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.

Public Union Democracy

Union Boss Honored for Decline in Union Membership

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 25, 2010

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a crucial piece of legislation – a resolution honoring our old “friend” Bill George, outgoing head of the PA AFL-CIO. What…

Media

Read More: Union Boss Honored for Decline in Union Membership

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Budget Presentation

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 24, 2010

Below you can find my latest version of a presentation on the Pennsylvania state budget and economic policy. PA Budget and…

Media

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Government Accountability

The Real “Special Interest” Problem in PA

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • May 24, 2010

Everyone loves to hate "special interests."  They spend millions of dollars in electing and lobbying public officials in order to gain political or legislative favor.  So it was no surprise…

Commentary

Read More: The Real “Special Interest” Problem in PA

State Budget

PA House Republicans’ Cost Savings Plan

  • May 24, 2010

In an attempt to balance the state budget without raising taxes, the House Republican Caucus has developed a plan to reduce spending in the Pennsylvania State Budget. One interesting…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Another Commercial Produced by PA Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 24, 2010

I caught another TV commercial produced by Pennsylvania state government the other night. This one is intended to scare viewers who are thinking of committing insurance fraud…and make the…

Media

Read More: Another Commercial Produced by PA Government

Taxes & Economy

Who is Adding Jobs in PA?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 21, 2010

The latest BLS report on state jobs is out, and is pretty good news for Pennsylvania, which added 34,000 jobs (seasonally adjusted) in April – 2nd most among the…

Media

Read More: Who is Adding Jobs in PA?

Regulation

The Failure of Economic Development Incentives

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 21, 2010

With budget season upon us, politicians are scrambling for new revenue sources or programs to cut.  “The Failures of Economic Development Incentives,” a 2004 report by Alan Peters and…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Corbett v. Rendell: Who is Right on PA’s Economy?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 20, 2010

In his acceptance speech Tuesday night, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett vowed to get Pennsylvania’s economy back on track after years of stagnation and misguide policy decisions. Gov. Rendell…

Media

Read More: Corbett v. Rendell: Who is Right on PA’s Economy?

Public Union Democracy

Obama’s Run-Around of Congress

  • May 20, 2010

Q: What do Card Check and Net Neutrality have in common? A: They are bad policy ideas Congress won’t pass, yet the White House is finding ways to work…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Specter to Blame for Specter’s Demise

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 20, 2010

We try not to engage too much in political punditry here, but the latest Terry Madonna and Michael Young Politically Uncorrected piece, on the end of Sen. Arlen Specter’s…

Media

Read More: Specter to Blame for Specter’s Demise

Taxes & Economy

Citizen’s Guide to the Tenth Amendment

  • May 20, 2010

The Institute for Policy Innovation has produced a short informational guide to the Tenth Amendment. The Tenth Amendment was ratified in order to guarantee individual rights and responsibilities for…

Media

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Regulation

PA Pension Crisis Video

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 19, 2010

Here is a great video highlighting the looming crisis in Pennsylvania’s state pension plans (specifically PSERS).  Not sure who created this, but it’s worth a watch. For…

Media

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Regulation

Violations Carry a Hefty Price in the Marcellus Shale

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 17, 2010

In a recent Citizen Voice article, Scott Perry, the director of Oil and Gas Management at the DEP explains how costly environmental infractions can be for drilling companies. The…

Media

Read More: Violations Carry a Hefty Price in the Marcellus Shale

Regulation

Republicans Talk about Privatizing State Parks

  • May 17, 2010

Recently, there has been some speculation about whether Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers are considering leasing the state parks to private companies to operate. Competitively contracting management of our state park…

Media

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Government Accountability

Rendell’s No-Bid State Forest Lease

  • May 17, 2010

Last week, Gov. Rendell announced 32,896 acres of state forest land had been leased to Anadarko Petroleum for drilling for $120 million. The no-bid deal was for land previously…

Media

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Regulation

F&M Poll Shows Voters Support Liquor Store Privatization

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 14, 2010

The latest Franklin & Marshall College poll spends, not surprising, a good deal of time on election-related questions, but has a few related to current policy proposals in Harrisburg. …

Media

Read More: F&M Poll Shows Voters Support Liquor Store Privatization

Taxes & Economy

The Price of Wind

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 13, 2010

The Wall Street Journal has a good article about how wind generation drives up electric rates in Massachusettes, and will continue to do so as alternative energy mandates are…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Bad Pennsylvania Policy Spreads to DC

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 12, 2010

In the past couple of weeks, debate in Washington has ramped up over implementing national alternative energy mandates. Senator Jeff Bingaman has included the standards in his American Clean…

Media

Read More: Bad Pennsylvania Policy Spreads to DC

Energy

Green Jobs Destroy Good Jobs

  • May 12, 2010

With Pennsylvania's unemployment rate at a 25-year high, Gov. Rendell is pushing "green jobs" at every turn. He has doled out nearly $1 billion to renewable energy projects and wants…

Commentary

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Government Accountability

Fact Checking Special Interests’ Attack on Natural Gas

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 11, 2010

Misinformation spewed continually at Common Cause’s press conference on natural gas campaign contributions (see CF News Release) held today at the Capital. Here are…

Media

Read More: Fact Checking Special Interests’ Attack on Natural Gas

Taxes & Economy

Re: What About Jobs of Other Colors?

  • May 11, 2010

Katrina’s post on Friday that highlighted Energy Ventures Analysis’s job destruction realism about Pennsylvania’s proposed alternative energy mandates is buttressed by similar research elsewhere, including …

Media

Read More: Re: What About Jobs of Other Colors?