 registered voters, Aug. 12-16) found VP JD Vance leading the Republican 2028 field at 41% with Marco Rubio at 18% and no one else above 6%, while Kamala Harris leads Democrats at 28% with Gavin Newsom at 14% and Pete Buttigieg at 12%. The same poll found 60% of respondents say the country is on the wrong track, Democrats hold a 5-point generic congressional ballot edge (up from 1 point in March), and Trump's approval rating sits in the low 40s. Also, in this episode: A Brown University Watson Institute analysis found the global war on terror has cost nearly $10 trillion and killed roughly 1 million people since 2001, including over 15,000 U.S. military, DOD personnel, and contractor casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. The report projects veteran care costs will reach $2.5 trillion by 2050 and found post-9/11 veteran and active-duty suicides outnumber combat deaths four to one, while the ongoing Iran conflict has added 279 U.S. casualties and 418 wounded as of August 18. The Institute for Justice's new tracker has documented 170 cases of law enforcement misuse of ALPR/Flock cameras nationwide, including officers using the systems to look up family members or stalk romantic partners, concentrated recently in Georgia, where Flock is headquartered. Georgia state Sen. John Albers called for a task force balancing the technology's investigative value against privacy concerns, while Flock has cut data retention from 30 to 7 days and added new accountability audits following the wave of officer misconduct cases. The national debt has surpassed $40 trillion, doubling since a spending-cut bill tied to any debt-limit increase was first introduced in 2013; the measure, most recently reintroduced by Sen. John Barrasso, has never received a floor vote in six of the last seven Congresses. Cato Institute's Romina Boccia said the bill "aims at the wrong target," arguing effective reform requires capping annual deficits as a share of GDP alongside a commission to address Social Security and Medicare spending growth, rather than matching debt-limit increases dollar-for-dollar. Former Illinois deputy Sean Grayson, convicted of second-degree murder in the 2024 killing of Sonya Massey, died in prison at age 32 from stage-four cancer. Georgia lawmakers heard testimony that highway construction costs have risen 66-70% since 2021. A ruling is expected soon in a California redistricting lawsuit alleging racial gerrymandering. U.S. Sen. Darline Graham, sister of Lindsey Graham, carries the endorsement of second-term President Donald Trump against U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman in South Carolina’s U.S. Senate special Republican primary runoff on Tuesday. Plus, America's Talking: Illinois: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_1f256db3-550e-4526-bfe5-0c663b2611f0.html Georgia: https://www.thecentersquare.com/georgia/article_4d3b779c-0809-4ba7-a6d1-0bae083a9eb5.html California: http://thecentersquare.com/california/article_1b67af7f-bc24-46f4-aaf3-f043fd4101f8.html South Carolina: https://www.thecentersquare.com/south_carolina/article_c7661ab1-3e6c-49f6-bba5-c7b43c67a0d3.html The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  3. 5d ago

    Florida's Official Budget Is $113.8 B, Tax Watchdogs Found a Hidden $4.5 B | The States

    Florida Tax Watch launched a Property Tax Resource Center to help voters evaluate a November constitutional amendment that would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, cutting local government revenue by an estimated $12 billion annually within five years. Florida Tax Watch's Kurt Wenner said the measure doesn't restrict local governments from raising millage rates, fees, or special assessments to offset the lost revenue, and separately found the state's $113.8 billion budget included $4.5 billion in appropriations shifted to the prior fiscal year and about $830 million in "budget turkey" projects that bypassed standard review.   Also, in this episode: Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, endorsed by President Trump, criticized California's Democratic leadership in an exclusive interview, while Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra, a former congressman, state AG, and HHS secretary, was unavailable for comment. Flock's chief legal officer Dan Haley defended the company's privacy practices, including a recent shift to seven-day data retention and automatic deletion of nearly all unviewed images, while acknowledging recent officer misuse cases in South Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Georgia. California State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes has proposed new regulations on license-plate-reader data retention, citing continued violations of the state's 2016 ALPR safeguards law, including improper data-sharing with federal immigration authorities. Lawmakers are working through their final week before adjournment, with Eaton Fire survivors requesting $25 million in additional state rebuilding aid, former foster youth advocates pushing to preserve legal protections against abuse in state custody, and a bill restricting genetic engineering of animals for novelty purposes (e.g., "glow-in-the-dark rabbits") failing to advance. Assembly members remain split on a new federal rule cutting Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care for transgender minors, with Assemblymember David Tangipa supporting the federal change and LGBTQ Caucus Chair Chris Ward calling it harmful to low-income youth. Illinois governor's race funding: Governor J.B. Pritzker has self-funded $65 million more into his campaign, bringing his total personal contributions since 2017 to more than $430 million, while Republican challenger Darren Bailey criticized Illinois' cost-of-living and population loss and faced questions over a campaign donation from a registered sex offender. Mississippi, Wyoming, and Arkansas had the nation's highest per-capita fatal crash rates from 2020-2024.   The Alliance Defending Freedom threatened litigation against Colorado's Roaring Fork School District over its K-5 sex-education curriculum. California signed a $2.4 billion special education funding increase raising per-pupil funding from about $900 to $1,300. Plus, America's Talking: South: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_5afb844b-ef76-4370-87ea-3d30250641bd.html Colorado: https://www.thecentersquare.com/colorado/article_bf03cd66-41f3-4511-8aa3-cc66555becd0.html Education: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_b2153012-be62-40db-b316-f0bf72a695c9.html The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square.quare. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  4. 6d ago

