Education

Schools failing, but don’t give students choices

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 4, 2008

Tribune-Review article highlights chronically failing schools in the Pittsburgh area (see our report on school perfomance for more how schools are doing), and the No Child Left Behind mandate…

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Taxes & Economy

End of the “Second Whiskey Rebellion”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 4, 2008

The Allegheny Institute writes that a court ruling, disallowing a referendum on the Allegheny County drink tax, will likely be overturned on appeal, because is so shoddy. Pittsburgh…

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Taxes & Economy

Compare the Presidential Candidates Tax Plans

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 3, 2008

The Tax Foundation has a tool offering side-by-side comparisons of tax proposals Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader. For all you policy wonks, you can also…

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Taxes & Economy

Turnpike lease would be model for investing in infrastructure

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 3, 2008

Patriot News editorial notes that the proposed Turnpike lease deal would make PA a model for the nation. It’s not that the public-private partnership concept being pushed…

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Taxes & Economy

Offshore drilling to being on October 1?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 3, 2008

A Heritage Foundation webmemo articulates the fact that all Congress needs to do allow offshore drilling is not extend the moratorium – set to expire on Sept. 30.  They…

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Regulation

Corporate Welfare 101

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 2, 2008

Philadelphia Inquirer story on how the Lancaster Convention Center project has spun out of control – with dramatic cost increases (from an initial $30 million to over $100 million),…

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Taxes & Economy

Can the Feds Save the Housing Market?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 2, 2008

He is a good read from The Freeman offering a primer on how the US housing market came to be in such bad shape, and why federal bailouts is…

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Government Accountability

Push for reform coming up short

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 1, 2008

Here is one of the most disheartening articles I have read about reform in Harrisburg. (HT: Grassroots PA). Not only do some Pennsylvania lawmakers think that the…

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Taxes & Economy

PA ranks low among US and Canadian Labor Markets

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 1, 2008

For Labor Day, the Fraser Institute has a new report on state and Canadian provinces labor markets. It may stun some in the Rendell administration, but not…

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