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

State and Local Business Tax Report

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 25, 2008

The Council On State Taxation has released their 2008 summary of state and local business taxes, with the national picture, state-specific and industry-specific data. Click here for the summary…

Media

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Government Accountability

Show Me the Spending, PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 24, 2008

Sen. Browne has introduced legislation that would create a free, online database of state spending (contracts and grants over $25,000) along with details about individual line items in the…

Media

Read More: Show Me the Spending, PA

Taxes & Economy

Election Reflection from Democracy Rising

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 23, 2008

Tim Potts over at Democracry Rising has an analysis of the election that features a roundup of results, (Grassroots PA has the full rundown), but also raises the…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Tax Freedom Day: The Music Video

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 23, 2008

Here is a something a bit lighter for anyone with an election day hangover: Tax Freedom Day: The Music Video The national Tax Freedom Day is today, as calculated…

Media

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Health Care

Q& A on State Health Care Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 21, 2008

The NCPA has a new report on State Health Care Reform: Key Questions and Answers, highlighting many of the key policy questions, including “Does universal health coverage lower health…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

The Truth about Milton Friedman

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 21, 2008

David Henderson has a detailed reponse on the Cato-at-liberty blog to a New York Times article on the economic legacy of Milton Friedman. The Times piece presented the…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Flat Tax vs. Fair Tax

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 21, 2008

Below is a video from the Center from Freedom and Prosperity on proposals for an overall of the tax system. We covered both the flat tax and fair…

Media

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Health Care

Health Savings Sabotage

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 20, 2008

The Wall Street Journal has a column on a bill that passed the US House that would undermine Health Savings Accounts (also see the SPN blog on this…

Media

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Health Care

The Health Insurance Mafia

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 18, 2008

Here is a great editorial in the Wall Street Journal on how the health insurance industry acts like the Mafia: Most discussions about the rising…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Getting Better, Not Bitter, in Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 18, 2008

WebMemo from the Heritage Foundation about whether Pennsylvanians should be “bitter” over all the jobs “lost”. I would point readers to my commentary on Prospering in Pennsylvania, but…

Media

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State Budget

Make Cardboard Checks Vanish

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 17, 2008

Senator Eichelberger’s stand against posing with cardboard checks when handing out taxpayer-funded grants is getting attention across the state, with a story in the Morning-Call, and…

Media

Read More: Make Cardboard Checks Vanish

Taxes & Economy

Turnpike Lease Bids Due April 30

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 17, 2008

Governor Rendell has announced that bids for leasing the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be due at or near the end of April. He also announced many of the terms…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Candidate Surveys

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 16, 2008

Here are some candidate surveys for state legislative candidates: PA Right to Work Stop Teacher Strikes Democracy Rising Project Vote Smart…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Taxpayer Cost of Family Fragmentation

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 16, 2008

A new report on the taxpayer cost of family breakdown (i.e. divorce and family breakdown), putting the cost to PA taxpayers at over $2 billion annually. Click…

Media

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State Budget

Time for a Spending Diet

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 15, 2008

As Pennsylvania taxpayers breath a collective sigh of relief after completing their 2007 tax returns, another tax day is looming. But this is a day to celebrate. It’s Tax Freedom…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

What are “purely conservative principles”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 15, 2008

Michael Smerconish comments on the “blueing” of the Philadelphia suburbs (HT: Grassroots PA). Smerconish dismisses the idea that residents are fleeing Philadelphia for the suburbs, noting that…

Media

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Health Care

“Stupid Hicks” Oppose Big Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 15, 2008

I wasn’t going to post anything on Barack Obama’s comments about people “clinging” to guns and religion, until Philadelphia Daily News columnist John Baer offered his Obama can…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

‘Government cannot spend its way out of a recession’

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 14, 2008

Tony Phyrillas summarizes the House Republicans’ tax reduction package unveiled today. The legislation includes:· Implementing Compete PA business tax relief, which includes removing the cap on net…

Media

Read More: ‘Government cannot spend its way out of a recession’

State Budget

Bringing home the bacon gets a slap in the face

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 13, 2008

The York Daily Record has an article on state lawmakers and administration officials’ penchant for posing with cardboard checks – i.e. “Ed McMahon syndrome” – prompted by Senator…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

10 Businesses Facing Extinction in 10 Years

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 12, 2008

Entrepreneur.com has an intriguing article on businesses facing extinction (HT Carpe Diem). Some of the selections are obvious, and have already seen major declines (pay phones, camera film…

Media

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Regulation

Benevolence of the Trucker

  • April 10, 2008

Land Line Magazine’s coverage of the Public-Private Partnership (P3) forum that I moderated on Monday ran with the headline, “Panelists say profit motivates infrastructure investment.” (As an aside,…

Media

Read More: Benevolence of the Trucker