State Budget

Is Harrisburg a Prediction of Things to Come?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 10, 2010

Harrisburg’s inability to pay off massive debts accumulated by years of wasteful spending made headlines in the Wall Street Journal. Last week, Harrisburg skipped a $3 million debt payment…

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Taxes & Economy

“Free” Federal Grants Result in Higher State Taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 10, 2010

Over the last several decades, and increasingly in recent years, state and local government leaders have lobbied for, and received, additional funding from the federal government. Though this money…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

PennEnvironment: Weather is Climate Again

  • September 9, 2010

So PennEnvironment yesterday comes out with a new propaganda piece to capitalize on what they call last winter’s “Snowmageddon,” which is designed to get…

Media

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Regulation

Failing to Understand Liquor Store Revenues

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 9, 2010

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell unveiled his state store privatization plan yesterday. This is obviously an issue to watch for in Pennsylvania, where liquor store privatization is also a…

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West Virginia = Almost Heaven?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 9, 2010

The “never-met-a-tax-I-didn’t-like” Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center claims that West Virginia has a booming natural gas drilling industry, despite a natural gas severance tax. This “fact” is extremely misleading.

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Taxes & Economy

What Rendell Wants from a Natural Gas Tax

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 8, 2010

An AP story highlighting Gov. Rendell’s push for a natural gas tax comes with the misleading headline “Pa. gov wants gas industry to help shale towns.” Nothing of the…

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Taxes & Economy

Stimulus 5.0

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 7, 2010

President Obama has proposed yet another round of stimulus spending. Of course, he won’t call it a “stimulus,” because of how unpopular that has become. Others are, erroneously,…

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Regulation

Outsourcing Park Management a Budget Saver

  • September 7, 2010

With economists speculating a double dip recession, unemployment high, and a national deficit expected to reach $1.5 trillion this year, you might disapprove of unnecessary government spending, like putting…

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Taxes & Economy

PA’s Highways Remain Poorly Managed

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 7, 2010

Pennsylvania ranks 38th in the nation in state highway performance and cost-effectiveness, according to Reason’s latest Annual Highway Report. While the Keystone State’s ranking remains unchanged, nationally highway…

Media

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