State Budget
Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax Reform
Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Today is Tax Day. Each year, April 15th reminds us of the costliness of government spending – and why lawmakers must reduce this financial burden on…
Read More: Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax ReformHigh taxes make for a slow-growing economy. And communities feel the pinch of high taxes as more and more native Pennsylvanians leave the Keystone State to prosper elsewhere. To remain economically competitive, Pennsylvania must lower state taxes and ensure businesses have the opportunity to succeed. Lower taxes will incentivize more individuals to call Pennsylvania their home, ultimately spurring our statewide economy forward.
Taxes & Economy
Turnpike Drama Continues
Turnpike Officials have admitted that a grand jury has been investigating the commission for at least five months. Although this investigation is separate from the shady dealings surrounding the Valley…
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Read More: Turnpike Drama ContinuesTaxes & Economy
How Valuable is I-80 Tolling?
When the Federal Highway Administration rejected the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s proposal to toll I-80, one of the numerous reasons was there had been no…
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Read More: How Valuable is I-80 Tolling?State Budget
Spending Limits: Not Special Exemptions
Yesterday, Republican state Rep. Sam Rohrer of Berks County introduced legislation to help local governments cope with declining revenues, ever-increasing amounts of regulation and new programs from…
Media
Read More: Spending Limits: Not Special ExemptionsCriminal Justice Reform
Mandatory Minimum Sentences Increase Costs
A study by the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing found that mandatory minimum sentences increase the cost of the corrections system without decreasing crime. Corrections costs are already a major…
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Read More: Mandatory Minimum Sentences Increase CostsTaxes & Economy
Taxpayers Flee High Tax States
Our friends at the Empire Center for New York State Policy has a new report on the “exodus” of residents from New York to other states. The report is…
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Read More: Taxpayers Flee High Tax StatesTaxes & Economy
How Scary is Global Warming?
Recent empirical data indicates global warming is not the imminent crisis some make it out to be. Christopher Monckton highlights recent trends which buck the U.N. projections. Of particular…
Media
Read More: How Scary is Global Warming?Regulation
$80 Million from Stimulus for Norfolk Southern Freight Rail in PA
With only 25% of the $787 billion dollar federal stimulus package spent thus far, the remaining $593 billion has many states coming to the table for a piece of…
Media
Read More: $80 Million from Stimulus for Norfolk Southern Freight Rail in PAHealth Care
Is Mackey Wacky?
In August, John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, penned a Wall Street Journal piece outlining his ideas for health care reform – these include equalizing the tax code, interstate…
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Read More: Is Mackey Wacky?Taxes & Economy
Coburn vs. Levy on Funding Political Science
In the American, Philip Levy of the American Enterprise Institute defends federal funding of political science research against charges that it represents wasteful spending from Sen. Tom Coburn. As…
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Read More: Coburn vs. Levy on Funding Political ScienceTaxes & Economy
Time to Eat the Dog
According to a book by Brenda and Robert Vale; dogs equivalent to the size of German Shepherds have the same “carbon footprint” as a typical SUV driving 10,000 miles/year. “A lot of…
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Read More: Time to Eat the DogHealth Care
Government Health Care Still Kills
A couple of PA state legislators have recently cited a recent Harvard study to make the claim that thousands “are dying because of a lack of insurance”…
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Read More: Government Health Care Still KillsTaxes & Economy
Yet Another Rendell No-Bid Contract
Just as it seemed the dust was settling in the fight to lease state land for shale exploration, recent closed-door meetings (Capitolwire, subscription needed) conducted by the Rendell Administration…
Media
Read More: Yet Another Rendell No-Bid ContractState Budget
Yes, We Really Do Mistrust Lawmakers
Gerald Prante of the Tax Foundation raises a philosophical question about state spending limits. Namely he wonders, if we don’t trust how legislators spend money now – a…
Media
Read More: Yes, We Really Do Mistrust LawmakersGovernment Accountability
Auditor General Says No-Bid Contracts are Costing State Taxpayers
Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner issued a scathing rebuke of the Rendell administration’s use of no-bid contracts, specifically in relation to over a half-billion dollars given to Deloitte for…
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Read More: Auditor General Says No-Bid Contracts are Costing State TaxpayersTaxes & Economy
ACORN Sting in Philadelphia
BigGovernment.com has released their video from Philadelphia’s ACORN office from July 24. As in other videos, ACORN Philadelphia provided advice to the fake pimp and prostitute for what sort…
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Read More: ACORN Sting in PhiladelphiaState Budget
PA Business Survey: Bad Budget Deal
The Lincoln Institute released its Fall Business Climate Survey for Pennsylvania (mostly surveying small business owners). Click here for results and here for a summary of findings. Not…
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Read More: PA Business Survey: Bad Budget DealHealth Care
Guide to National Health Care Reform Proposals
President Obama has pushed national health care reform, making it a priority. While there is no official "Obama plan," and several different proposal in Congress, the leading proposals have several…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Guide to National Health Care Reform ProposalsGovernment Accountability
Why Tort Reform is Ignored in the Health Care Debate
The discussion surrounding tort reform is often subdued when talking about health care costs. Trial lawyers, like the American Association for Justice, claim that undermine litigation costs as a part…
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Read More: Why Tort Reform is Ignored in the Health Care DebateTaxes & Economy
Map of State and Local Sales Tax Rates
The Tax Foundation has a new map showing sales tax rates by state – including both the state rate and the average local rate. With the local included, Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Map of State and Local Sales Tax RatesHealth Care
Health Care “Facts” Disputed
Michael Cannon and Ramesh Ponnuru have an editorial challenging the assertions of Obama on health care. The article came out a few weeks ago, and specifically cites claims made…
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Read More: Health Care “Facts” DisputedTaxes & Economy
Job Losses in Pennsylvania Counties
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released data on county employment and wages today. It is a little dated (March 2009) relative to national data, but does offer a profile…
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Read More: Job Losses in Pennsylvania Counties