    Arizona's Voter ID Law Is Heading to the U.S. Supreme Court | The States

    The U.S. national debt topped $40 trillion Wednesday, up from $39 trillion just five months ago, with the government adding more than $90,000 per second and fiscal year 2026 deficit spending projected to hit $2 trillion. Watchdog groups called the figure "intergenerational theft," noting the U.S. now spends more on debt interest than national defense, while House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington called the debt an "existential threat."  The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case on whether Arizona's law requiring documented proof of citizenship and removal of non-citizens from voter rolls conflicts with the federal National Voter Registration Act, with oral arguments expected in October or November and a ruling likely by June 2027. Landmark Legal Foundation's Michael O'Neill said a ruling for Arizona could have nationwide implications, noting the Census Bureau estimated 24,000 non-citizens voted in the last election and New Jersey acknowledged 6,000 non-citizens were on its voter rolls. Also, in this episode: Sen. Elizabeth Warren told Illinois Democrats that Trump is "the most corrupt president in American history," citing crypto dealings and a $400 million jet from Qatar, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the administration the most "reckless" in history; Trump touted his crypto and AI policies, including the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the Genius Act, at a White House event the same day. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved a $157 million revenue increase for Xcel Energy, raising average residential bills about 4.8% ($5/month), with a further $123 million gas-utility increase under consideration; Xcel's Colorado rates have risen 36.4% since 2019, above the 31.5% national average. Colorado's new law requiring training certification to buy semi-automatic firearms and rapid-fire devices, effective August 1, faces an NRA-backed lawsuit and refusal to enforce by at least one county sheriff (Montezuma County), with critics questioning whether safety training addresses mass shootings and citing unfunded costs to counties. A Center Square investigation found the NEA (390million in dues) and AFT (274 million in dues) contributed heavily to Democratic campaigns and committees across California, Illinois, New York, and other states, including nearly $6 million from Illinois' AFT affiliate to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and $4 million from California's teachers union backing Newsom's 2025 redistricting measure. California approved first-in-the-nation tire efficiency standards for replacement tires, which Newsom said could save $1 billion annually in fuel costs though 70% of current replacement tires don't yet meet the standard. And a King County judge scheduled an August 31 hearing on a recall petition against Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson.   Plus, America's Talking: Education: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_4a43f8c3-3b72-487c-b38f-f2780bebaa2c.html California: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_9b6be1cb-49b7-4f77-aa9c-a0c79d24d5ee.html Washington: https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_f75d2406-9157-43dd-93bb-a18beffa6e3c.html   The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  5. Aug 19

    Maryland's Digital Ad Tax Was Just Struck Down, Illinois & Washington Have Similar Laws | The States

