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
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…
Media
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…
Media
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…
Media
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:…
Media
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…
Media
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…
Media
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…
Media
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…
Media
Read More: Offshore drilling ban to expireTaxes & Economy
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…
Media
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.
Media
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…
Media
Read More: Did Dwight Schrute write Paulson’s speech before Congress?Regulation
Financial “crisis” a failure of government
While some pundits and media, such as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, point to the proposed bailout as demonstration of the failure of the free market, in fact it is a…
Media
Read More: Financial “crisis” a failure of governmentTaxes & Economy
Post-Gazette defends mass transit monopolies
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a nonsensical editorial opposing Mike Turzai and Mike Mustio’s legislation which would allow competition in mass transit in Pittsburgh. Currently the Port Authority of Allegheny…
Media
Read More: Post-Gazette defends mass transit monopoliesTaxes & Economy
Delay on Turnpike Lease Is Bad Policy
Commonwealth Foundation Urges Action on Lease Legislation HARRISBURG, PA—Today, the Commonwealth Foundation called on the Pennsylvania legislature to consider Turnpike lease legislation before the end of the current legislative session. …
Press Release
Read More: Delay on Turnpike Lease Is Bad PolicyTaxes & Economy
More on the Proposed Bailout
More responses and info about the proposed federal bailout: Club for Growth Condemns Federal Bailout Reason: Assessing the $700 billion bailout NTU: Taxpayers are Sick…
Media
Read More: More on the Proposed BailoutTaxes & Economy
“Leasing Turnpike Jeopardizes Safety”
… so said a commentary distributed by the Susquehanna Valley Center (see below). Either they didn’t bother to read the lease agreement or they are intentionally trying to mislead the…
Media
Read More: “Leasing Turnpike Jeopardizes Safety”State Budget
Check out Pork Parade
Congressman Jeff Flake has a new website to expose Pork from Washington. To contribute to the discussion, you can twitter with the code #pork. Twitter users can also…
Media
Read More: Check out Pork ParadeTaxes & Economy
Rendell not to blame for sagging PA economy
The lastest state job numbers indicate that Pennsylvania has 100,000 more unemployed persons that one year ago. Yet, Governor Rendell announces that this is due to national trends -his…
Media
Read More: Rendell not to blame for sagging PA economyTaxes & Economy
Thoughts on the bailout plan
Heritage Foundation has a Webmemo on the federal plans to bail out the mortgage market, along with a list of recommendations. You can get the legislation…
Media
Read More: Thoughts on the bailout planTaxes & Economy
Indiana Toll Road private operator eliminates tolls to help in flood
Despite not being required to by the lease agreement, the private operator of the Indiana Toll Road — an “evil foreign” consortium of Spanish and Australian companies — suspended the…
Media
Read More: Indiana Toll Road private operator eliminates tolls to help in floodTaxes & Economy
Gas tax increase coming instead of Turnpike lease?
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says Rendell is looking at a gas tax increase in light of the refusal of legislative leaders to consider the lease. “To make up the shortfall, we’re…
Media
Read More: Gas tax increase coming instead of Turnpike lease?