The Center Square, Author at The Western Journal

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The Center Square was launched in May 2019 to fulfill the need for high-quality statehouse and statewide news across the United States.

The focus of our work is state- and local-level government and economic reporting. A taxpayer sensibility distinguishes our work from other coverage of state and local issues. As a result of this approach, our readers are better informed about the focus of state and local government and its cost to the citizens whose tax dollars fund governmental decisions.

The Center Square is staffed by editors and reporters with extensive professional journalism experience. We engage readers with essential news, data and analysis – delivered with velocity, frequency and consistency.

We distribute our journalism through three main channels at no cost to our partners or readers: a newswire service to legacy publishers and broadcasters, TheCenterSquare.com, and social media.

The Center Square is a project of the 501(c)(3) Franklin News Foundation, headquartered in Chicago.

Students step off the school bus as they arrive for classes at San Marcos Elementary School on May 4, 2018, in Chandler, Arizona, after a statewide teachers strike ended.

Matt York / AP Photo

Survey: Parents Overwhelmingly Support School Choice, Distrust Federal Government

'The majority polled overwhelmingly support Education Savings Accounts, tax credit scholarships, school vouchers and charter schools.'

By Bethany Blankley December 30, 2018

State police keep union workers from entering the Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on Dec. 6, 2012, as Senate Republicans introduced right-to-work legislation in the waning days of the legislative session.

Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

Michigan Public Workers Opting Out of Unions in Larger Numbers Since Right-To-Work Law

Since Michigan’s right-to-work law went into effect, growing numbers of public employees have exercised their right to opt out of paying union dues and fees.

By Tyler Arnold December 30, 2018

Rob Crandall / Shutterstock

19 Million Public Employees Cost Taxpayers Nearly $1 Trillion

'Public service is supposed to be about serving the people...'

By Bethany Blankley December 26, 2018

This June 19, 2015, photo, shows the Federal Communications Commission building in Washington.

Andrew Harnik / AP Photo

IG Finds More Than $300 Million in Improper Payments in Lifeline Program

The FCC’s Inspector General discovered that improper payments in the Lifeline program rose from $40.65 million in Fiscal 2016 to $336.39 million in 2017.

By Johnny Kampis December 26, 2018

GOP delegates cheer as Donald Trump delivers his nomination acceptance speech on the final day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

Brett Carlsen / Getty Images

Closed Primaries Lead to Better Candidates

If the GOP wants to clean up its act, it must have closed primaries everywhere.

By William Haupt III December 22, 2018

A closeup of the lock of a brick jail cell with iron bars and a key in the locking mechanism with the door open.

Inked Pixels / Shutterstock

Florida Seen as ‘One Federal Judge Away from Losing Control’ of Its Prison System

'There’s been a lot of talk the last few years in Tallahassee about criminal justice reform, but little substantive action with a bevy of bills that would revise sentencing guidelines, address substance abuse and boost spending for diversion and transition programs stalling on the brink of adoption.'

By John Haughey December 22, 2018