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.

Taxes & Economy

The need to “do something”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 11, 2009

Matt Lewis has an entertaining post on the need to “do something” with regard to the federal “stimulus” – comparing it to a 19th century doctor pressed to “do…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

More waste, no-bid contracts, in PA budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 11, 2009

Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner has a draft of an audit blasting the Rendell adminstration for its technology contracts, specifically with Deloitte, the Patriot News Reports.

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest

  • February 10, 2009

$4,000 in cash prizes for citizens to help raise awareness of PA’s painful tax burden HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced its Please, No More Taxes!…

Press Release

Read More: Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest

Taxes & Economy

How well has more spending worked up until now?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 10, 2009

The Morning Call’s John Micek makes a joke on his blog about the effectiveness of tax cuts in stimulating the economy: Hardcore GOPers, asked for their alternative,…

Media

Read More: How well has more spending worked up until now?

Taxes & Economy

With All Due Respect, Mr. Specter

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 9, 2009

“The country cannot afford not to take action,” Senator Arlen Specter writes in the Washington Post justifying support for the “stimulus” package, mimicking the statement by President Obama “There…

Media

Read More: With All Due Respect, Mr. Specter

Taxes & Economy

How Government Created the Financial Crisis

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 9, 2009

John Taylor in the Wall Street Journal on how Government created the financial crisis: Monetary excesses were the main cause of the boom. The Fed held its…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Libertarian ideas to stimulate economy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 7, 2009

Jeffrey A. Miron has a list of libertarian proposals to stimulate the economy (I would expect most self-described “conservatives” would agree with 8 of the 9 proposals): Repeal the…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

The GOP Has a Dumb Mortgage Idea

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 5, 2009

In the Wall Street Journal, Ed Glaeser rips the US Senate GOP’s plans to underwrite mortgages and offer an additional tax credit for home-buyers More criticism of this…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Commonwealth Foundation Launches Please, No More Taxes! Campaign

  • February 5, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced the launch of the Please, No More Taxes! campaign, a public education effort aimed at the elimination of wasteful state spending and…

Press Release

Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Launches Please, No More Taxes! Campaign

Education

Economists Against Governor Rendell

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 4, 2009

In his budget address, Governor Rendell cited “conservative” economists who support the stimulus package and his spending proposals, even though they don’t. Here is Rendell: Economists from…

Media

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State Budget

Commonwealth Foundation Statement on Gov. Ed Rendell’s Budget Address

  • February 4, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA — Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette issued the following statement today in response to Gov. Rendell’s 2009-10 Budget Address: “Gov. Rendell’s reliance on one-time federal…

Press Release

Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Statement on Gov. Ed Rendell’s Budget Address

State Budget

PA Budget by the Numbers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 4, 2009

The 2009-10 budget is $28.97 billion, rather than the $26.6 billion as is being reported. The difference being that it relies on $2.4 billion in one-time federal “stimulus” money. That…

Media

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State Budget

PA budget address liveblog

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 4, 2009

I’ll be live blog-tweeting Governor Rendell’s budget address, beginning at 10:30 today you can follow the action here.

Media

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State Budget

We Can’t Spend Our Way to Prosperity

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 4, 2009

John Stossel has an op-ed up on the pork-laden “stimulus” package: President Obama has vowed that no earmarks — special appropriations to benefit particular congressmen — will…

Media

Read More: We Can’t Spend Our Way to Prosperity

State Budget

Cronyism Undermines Cargo Airport

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 3, 2009

It appears the Hazleton Airport project is now dead in the water, after Rep. Todd Eachus (the local sponsor and now Majority Leader) has dropped his support after…

Media

Read More: Cronyism Undermines Cargo Airport

Education

PA Budget Proposals: Cut the Fat, Play Poker

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 3, 2009

Sen. John Eichelberger unveiled a proposal today to issue a moratorium on “earmarks”, the legislative-controlled WAMs and other items.  The proposal also calls for a review of all…

Media

Read More: PA Budget Proposals: Cut the Fat, Play Poker

Health Care

Try to Reform Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 3, 2009

The Senate Republican’s unveiled their caucus’s plan on health care, which is largely the same as they had last year, and thus my criticism of that plan still…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: February 2009

  • February 3, 2009

Updates on Pennsylvania’s Revenue Shortfall from the Commonwealth Foundation The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released the January revenue collections showing state General Fund revenues are $1.08 billion short for the…

Press Release

Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: February 2009

State Budget

Even more reasons to oppose the stimulus

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 3, 2009

NTU’s blog has a long list (via Tom Coburn) of wasteful spending and bad policy in the federal “stimulus” bill, including: $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen,…

Media

Read More: Even more reasons to oppose the stimulus

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania’s Revenue Shortfall Climbs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 2, 2009

The PA Department of Revenue released the January Revenue Collections this afternoon.  We’ll have the full “Deficit Watch” up on the website tomorrow, but here are the quick…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania’s Revenue Shortfall Climbs