Education
Lawmakers can ease financial worries of Pennsylvanians
Originally published at LNP The struggle is real. When asked about their families’ financial situation, only 17% of Pennsylvanians see themselves as better off now than two years ago,…
Read More: Lawmakers can ease financial worries of PennsylvaniansHigh 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
Bailout Fails
In case you missed it, the vote on the bailout failed. GrassrootsPA has the PA Delegation Bailout Vote. The Club for Growth blog has a lot more on…
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Property Taxes by State and by County
The Tax Foundation has a new analysis of property taxes by state and by county. The state data shows that Pennsylvania ranks 15th in median property taxes ($2,159),…
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No immediate fiscal crisis?
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports on the drop in transportation funding due to the rejection of the Turnpike Commission’s I-80 tolling plan. Under Act 44, the Turnpike Commission will borrow…
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Read More: No immediate fiscal crisis?Taxes & Economy
Bailout Updates
Bill Text Side-by-Side Comparisons CNN Summary Sales Pitch Summary Boehner’s Sales Pitch Bush’s Sales Pitch WSJ Summary Rep. Mike Pence: “Republicans…
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Will rejectors regret inaction on turnpike?
Morning Call editorial blasts lawmakers for failing to even consider a lease deal: Once again, the small-idea, under-achieving Pennsylvania Legislature has let down the people they serve. The…
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Read More: Will rejectors regret inaction on turnpike?Taxes & Economy
The case Barlett hasn’t made
Bruce Bartlett attempts to justify the bailout (“The case Bush hasn’t made”) by explaining that the financial sector is different than other sectors, that a collapse in the financial…
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Read More: The case Barlett hasn’t madeTaxes & Economy
Bailout Bandwagon – The Rendell Plan
As hope for the proposed Turnpike Lease dwindles, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is asking Congress to add $100 billion in transportation money to the $700 billion bailout deal.
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Read More: Bailout Bandwagon – The Rendell PlanTaxes & Economy
Free Market Alternatives to the Bailout
Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth hosted a conference a call to discuss the economics of the proposed bailout. Toomey commented that the financial market does not seem…
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Read More: Free Market Alternatives to the BailoutTaxes & Economy
$12.8B lease opportunity is all but lost
The opportunity to plug a massive transportation funding gap will be lost because of legislative inaction. Although Gov. Rendell plans to try to revive the turnpike lease in 2009, one…
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Read More: $12.8B lease opportunity is all but lostTaxes & Economy
Turnpike Lease Bid expiring – what now?
With the Turnpike lease bid expiring – and indications are there will be no extension of the $12.8 billion bid – both Governor Rendell and some lawmakers have…
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Read More: Turnpike Lease Bid expiring – what now?Taxes & Economy
Legislators should do their jobs
The Altoona Mirror takes legislative leaders to task for failing to do their jobs: Senate Republican leaders – President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati and Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi…
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Read More: Legislators should do their jobsTaxes & Economy
Transportation funding options
The Derrick in Clarion provides a good synopsis of Matt Brouillette’s presentation on Pennsylvania’s transportation funding situation. What isn’t covered in the article was the discussion about the other…
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Read More: Transportation funding optionsTaxes & Economy
Competition Encourages Utilities to Help Consumers
Yesterday, Met-ed and Penelec filed their own pre-payment plan with the PUC. The proposal is similar to PPL’s recently launched effort to mitigate the expected jump in electricity prices…
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Read More: Competition Encourages Utilities to Help ConsumersGovernment Accountability
Talking Free Markets with Karl Rove
I had the chance to hear Karl Rove speak at a conference hosted by Hillsdale College on “Economics and the 2008 Election.” Rove had some interesting things to say:…
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Read More: Talking Free Markets with Karl RovePublic Union Democracy
The “Disability Epidemic” Among Union Employees
If you don’t want to get angry after reading these first couple of paragraphs of this New York Times story, then don’t click through here: To understand what it’s…
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Read More: The “Disability Epidemic” Among Union EmployeesTaxes & Economy
“Crisis of subsidization and intervention”
The Washington Post got the perspective of the Cato Institute on the $700B+ federal bailout: “The biggest emotion we’re feeling right now is frustration that the media narrative is…
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Read More: “Crisis of subsidization and intervention”Health Care
PA Senate passes “slacker mandate”
The Pennsylvania Senate today passed by a 50-0 vote a “slacker mandate,” (SB 1453) requiring insurance companies to cover single, childless children of policy holders (at the policy holder’s…
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Read More: PA Senate passes “slacker mandate”Taxes & Economy
Offshore drilling ban to expire
Democrats to let offshore drilling ban expire; the American Future Fund has the details.This means that beginning October 1, companies can begin drilling in the areas highlighted…
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Illegal Immigration in Pennsylvania
Yesterday, Rep. Metcalfe held a press conference promoting the National Security Starts at Home reform package. The bills would make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to live and…
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Read More: Illegal Immigration in PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Upwardly Mobile America?
Good article in The American Magazine on income growth and mobility in America. If you’re like me, you can skim the text and just read the charts.
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Read More: Upwardly Mobile America?Taxes & Economy
Did Dwight Schrute write Paulson’s speech before Congress?
Was Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s speech before Congress plagiarized? It sounds a lot like this clip from The Office. Here is Dwight’s presentation, with Paulson’s edits: This…
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