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.
Taxes & Economy
Can the Feds Save the Housing Market?
He is a good read from The Freeman offering a primer on how the US housing market came to be in such bad shape, and why federal bailouts is…
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Read More: Can the Feds Save the Housing Market?Taxes & Economy
PA ranks low among US and Canadian Labor Markets
For Labor Day, the Fraser Institute has a new report on state and Canadian provinces labor markets. It may stun some in the Rendell administration, but not…
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Read More: PA ranks low among US and Canadian Labor MarketsHealth Care
Conservatives should care about health care
Philip Klein has a must read article about why conservatives should care about health in the The American Spectator. He makes the case that it is not enough to…
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Read More: Conservatives should care about health careGovernment Accountability
BonusGate update and questions
The Democracy Rising PA Newsletter raises some interesting points about a pronouncement by Attorney General Tom Corbett that he wouldn’t make announcements about indictments leading up to Nov.
Media
Read More: BonusGate update and questionsTaxes & Economy
Indiana newspaper reflects on toll road lease
Editorial from The Indianapolis Star citing Pennsylvania’s consideration of leasing the Turnpike. Here’s the last five paragraphs with some of [OUR COMMENTARY] included: Indiana’s lease has enabled…
Media
Read More: Indiana newspaper reflects on toll road leaseTaxes & Economy
Media Coverage of the Turnpike Family Tree
Here is a roundup of news coverage of our Turnpike Family Treeand video: Mark Scolforo has the AP Story, with a retort from Joe Brimmeier:…
Media
Read More: Media Coverage of the Turnpike Family TreeTaxes & Economy
Turnpike Commission to owe $30 to $70 billion after Act 44
In our news release and media briefing yesterday, highlighting the patronage, power, and politics at the Turnpike Commission, we mention the exorbitant amount of debt the Turnpike Commission…
Media
Read More: Turnpike Commission to owe $30 to $70 billion after Act 44Taxes & Economy
Why the Turnpike Commission Can’t Respond
With the release of the Turnpike Commission Family Tree video and poster at TurnpikeFacts.com, PTC CEO Joe Brimmeier doesn’t have much of a response. We figure he…
Media
Read More: Why the Turnpike Commission Can’t RespondState Budget
Most Pennsylvania Congressmen fail rating of pork votes
The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste released their 2007 Congressional ratings, ranking members on their votes on pork-barrel spending. Among the Pennsylvania delegation, only Joe Pitts scores above…
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Read More: Most Pennsylvania Congressmen fail rating of pork votesTaxes & Economy
Indiana has benefited from toll road lease
An anonymous comment on a recent post accused me of not mentioning the Indiana Toll Road deal because it was “not so good, a bad move”. Of course, we…
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Read More: Indiana has benefited from toll road leaseTaxes & Economy
Does the public control the Turnpike?
TOLLROADSnews.com comments on the Wall Street Journal frontpage article on the PA Turnpike lease. But it’s the last couple of paragraphs that smash yet another Turnpike Commission myth…
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Read More: Does the public control the Turnpike?Taxes & Economy
How Do You Define “American-Made”?
Mark Perry poses the question about how you define “American-made” cars. Does it depend on where the car was assembled? Where the corporate headquarters is? What percentage of the…
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Read More: How Do You Define “American-Made”?Taxes & Economy
Pennsylvania could become policy innovator with turnpike lease
The Wall Street Journal had a fairly lengthy cover story on the proposal to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Among the points addressed 1) Other states are looking to PA…
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Read More: Pennsylvania could become policy innovator with turnpike leaseTaxes & Economy
Even The Mere Threat Of Drilling Will Bring Down The Price Of Oil
Don Chance has an editorial on IBDeditorials.com on how drilling now – or even threatening to – will reduce price of oil immediately. Essentially it encourages those storing oil…
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Read More: Even The Mere Threat Of Drilling Will Bring Down The Price Of OilState Budget
He’s not Santa Claus
The Herald Standard has an editorial about all of Governor Rendell’s taxpayer-funded “gifts” to Pennsylvania. While they don’t claim that any of these expenditures are misguided (though we pull…
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Read More: He’s not Santa ClausGovernment Accountability
Turnpike chairman Rubin under fire as “ghost employee” of federal defendant Fumo
TOLLROADSnews, the toll road industry’s news website, highlights the connections between the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and Sen. Vince Fumo’s upcoming federal trial. We’re still scratching our heads as to…
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Read More: Turnpike chairman Rubin under fire as “ghost employee” of federal defendant FumoTaxes & Economy
Toll on integrity: The turnpike chairman owes the public an answer
Finally! We were beginning to wonder if anybody is paying attention to the role of the Turnpike Commission’s Chairman in Sen. Fumo’s 139-count federal indictment. Although the Turnpike Commission claims…
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Read More: Toll on integrity: The turnpike chairman owes the public an answerRegulation
Rendell: “Pennsylvania’s economy is awesome, thanks to me”
Hat Tip to Tony Phryillas for this story I almost missed – Governor Rendell attacked the Allegheny Institute for pointing out that Pennsylvania’s exorbitant economic development spending…
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Read More: Rendell: “Pennsylvania’s economy is awesome, thanks to me”Taxes & Economy
In praise of compromise
The May edition of The Freeman has a creat commentary on Compromise, Principles, and Politics. Essentially the piece makes the point that “compromise” (or “bipartisanship”) in politics is akin to…
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Read More: In praise of compromiseTaxes & Economy
Tax Foundation’s CompeteUSA has great info on business taxes
The Tax Foundation launched a new website, CompeteUSA, that has a lot of fact about corporate taxes in the US (including that PA has the 2nd highest combined…
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Read More: Tax Foundation’s CompeteUSA has great info on business taxesEducation
“Free” School Trip
The Times-Tribune ran a story on yet another instance of school officials using tax dollars for everything but educating students. The Mid Valley School District sent some of its…
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Read More: “Free” School Trip