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.

Regulation

Did slots hurt lottery collections?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 11, 2008

A new report by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee find that slots gambling has hurt lottery revenue. Not only has lottery revenue and participation seen almost no growth…

Media

Read More: Did slots hurt lottery collections?

Taxes & Economy

Movin’ Out/Migration Resource and Data

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 11, 2008

Here are some resource and links related to my commentary on interstate migration: Census Data and migration report United Van Lines Data and…

Media

Read More: Movin’ Out/Migration Resource and Data

Taxes & Economy

Movin’ Out

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 11, 2008

With all due respect to Billy Joel’s "Allentown," the tune which best describes Pennsylvania today would likely be "Movin' Out." For years, Pennsylvania has seen residents (particularly younger ones) move…

Commentary

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Regulation

Will MacGyver rescue the smoking ban?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 10, 2008

John Micek thinks the Senate Dems plan to pass a smoking ban that includes everything the conference committee bill did, plus exemptions so Scranton and Pittsburgh could pass their own…

Media

Read More: Will MacGyver rescue the smoking ban?

Public Union Democracy

Right to Work states have higher growth

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 10, 2008

The Union Label blog looks at economic growth differences between right to work and forced unionism state.

Media

Read More: Right to Work states have higher growth

Taxes & Economy

Is the minimum wage behind higher unemployment?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 9, 2008

Mark Perry makes the case that the recent uptick in unemployment in the US is partially due to the increase in the federal minimum wage (and the pending increase…

Media

Read More: Is the minimum wage behind higher unemployment?

Regulation

The Nanny State Mentality

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 9, 2008

Anyone who has observed politics for long would see that too many politicians believe nothing positive would happen unless they pass a law requiring it. They think that the American…

Commentary

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Regulation

Corporate Welfare: Bad for Business

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 8, 2008

A Capital Commerce blog post – on the subject on whether Obama is a Marxist (concluding that he is not, but he is a…

Media

Read More: Corporate Welfare: Bad for Business

State Budget

Rendell: Furloughs to begin July 1

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 8, 2008

The Rendell administration has announced that furloughs of non-essential state workers (which includes everyone but state troopers, prison guards, liquor store clerks, casino regulators, and of course, legislative staffers…

Media

Read More: Rendell: Furloughs to begin July 1

Health Care

An American Cure for Reforming Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 7, 2008

Tom Coburn presents his proposal to reform our health care system at the Manhattan Institute. Here is the core of the argument: How do we create a real…

Media

Read More: An American Cure for Reforming Health Care

Taxes & Economy

PA lags behind US economy again

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 6, 2008

The latest state GDP report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that, despite a national slowdown, Pennsylvania’s economy continues to lag behind the rest of the nation. PA’s…

Media

Read More: PA lags behind US economy again

Regulation

Rendell administation to address pension crisis

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 6, 2008

Budget Secretary Michael Masch (a parting shot before he leaves state government at the end of the month?) unveiled a proposal to reduce the pension shock in FY…

Media

Read More: Rendell administation to address pension crisis

Taxes & Economy

A Corporate Tax Cut Benefits All

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 5, 2008

Greg Mankiw has a great opinion piece in the NY Times on the benefits of reducing the corporate income tax: In fact, a corporate rate cut would…

Media

Read More: A Corporate Tax Cut Benefits All

Taxes & Economy

Was Jesus a Libertarian?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 4, 2008

Michael Gerson, the architect of all that “Compassionate Conservative” nonsense, had a column in the Washington Post claiming Jesus was not a libertarian (or even a fiscal conservative with…

Media

Read More: Was Jesus a Libertarian?

Health Care

More evidence on the failure of RomneyCare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 4, 2008

Michael Tanner blasts positive media coverage of a new report on Massachusetts health care, pointing out the many reasons why RomneyCare is a failure (from the same report). Tanner…

Media

Read More: More evidence on the failure of RomneyCare

Regulation

Smoking Bans Ain’t Cool, Unless You’re a Fool

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 4, 2008

The conference committee on banning private businesses’ right to allow smoking in their establishments has finally reported a bill. GrassrootsPA has the news roundup. I have written on this…

Media

Read More: Smoking Bans Ain’t Cool, Unless You’re a Fool

Regulation

We Don’t Need a Climate Tax on the Poor

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 3, 2008

Sen. Inhofe in today’s Wall Street Journal outlines the consequences of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act: The Lieberman-Warner bill (America’s Climate Security Act) represents the largest tax increase…

Media

Read More: We Don’t Need a Climate Tax on the Poor

Government Accountability

Secret budget meetings have begun

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 3, 2008

John Micek reports on (and mocks) Governor Rendell’s press conference on the state budget yesterday: Rendell and some House Democrats called for an end to the annual posturing…

Media

Read More: Secret budget meetings have begun

State Budget

Put Pennsylvania on a Spending Diet

  • June 2, 2008

The Burden of Taxes In 2008, the average working Pennsylvanian will labor 111 days just to pay his or her federal, state, and local taxes—the equivalent of working January 1…

Press Release

Read More: Put Pennsylvania on a Spending Diet

Regulation

Privatizing the State Liquor Stores

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 31, 2008

State Senator Rob Wonderling talks about divestiture of the state liquor stores (MP3 file). More on State Store privatization: “Public Benefits of Private Liquor” news release and…

Media

Read More: Privatizing the State Liquor Stores

Taxes & Economy

Retirement Assets Increase to $160,000 Per Household

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 31, 2008

Mark Perry on the Carpe Diem blog offers some highlights of a new report on investment and retirement savings in the US. The growth of participation in mutual…

Media

Read More: Retirement Assets Increase to $160,000 Per Household