Taxes & Economy

Wagner’s Warning on Turnpike Debt Not Exaggerated

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 10, 2012

Auditor General Jack Wagner claims the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is in a state of fiscal crisis following a 181 percent increase in long-term debt since 2007. This shouldn’t…

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Taxes & Economy

Chart of the Day: Pennsylvania Transportation Spending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2012

Many advocates and industry representatives have been calling for increasing transportation spending in Pennsylvania. Yet over the past 16 years, state transportation spending has increased by 127 percent, a fact…

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State Budget

Pennsylvania Budget Freezes in Perspective

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2012

Yesterday, Gov. Corbett and the Office of the Budget released a list of 2011-12 budgetary freezes—reductions in spending from the enacted General Fund budget—due in part to revenue shortfalls. I…

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Government Accountability

Teachers’ Union Dues at Leisure

  • Priya Brannick
  • January 3, 2012

A full-time teacher and member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association pays $654 a year in union dues to state, national and local affiliates of the union. While part-time teachers…

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Government Accountability

Top 10 Posts of 2011

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 30, 2011

For your “year in review” pleasure, here are the most popular CF articles and research papers of 2011, based on readership: Citizens Guide to Electric Choice and Competition…

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Taxes & Economy

PA Online Sales Tax Guidelines Claim First Casualty

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 30, 2011

When the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue issued a new bulletin instructing online vendors about collecting state sales tax, tax reform advocates expressed a lot of concern. The new…

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Taxes & Economy

Tax-Exempt Government Property Adds to Harrisburg’s Woes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 29, 2011

The city of Harrisburg is facing a fiscal crisis primarily brought on by over-spending, accruing too much debt, and getting into areas government has no business—from the incinerator to owning…

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Taxes & Economy

Map: PA Among Highest Unemployment Tax Rates

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 28, 2011

The Tax Foundation has a new map showing unemployment insurance tax rates. As you can see, Pennsylvania has one of the highest tax rates in the nation. The unemployment…

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