Every family, business owner, and taxpayer in Pennsylvania should be able to increase their financial security without undue interference from our state government. Free-market policies that limit taxes, allow entrepreneurs to innovate and create jobs, and offer stability to families will put our state on track to become a national leader. Policies that enact spending limits, cut taxes, and reduce regulations will help Pennsylvania avoid debt and restore sound fiscal planning that will benefit citizens in the years to come.

State Budget

Rendell and the Missing $30 Million

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 12, 2010

Yesterday, Gov. Rendell told lawmakers that after Congress passed legislation to increase federal aid to states for Medicaid (FMAP) and to school districts – and also cut funding…

Media

Read More: Rendell and the Missing $30 Million

Government Accountability

More Taxpayer Funded Propaganda

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 11, 2010

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has an email newsletter on Marcellus Shale (see PA Indy story). I, of course, signed up to see how my tax dollars were…

Media

Read More: More Taxpayer Funded Propaganda

Health Care

States Saying No to Individual Mandate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 11, 2010

Merrill Matthews has a good article up on Forbes about what states are doing to fight the individual health insurance mandate in the new law. He touches both on…

Media

Read More: States Saying No to Individual Mandate

Taxes & Economy

How Attractive is Pennsylvania Drilling?

  • August 10, 2010

Pop quiz: Drilling in Pennsylvania is as attractive as drilling in A) Arkansas B) Kansas or C) Cambodia? The correct answer is Cambodia. Currently, the Keystone State is one of…

Media

Read More: How Attractive is Pennsylvania Drilling?

Regulation

Silliest Defense of Government Pension Plans Yet

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 10, 2010

A letter in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader attacks the Commonwealth Foundation for supporting moving state government and school districts employees to a defined-contribution retirement plan, like a 401(k).  The…

Media

Read More: Silliest Defense of Government Pension Plans Yet

Education

Are Taxpayers Subsidizing Learning or Partying?

  • August 9, 2010

The good news: Penn State is no longer the #1 party school in the US, according to the Princeton Review’s (user account) annual student-produced rankings. It has fallen…

Media

Read More: Are Taxpayers Subsidizing Learning or Partying?

State Budget

Which Taxpayer-Funded Video Studio Tells More Lies?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 9, 2010

Yesterday, Bob Caton, spokesman for the Pennsylvania House Democrats, and Steve Miskin, spokesman for the House Republican, engaged in a Twitter argument over which caucus’ TV shows were more…

Media

Read More: Which Taxpayer-Funded Video Studio Tells More Lies?

Taxes & Economy

Quote for the Day on Stimulus Spending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 6, 2010

Yesterday, I tweeted Dan Mitchell’s blog post, which in turn cited Richard Rahn’s article on the evidence of “stimulus spending” vs. limited government on growing the economy. Mitchell…

Media

Read More: Quote for the Day on Stimulus Spending

Regulation

SEPTA’s Extravagant Spending

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 6, 2010

Earlier this week, the Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee heard testimony from SEPTA officials defending their lavish spending habits during a state transportation funding crisis. Senator Rafferty expressed concern, saying:…

Media

Read More: SEPTA’s Extravagant Spending

Taxes & Economy

Onorato: Rendell’s Severance Tax is Too High

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 6, 2010

In a Capitolwire interview (subscription), gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato advocated a low natural gas severance tax rate with exemptions. Onorato highlighted three states as good examples of a…

Media

Read More: Onorato: Rendell’s Severance Tax is Too High

Education

Rendell’s Made-Up Government Workers Layoffs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 5, 2010

Here is a letter to the editor I recently submitted on Gov. Rendell’s threats of layoffs if Congress doesn’t give him FMAP Money: Gov. Rendell has been busy lobbying…

Media

Read More: Rendell’s Made-Up Government Workers Layoffs

Taxes & Economy

Coming to Philly: ‘Brilliance’

  • August 4, 2010

PennFuture and other climate catastrophists are promoting a fall global warming conference in Philadelphia, and they’ve invited the unintentionally amusing Bill…

Media

Read More: Coming to Philly: ‘Brilliance’

Taxes & Economy

Fact Check: Oil Companies Profits Tax

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 4, 2010

For claiming he’s “not a crazy tax guy”, Gov. Rendell sure does propose a lot of new taxes. His latest plan regurgitates his 2007 idea to tax Big…

Media

Read More: Fact Check: Oil Companies Profits Tax

Health Care

Missouri Voters Reject Obamacare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 4, 2010

Last night, Missouri voters passed Proposition C. The initiative would prevent the state from enforcing any mandate on individuals to buy health insurance. The measure was opposed by every…

Media

Read More: Missouri Voters Reject Obamacare

Regulation

Will Philadelphia Drop DROP?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 4, 2010

Virtually everyone knows that Deferred Retirement Option Plans (DROP) are costly – at least those who know what it is – but now the City of Philadelphia has some hard…

Media

Read More: Will Philadelphia Drop DROP?

Taxes & Economy

More Sparks Fly in PennFuture Scandal

  • August 3, 2010

It’s been amusing to watch the defenders of PennFuture “fire” their pop-guns on the editorial pages of the Patriot-News since our report about their hypocritical and…

Media

Read More: More Sparks Fly in PennFuture Scandal

Education

Philly Superintendent’s $65K Bonus Criteria Released

  • August 3, 2010

Welcome to part two on Philadelphia school Superintendent Arlene Ackerman’s bonus. (If you missed “Unethical Philly Superintendent Leeching Taxpayers Dry,” click here.) The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that, though…

Media

Read More: Philly Superintendent’s $65K Bonus Criteria Released

Regulation

DEP is Successfully Regulating Gas Drilling

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 3, 2010

Environmental drilling opponents have jumped all over a new report by the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association identifying almost 1,500 violations by 43 Marcellus Shale drilling companies by the PA…

Media

Read More: DEP is Successfully Regulating Gas Drilling

Energy

Gas Fuels Growth

  • August 3, 2010

The national economy is in a slump, unemployment remains stubbornly high, and economic growth is being hampered by misguided policies. Meanwhile, Bradford County, Pennsylvania led the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in…

Commentary

Read More: Gas Fuels Growth

Taxes & Economy

Fact Check: PA Transportation Spending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 3, 2010

Gov. Rendell starts his “Tax You More” bus tour today, heading around Pennsylvania to call for more taxes to fill the “transportation funding crisis”. Here are some facts…

Media

Read More: Fact Check: PA Transportation Spending