Prosperity
New Year, New Taxes in Pennsylvania
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania The new year is always a great opportunity to shed vices like smoking and binge eating. For state and local lawmakers, their guilty pleasure tends…
Read More: New Year, New Taxes in PennsylvaniaHigh 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.
Regulation
Those who do not learn from history …
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
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
Read More: Rendell to layoff workers, keep rewarding alliesTaxes & Economy
Read the Stimulus
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 StimulusTaxes & Economy
Trucker’s Words of Wisdom on Taxes
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 TaxesRegulation
Boscovs Bailout is Bad for Business
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
Read More: Boscovs Bailout is Bad for BusinessTaxes & Economy
Some Stimulating Reading
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
Read More: Some Stimulating ReadingTaxes & Economy
Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?
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
Read More: Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?Taxes & Economy
Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?
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
Read More: Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?Taxes & Economy
New $95,000 job created for ousted PA lawmaker – during hiring freeze
Despite a state hiring freeze, and an $814 million revenue shortfall, Governor Rendell has created a new position – paying $95,002 annually – for former state representative…
Media
Read More: New $95,000 job created for ousted PA lawmaker – during hiring freezeTaxes & Economy
Stimu-less
Lots of good explanation of why a federal “economic stimulus” is likely to fail. The Heritage Foundation has the “Do’s and Don’ts of an Economic Stimulus” – unfortunately all…
Media
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We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?
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
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 CareTaxes & Economy
Movin’ Out of Pennsylvania in 2008
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
Read More: Movin’ Out of Pennsylvania in 2008Taxes & Economy
More on the Porn Bailout
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 BailoutState Budget
Rendell, Legislature have left a fiscal mess in Pennsylvania
Tony Phyrillas has an excellent editorial on the state budget deficit and the history of recent overspending by Governor Rendell and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Media
Read More: Rendell, Legislature have left a fiscal mess in PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Bailout for the Porn Industry?
I knew this was coming: Porn industry seeks federal bailout. The Internet and globalization have hit Penthouse and Girls Gone Wild Pretty brands…
Media
Read More: Bailout for the Porn Industry?Taxes & Economy
Talking economics
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
Read More: Talking economicsTaxes & Economy
Economists against a “stimulus”
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
Read More: Economists against a “stimulus”Education
Film: A Stone’s Throw
Our sister think tank, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, recently released “A Stone’s Throw.” The film documents the frustrations of parents in Mississippi–a state notorious for its low…
Media
Read More: Film: A Stone’s ThrowGovernment Accountability
Another $1 million spent to defend lawmakers in “Bonusgate”
As new legislators are coming to Harrisburg to be sworn in, Brad Bumsted reports that the Pennsylvania Senate Republicans have spent $1 million in legal fees (despite the number…
Media
Read More: Another $1 million spent to defend lawmakers in “Bonusgate”Regulation
Downsize the Federal Government
Cato Institute video on “Downsizing the Federal Government” starting with the US Department of Agriculture. If, like me, you thought that the Dept. of Agriculture was a relatively small…
Media
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