High 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

A bailout of the states rewards fiscal recklessness

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 26, 2009

The Wall Street Journal has a great article and graph (to the right) on how states have overspent, and are certainly not in need of a bailout from…

Media

Read More: A bailout of the states rewards fiscal recklessness

Taxes & Economy

Ode to Taxpayers’ Cars

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 25, 2009

The Auditor General recently release a new report on state-owned cars. Unless you are enjoying a taxpayer-owned Mercedes, this report won’t make you happy. The report mentions early and…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Royal Bank of Scotland to Sell Electricity in PA

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 23, 2009

The Tribune-Review reports The Royal Bank of Scotland is awaiting permission from the PUC to sell electricity to commercial and industrial customers across Pennsylvania. The change would give Pittsburgh…

Media

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Regulation

Those who do not learn from history …

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 23, 2009

Deb Erdley has an article in the Tribune Review about the increasing taxpayer cost for the Pittsburgh Penguins arena, as well as details on the $1.5 billion in borrowed…

Media

Read More: Those who do not learn from history …

State Budget

Rendell to layoff workers, keep rewarding allies

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 22, 2009

Governor Rendell today announced that he projects Pennsylvania’s revenue shortfall to reach $2.3 billion, updated from $1.6 billion a month ago and $1.9 billion a week ago, suggesting their…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Read the Stimulus

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 21, 2009

ReadtheStimulus.org is a new website put together by the Heritage Foundation, NTU, CAGW, and more, which encourages members of Congress to read the bill before voting on it, and…

Media

Read More: Read the Stimulus

Taxes & Economy

Trucker’s Words of Wisdom on Taxes

  • January 20, 2009

A spokeswoman for House Democratic Appropriations Chairman Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia) said to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that a tax increase “is the last place we should go, but at this…

Media

Read More: Trucker’s Words of Wisdom on Taxes

Regulation

Boscovs Bailout is Bad for Business

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 19, 2009

With bailout mania sweeping the nation, it is hardly a surprise to see the struggling Boscov’s department store with its hand out.  But the current proposal to give Boscov's $35…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Some Stimulating Reading

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 16, 2009

Here are some quick reads about the proposed federal “Economic Stimulus” package Heritage has 10 Questions about the Economic Stimulus Bill Amanda Carpenter summarizes the 13-page official summary…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 15, 2009

Who is to blame for the current economic predicament? We answered this question many months ago, but a new poll highlighted on the New York Times Economix Blog…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 14, 2009

Free Market Politics with no words (or 6,000 if you think a picture is worth a thousand words) debunks the oft-stated rhetoric that we are facing the “worst economic…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Stimu-less

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 13, 2009

Lots of good explanation of why a federal “economic stimulus” is likely to fail. The Heritage Foundation has the “Do’s and Don’ts of an Economic Stimulus” – unfortunately all…

Media

Read More: Stimu-less

Taxes & Economy

We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 12, 2009

Suppose you were faced with a major revenue shorfall and had to prioritize spending. Would you: 1) Give employees their promised raises or2) Produce a website/video…

Media

Read More: We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?

Health Care

What Medicaid Tells Us About Government Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 12, 2009

In the Wall Street Journal, Scott Gottlieb notes the poor performance of Medicaid, and wonders why President-elect Obama (or Governor Rendell) would want to expand on such a…

Media

Read More: What Medicaid Tells Us About Government Health Care

Taxes & Economy

Movin’ Out of Pennsylvania in 2008

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 9, 2009

United Van Lines has released their 2008 migration study, detailing shipments into and out of each state. Pennsylvania saw 58% of movement leaving the state, ranking as the…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

More on the Porn Bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2009

As mentioned here yesterday, the Porn Industry (led by Hustler’s Larry Flynt and Girl’s Gone Wild‘s Joe Francis) is seeking a federal bailout.  I’m not sure if they are…

Media

Read More: More on the Porn Bailout

Taxes & Economy

Bailout for the Porn Industry?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 7, 2009

I knew this was coming: Porn industry seeks federal bailout.  The Internet and globalization have hit Penthouse and Girls Gone Wild Pretty brands…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Talking economics

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 7, 2009

The podcast from yesterday’s Pittsburgh Renaissance Radio with Matt Brouillette features discussion of a federal bailout of the states, “economic stimulus”, and Pennsylvania’s budget crunch. Full Program…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Economists against a “stimulus”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 7, 2009

Even though the Obama administration claims all economists recognize the inherent brilliance of a proposed economic stimulus (which includes a bailout of the states, “infrastructure” spend, and “rebate” checks…

Media

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