    A Center Square investigation found the NEA spent more than $51 million and the AFT more than $41 million on political activities and lobbying in 2025, with both unions contributing thousands of dollars each to all 16 Democratic members of the U.S. Committee on Education and Labor and no contributions to any Republican committee member. Maryland's Tax Court struck down the state's five-year-old digital advertising tax on multiple constitutional grounds, ordering an estimated $500-700 million in refunds with interest; the Tax Foundation's Jared Walczak said Illinois, Utah, and Washington — which have similar taxes — are watching closely since the ruling's reasoning could extend beyond Maryland's specific law. Also, in this episode: Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order imposing what he called the nation's strictest data-center guardrails, pulling projects from the fast-track permitting program he created in 2024 and banning nondisclosure agreements, after facing public backlash over "speculative" developers. Democratic State Sen. Katie Muth called the order weaker than New York's one-year moratorium, while Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacey Garrity accused Shapiro of reversing his own prior cheerleading for the industry. A Center Square investigation found Allegheny County, Pennsylvania faces a $1.4 billion unfunded pension liability, roughly 30-40% funded, with about $274 million of the gap attributed to poor private-equity investments that underperformed stocks and bonds by an estimated 25%. County Executive Sara Innamorato said new taxes — including property, earned income, sales, or a new marijuana tax — may be needed, with pension insolvency projected without further action by 2043. A federal judge in Texas ruled the ATF's 2022 "frame or receiver" rule, which expanded the legal definition of firearms to include unfinished parts and kits, is unconstitutionally vague and violates the Second Amendment, in a case brought by Defense Distributed and the Second Amendment Foundation. Gun-control group Everytown Law called the ruling "egregiously wrong" and said it expects a DOJ appeal, citing the Supreme Court's 2025 Vanderstok ruling upholding federal regulation of ghost gun kits. Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly will face off for Florida governor in November after Donalds won a crowded GOP primary with Trump's endorsement.   In Alaska, incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola advanced from a nonpartisan primary to face off for the U.S. Senate seat. State Sen. Aisha Wahab, D-Hayward, is leading the special election for California’s 14th Congressional District. Plus, America's Talking: Florida: https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_3d91cc39-5e22-4901-a1d8-6155bab4f806.html Florida: https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_98bb4a2d-eedb-440e-b749-f25b3a37ced5.html Alaska: https://www.thecentersquare.com/alaska/article_b1cbe461-2b55-4b29-a3b3-f7fe589da02d.html California: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_85e741b3-0ea7-4567-b924-37d017cf1c3f.html The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  6. Aug 18

    86% of States With High Electricity Bills Are Blue, While 80% with Lower Bills Are Red | The States

    President Trump said he'll declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory after defeating Iran, but no federal agency — including the Department of War — has provided a cost estimate for controlling the waterway, which runs through Iranian and Omani territorial waters that neither country is offering to cede. Gas prices have climbed to $4.06 a gallon nationally, up from $4.01 a week earlier and $3.13 a year ago, coinciding with the ongoing conflict. A joint report from energy research groups found blue states average significantly higher electricity prices than red states, driven by renewable energy mandates, natural gas infrastructure restrictions, and carbon pricing policies, with 86% of above-average-price states leaning Democratic. Researcher Isaac Orr said red states like North Dakota, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Idaho are positioned to attract data-center investment due to lower-cost, more reliable power, while some blue states are now walking back renewable mandates as affordability becomes a political issue. Also, in this episode: President Trump said he wasn't surprised by a Center Square investigation revealing nearly two dozen Democratic attorneys general began coordinating litigation against him seven months before his reelection, calling it evidence Democrats have "weaponized" the country. State AGs have filed roughly 100 lawsuits against the Trump administration since January 2025 (led by California, Colorado, Washington, and Arizona), with 14 resolved in plaintiffs' favor and 4 dismissed for the government, compared to 122 multistate lawsuits filed against the Biden administration by mostly Republican AGs. An Open the Books analysis found $460 billion in federal housing spending since 2015 narrowed the national affordability gap by a statistically insignificant 2.75%, with the typical American needing to save for more than a decade to afford a home in 49 of 50 states. Idaho, Florida, and Utah have the widest affordability gaps while Louisiana, West Virginia, and North Dakota have the narrowest, with the report's author suggesting state and local-level housing solutions may be more effective than federal spending. Florida, Alaska, and California's 14th District held primaries Tuesday, with DOJ election monitors deployed to Miami-Dade County and Laramie County, Wyoming, while North Carolina Governor Josh Stein vetoed a Republican-backed bill that would cut early voting by a week and add post-election audit requirements. Florida's new congressional map could flip up to four Democratic-held seats, and Alaska's crowded 16-candidate Senate primary includes controversy over a candidate who shares incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan's name. A Center Square investigation found national teacher unions dedicate at least 10% of their budgets to lobbying and political activism, including calls to impeach President Trump. Texas Governor Greg Abbott proposed a mandatory 10-year minimum sentence for educators convicted of crimes against students.   A Georgia State Board of Education member will lead the committee replacing the suspended Dublin City School Board.   Plus, America's Talking: Education: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_988a2b9b-fe95-4cae-a9e0-8d918ce0f440.html Texas: https://www.thecentersquare.com/texas/article_e6c75177-f0ab-4354-b66b-d0f7a02f3bec.html Georgia: https://www.thecentersquare.com/georgia/article_267dddcb-e953-4db2-823e-4c0ef0807ee4.html   The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  7. Aug 17

