The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "private sector" ...
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California's Public Pension Dilemma
The Contra Costa Times found that California public employee pension systems are grossly underfunded; the benefits far exceeded the private sector and are regularly understated by the pension systems; the debts for state and local governments are huge; and the cost is being transferred over to future generations.
Tags: California; Public Pensions; State; Local; Government
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"The Transportation Lobby"
The team at The Center for Public Integrity launch a database of transportation lobbyists and integrated that with an interactive map. Search by public/private sector, lobbying firm, or project.
Tags: transportation; bill; lobby; lobbyiests
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"The Transportation Lobby"
After discovering that there are more than 1,800 transportation interest groups the team at The Center for Public Integrity "compiled a database of transportation lobbyists and integrated that with an interactive map." Search by location, public/private sector, lobbying firm, or project.
Tags: transportation; lobbyists; interest groups; road lobby
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Good as gold: State pensions facing scrutiny
Public employees in Ohio have better wages and benefits than the taxpayers who support them. Taxpayer money funds the system which allows workers to retire a decade or more sooner than workers in the private sector. Also, more than one in four public school superindentents had received pension payments and salary simultaneously.
Tags: pension; private sector; public employee; pension funds; superintendents
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"Cash Committee"
In this story, Huffington Post reporters show the "revolving door" between Congress and "industry," and how both use the House Financial Services Committee to raise money for lawmakers, especially in the private sector.
Tags: House Financial Services Committee; lawmakers; House; Congress; lobbyists; private sector; Wall Street; the Hill
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Personal Politics
Thirty nine states have lawmakers who meet part time. These lawmakers often pursue other careers, sometimes in sectors that are regulated by the government. The Center for Public Integrity recognized the huge potential for conflicts of interest, if lawmakers end up serving on committees or deciding legislation that could affect their outside interests. The only way to combat the conflict of interest is through full disclosure of lawmakers' private interests, however, many states do not make that information available to the public. But, this project by the Center for Public Integrity does that for them: in two years, reporters used thousands of documents and dozens of interviews to create a database, available online, that includes information on lawmakers; outside interests, as well as the committees they serve on in the legislature.
Tags: transparency; legislative ethics; private companies; lawyers; political fraud; conflict of interest; legislation; state capital; state government
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Taxpayer's tab high for unused sick time
This story details how public employees accumulate paid sick time at a rate much greater than their counterparts in the private sector and also, take more paid sick time. Additionally, private sector employees are rarely compensated for unpaid sick time. The story reveals how the taxpayer is forced to pick up a huge tab in order to pay millions of dollars to effectively pay the public employees twice for their work.
Tags: Allentown; Allentown Committee; Scott Armstrong; Tommy G. Thompson; Bethlehem; Lehighton Area School District
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Finding the Civil Service's Hidden Sex Appeal: Why the brightest young people shy away from government.
According to the article, "Despite the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM's) efforts, time still seems to move more slowly inside the federal government than outside: It takes longer to get hired, it's nearly impossible to get fired, and the promotional fast track moves like molasses compared to the private sector. Although that has been true for at least a century, the problem is getting worse."
Tags: government jobs; Office of Personnel Management; money; careers; federal government; employment; promotions; opportunities
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Inside Jobs. Mr. Schwalb is putting his inmates to work for the private sector. As prison population surges, service economy offers rich source of chores. Labor, business are livid.
This article talks about FPI -- Federal Prison Industries. In the past FPI has only produced goods for the government, but now it may start producing goods for the private sector as well. This article explains how that might work, and what potential problems may arise.
Tags: FPI; Federal Prison Industries; private sector; producing; manufacturing; goods; prisoners; work; jobs
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The Collector Sector
Common Cause Magazine looks at "how private consulting firms are cashing in on goverment programs for the poor."
Tags: Medicaid; private consulting firms; government programs; federal programs; contracts; Medicaid provider; private consultants