Steve Stanek

Steve Stanek (sstanek@heartland.org) is a research fellow at The Heartland Institute and managing... (read full bio)

Housing Collapse Matches Great Depression Years

Steve Stanek

|

January 19, 2012

The collapse in housing prices in the United States has virtually matched that of the first few years of the Great Depression, according to the Zillow Home Value Index.
Credit Card Debt Increases Significantly

Steve Stanek

|

January 18, 2012

Americans are borrowing and charging much more, according to the latest Federal Reserve G19 report released Jan. 9.
Europe’s Downgrades: Message to America?

Steve Stanek

|

January 18, 2012

With Standard & Poor’s having downgraded the government debt ratings of nine European nations in mid-January, some experts are saying there’s also a message for this nation’s federal, state, an
FISCAL PODCAST with Yaron Brook: The Moral Case for Capitalism

Steve Stanek

|

January 17, 2012

The Ayn Rand Center's Yaron Brook says to defend freedom in our personal and economic lives, we need to defen
Boeing Betrays Kansas Despite Promises, Contract

Steve Stanek

|

January 10, 2012

Aircraft maker Boeing last year won a $35 billion military contract to build mid-air refueling tanker planes, a contract the company said would support 7,500 jobs in Wichita, Kansas, where Boeing h
Illinois Receives Nation’s Worst Credit Rating

Steve Stanek

|

January 09, 2012

Despite having imposed a record 67 percent increase in the personal income tax and 46 percent increase in the corporate tax in January 2011, Illinois state government’s debt situation continues to
Independent Panel Sees ‘Immense Risk’ in California High-Speed Rail

Steve Stanek

|

January 05, 2012

Transportation experts and taxpayer advocates are hailing an independent review panel’s recommendation against borrowing to build a high-speed rail line in California, but the state’s rail authorit
Federal Regs Eat up $231 Billion, 133 Million Paperwork Hours

Steve Stanek

|

January 04, 2012

Federal regulations in 2011 added more than $231 billion in regulatory costs to private businesses and state and local governments and required 133 million hours of paperwork, according to a report
Local Debt Stuns Cook County Treasurer—$108 Billion and Counting

Steve Stanek

|

December 13, 2011

Households in suburban Cook County, Illinois, owe nearly $33,000 on average for local government debt, with households in the City of Chicago owing more than $63,000 on average, according to Cook C
Workers Compensation Claims Pour from Illinois Government Facilities

Steve Stanek

|

December 10, 2011

As Illinois’ troubled workers compensation system drives jobs out of state, an Associated Press analysis has disclosed nearly one-third of the permanent disability awards to state government worker
Revelations Lead to Reform of Illinois Pensions

Steve Stanek

|

December 05, 2011

Illinois lawmakers have approved legislation to reform the state’s government pension system, the nation’s most poorly funded.
FHA Highly Leveraged, Lacks Reserves to Cover Losses

Steve Stanek

|

December 05, 2011

“How much money are the taxpayers supposed to throw at housing so people can put down 5 percent or less and pay a government-subsidized low interest rate?”
Louisiana Bans Real Estate Transfer Taxes

Steve Stanek

|

December 05, 2011

Louisiana voters have approved an amendment to the state constitution to permanently ban real estate transfer taxes in the state.
Rhode Island Lawmakers Pass Major Pension Reforms

Steve Stanek

|

December 05, 2011

Rhode Island lawmakers had a choice: Keep the state’s pension system as is, forcing big tax increases, service cuts, or both.
Missouri's Mel Hancock, Friend to Taxpayer, Advocate of Freedom

Steve Stanek

|

December 01, 2011

Many politicians, especially at election time, say they believe the size and power of government should be limited. Rare is the politician who both says it and means it.
Congressman Calls for Hearings Into Fed’s Secret Trillions

Steve Stanek

|

November 29, 2011

Revelations the Federal Reserve secretly doled out more than $7 trillion to financial institutions here and abroad during the height of the financial crisis – approximately 10 times more money than
States Eye Taxes on Sweets, but Research Says to Expect Sour Results

Steve Stanek

|

November 15, 2011

States are increasingly extending higher tax rates to products such as candy and soda, ostensibly to fight obesity, but such moves are unlikely to have an impact on obesity rates and health outcome
The Grinches Who Taxed Christmas

Steve Stanek

|

November 09, 2011

The Federal Register yesterday reported a new tax effective today: 15 cents on every fresh-cut Christmas tree to . . . wait for it . . . promote the purchase of fresh-cut Christmas trees.
Study: Smoking Bans Have Little or No Immediate Heart Benefit

Steve Stanek

|

November 09, 2011

Statewide smoking bans have “little or no measurable immediate effect” on the number of persons who die from heart attacks, according to a new report by medical researchers at two universities.
‘Obscene’ Pension Abuses Spark Reform Push in Illinois

Steve Stanek

|

November 07, 2011

Government pension abuses in Illinois have prompted some lawmakers to try to advance legislation to stop labor leaders from cashing in on taxpayers.

Steve Stanek

Stuff We Wish We Wrote - Homepage

friend us on facebook

Somewhat Reasonable

Reform Medicaid

Heartland Sites

Issues