    Union Bosses Make 7x More Than Starting Teachers — Students Score 30% Proficient | The States

    A new Urban Institute tool tracking 2023 data found large gaps between eligibility and enrollment in means-tested programs — SNAP had the highest participation rate nationally at about 57-60%, while LIHEAP had the lowest at 17%, with wide state-by-state variation. Senior fellow Linda Giannarelli said non-participation stems from lack of awareness, application hurdles, and underestimating one's own eligibility, and that entitlement programs like SNAP have no funding caps while block-grant programs like LIHEAP run out of money before all eligible applicants are served. Louisiana's new Act 795 now requires nongovernmental organizations administering taxpayer-funded assistance to verify recipients' citizenship or immigration status and report enforcement outcomes, building on a 2025 state-agency verification law. Meanwhile, Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball warned Governor Andy Beshear the state risks losing federal funding after her office identified more than $1 billion in wasted taxpayer money over two and a half years tied to public-benefits fraud. Also, in this episode: California, Maryland, Connecticut, and New York have each passed laws restricting "convertible pistols" over Glock-switch conversion concerns, but gun-rights groups including the Second Amendment Foundation and NRA are suing New York, arguing the Supreme Court's Heller, Caetano, and Bruen rulings protect commonly used firearms from bans. A Biden-appointed federal judge has so far declined to block California's law despite a DOJ challenge, while a similar bill in Illinois passed committee but died when the legislative session ended; New York's law carries penalties up to seven years in prison. Teachers union executive pay: National Education Association President Rebecca Pringle earns about $514,000 annually and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten earns a comparable amount, with vice presidents at both unions also making six figures, compared to a $48,000 average teacher starting salary. Reporter Esther Wickham said the NEA collects roughly $454 million and the AFT about $274 million annually in member dues — funded through public-school payroll deductions — while national test scores show only about 30% of K-12 students are proficient in core subjects. Economist Orphe Divounguy said the U.S. is adding only about 34,000 jobs per month, less than a fifth of the historical average pace, with hiring concentrated in AI-related sectors and healthcare while quit rates stay low and inflation continues to outpace wage growth. Divounguy said elevated mortgage rates and rising housing inventory will likely keep building permits low even as some previously authorized housing units get started ahead of next year's selling season, with more clarity expected from this week's FOMC meeting minutes. Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming will hold primaries Tuesday, with Florida's new congressional map potentially flipping four Democratic-held seats. A study found Wisconsin hospitals charge 25.6% more than Illinois hospitals within the same company.   A Louisiana city marshal disputed an audit finding his conference travel expenses may violate the state constitution. Pennsylvania has yet to opt into a federal education tax credit program that 31 other states have joined. Plus, America's Talking: Florida: https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_e25713d9-d28e-4a27-96ab-463432ce71d3.html Wisconsin:  https://www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/article_c59e2dd6-a9ee-4f9f-92a7-e29ada33b41f.html Louisiana: https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_4b91d38a-a3c1-4eef-9c76-6995e1abe29f.html Pennsylvania: https://www.thecentersquare.com/pennsylvania/article_3598623c-7a58-4f39-93b8-c7b3d76c617b.html The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  8. Aug 15

    Taxpayer Philanthropy: Tax cash to nonprofits more than doubled since 2016 | Weekend Edition

    On this edition of the Center Square Radio Hour, In the past decade, government grants to nonprofits and the number that receive tax money has doubled, raising questions about whether public money is being wasted. Illinois state officials awarded more than $170,000 in taxpayer money to a nonprofit that paid for PTSD injections that don't have strong evidence backing them up. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that could determine the future of legal actions over energy companies' contributions to climate change. And a look at the cost of government borrowing and how it reaches taxpayers as higher taxes, higher interest rates, or higher inflation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
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About

The States Powered by The Center Square is a show that highlights the work of The Center Square reporters from statehouses across the country to Washington D.C. all with an eye towards the impacts of today's news on the taxpayer.

Information

  • Creator
    The Center Square
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    227
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Center Square
  • Show Website
    The States

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