Regulation

Legislators Wambling with PA Table Games

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 9, 2009

After reportedly taking “WAMs” out of the state budget, it appears Pennsylvania lawmakers are may create a new pot of funds for WAMs in the table games bill – i.e.

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State Budget

Lot of Glitches in Stimulus 3.0

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 9, 2009

The Wall Street Journal has a good discussion of yet another stimulus – correctly identify it as Stimulus III (noting both the $787 billion stimulus from earlier this year,…

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Government Accountability

Pennsylvania House Passes Spending Transparency

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 8, 2009

The Pennsylvania House today passed HB 1880, by a unanimous vote. The bill would create an online, searchable database of all state spending. We are told Gov. Rendell sent…

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Education

State Report on PA’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 8, 2009

The Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee put out a preliminary report on the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) a few months ago, but the report has been sitting…

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Regulation

An Ethnic Taste of Corporate Welfare

  • December 7, 2009

The benevolent Department of Community and Economic Development most recently bestowed its generosity on the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania by awarding it $20,000. This money will…

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An End to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 7, 2009

State Representative Mike Vereb will unveil legislation to eliminated the corrupt, patronage ridden Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission at a press conference tomorrow.  Capitol Ideas has some notes on the…

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Taxes & Economy

Who Pays Pennsylvania’s Personal Income Tax? Part II

  • December 7, 2009

Pennsylvania has a flat rate Personal Income Tax (PIT) of 3.07%, which is a fair and simple distribution of taxation.  Yet some people are imprudently calling for a state-wide graduated…

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Regulation

Is the Harley Handout Constitutional?

  • December 4, 2009

Governor Ed Rendell just announced $15.4 million in economic development assistance to renovate its York County factory and train workers. $14 million of the $15.4 million comes from Capital…

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