Regulation

Lackawanna County: Where’s the Film?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 19, 2008

Another case study on corporate welfare for the film industry was featured in the Morning Call. Lackwanna County officials are wondering what happened to the $500,000 of taxpayer money…

Media

Read More: Lackawanna County: Where’s the Film?

State Budget

State’s economy, budget are at odds

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 18, 2008

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review question the Rendell administration’s glorious reviews of the state’s economy. The size of the state’s economy grew about 20 percent from 1997 to 2006, but…

Media

Read More: State’s economy, budget are at odds

Government Accountability

‘Black ops’ in the Legislature

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 18, 2008

Brad Bumsted on the “Black Ops” of BonusGate: The legality of bonuses might not be resolved for some time. But it’s clear that they were wrong, handled “off…

Media

Read More: ‘Black ops’ in the Legislature

Taxes & Economy

Is Rendell’s rebate legal?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 16, 2008

John Micek in the Morning Call raises some key issues as to Governor Rendell’s proposed “rebate” for low-income Pennsylvanians. First, that the using the Budget Stabilization Reserve (or “Rainy…

Media

Read More: Is Rendell’s rebate legal?

Regulation

Study: Smoking Bans increase drunk driving

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 15, 2008

A new study in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Public Economics finds that “smoking bans increase drunken-driving fatalities”; reported on the Marginal Revolution blog. This effect is…

Media

Read More: Study: Smoking Bans increase drunk driving

Education

The School Choice Gold Standard

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 15, 2008

The Friedman Foundation has a new report grading the various scholarship, voucher, and tax credit programs across the US on three categories – student restrictions (how many students can…

Media

Read More: The School Choice Gold Standard

VIDEO: Critics Say Turnpike Needs Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 14, 2008

NBC 5 Video on the Turnpike Commission’s dining expenses charged to drivers. They spent a mindboggling total of $1,800 at Haydn’s on Pine in Harrisburg in June 2007 (when…

Media

Read More: VIDEO: Critics Say Turnpike Needs Reform

Taxes & Economy

Ethanol: Another dose of snake oil?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 14, 2008

Another article, from the Star-Tribune, on the hype of ethanol, which summarizes the issue pretty well: 1)Ethanol results in more carbon emissions – “By clearing forests and grasslands…

Media

Read More: Ethanol: Another dose of snake oil?