Regulation

More Evidence on Privatizing Liquor

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 3, 2010

Don Boudreaux and Julia Williams have an op-ed arguing for privatization of Virginia’s state liquor stores, noting little difference between control and license state in alcohol-related deaths, binge drinking,…

Media

Read More: More Evidence on Privatizing Liquor

Taxes & Economy

How Public-Private Toll Roads are Financed

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 2, 2010

Robert Poole clarifies a number of misconceptions about how toll roads are financed – particularly in the cases of public private partnerships for new projects. This is not a…

Media

Read More: How Public-Private Toll Roads are Financed

Government Accountability

Accurate Information About a Part-Time Legislature

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 2, 2010

Senator Daylin Leach opined in the Post-Gazette over the weekend, defending the legislature he serves in (previously as a House member) against the Grand Jury report calling for…

Media

Read More: Accurate Information About a Part-Time Legislature

Regulation

Rendell: Democrats will Do Well if Voters Ignore the Policy Debate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 1, 2010

The Wall Street Journal recently published an interview with Gov. Rendell that highlighted Rendell’s analysis of policy issues – the stimulus, Wall Street/bailouts, and Immigration – at least in…

Media

Read More: Rendell: Democrats will Do Well if Voters Ignore the Policy Debate

Taxes & Economy

Follies of Pittsburgh’s Beverage Tax

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 1, 2010

This week the student-run Publius Foundation think tank in Pittsburgh released their second study. Looking at the proposed Pittsburgh Beverage Tax, the brief concludes soda taxes harm the economy…

Media

Read More: Follies of Pittsburgh’s Beverage Tax

Taxes & Economy

Top Mann Nemesis: He’s Not a Fraud

  • May 28, 2010

The person who was most instrumental in debunking Penn State scientist Michael Mann‘s hockey stick chart, Steve McIntyre of Climate Audit, said at a climate realists’ conference last week…

Media

Read More: Top Mann Nemesis: He’s Not a Fraud

Regulation

Tobacco Tax Fact Check

  • May 28, 2010

The misinformation that comes out of the Policy and Budget Center (PBC) amazes me. Here is the first post of a two-part fact-checking on taxing smokeless tobacco products…

Media

Read More: Tobacco Tax Fact Check

Government Accountability

On Partisan Legislative Staffers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 28, 2010

One recommendation of the Grand Jury report release this week was that the Pennsylvania General Assembly should move from hiring partisan staff for each caucus to having a centralized…

Media

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Regulation

Pennsylvania’s Film Tax Credit is a Flop

  • May 28, 2010

Pennsylvania’s film tax credit program has exhausted its limits for the year, to much moaning from the film industry lobbyists. Sharon Pinkenson, Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office,…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania’s Film Tax Credit is a Flop