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
What to do with Fannie and Freddie
While President Bush and Congress are debating a bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (properly the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, which…
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Read More: What to do with Fannie and FreddieEducation
PHEAA Must Phace the Phacts.
The Board of Directors of PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Association) too umbrage with our highlighting that government agency’s misuse and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Our response is…
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Read More: PHEAA Must Phace the Phacts.Regulation
Lottery Dollars ARE Tax Dollars!
PA Secretary of Revenue Tom Wolf recently wrote to the Commonwealth Foundation about a mailing we sent out to members of the General Assembly highlighting the inappropriate use…
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Read More: Lottery Dollars ARE Tax Dollars!Regulation
Steelers and the Death Tax (and stadium subsidies)
Wall Street Journal article on how the estate tax may force the Rooney’s to sell the Steelers (not to mention other family owned sports teams, newspapers, and even…
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Read More: Steelers and the Death Tax (and stadium subsidies)Regulation
How much do you work for Government?
Americans for Tax Reform has released their 2008 Cost of Government Report today, which happens to be Cost of Government day for the US. Their report is broader than…
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Read More: How much do you work for Government?Taxes & Economy
Pennsylvania shouldn’t turn I-80 into state’s cash cow
Vindy.com has an editorial against I-80 tolling, noting The state pledges to spend nearly $200 million more on maintenance than it is spending now, But revenue from…
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Read More: Pennsylvania shouldn’t turn I-80 into state’s cash cowTaxes & Economy
Most I-80 toll revenue to be diverted from I-80
Though the Turnpike Commission unveiled their plan for capital improvements on I-80 (if they get approval to toll it), it remains the case that most of the revenue…
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Read More: Most I-80 toll revenue to be diverted from I-80Taxes & Economy
Bush: Drill Now
President Bush will repeal the executive order banning offshore drilling. Of course, the executive order was superseded by a law banning offshore drilling, which Congress will have to…
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Read More: Bush: Drill NowPublic Union Democracy
Port Authority Labor Negotiations Online
The Pittsburgh Port Authority has a website detailing the sticking points of the labor negotiation with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85. I think the lesson to be…
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Read More: Port Authority Labor Negotiations OnlineTaxes & Economy
PA Gets Mediocre Grade on Economic Freedom
Not suprisingly, given other state rankings, Pennsylvania gets a mediocre grade on the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of North America report for 2008. PA ranks tied for 26th…
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Read More: PA Gets Mediocre Grade on Economic FreedomTaxes & Economy
Philly population declines – only New Orleans loses more residents
A Philadelphia Inquirer article looks at Philadelphia’s population decline from 2000-2007, in which the city lost 68,000 residents (continuing a downward trend). The Post-Gazette has a related article…
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Read More: Philly population declines – only New Orleans loses more residentsState Budget
Kanjorski Earmark Denied
The US Department of Transportation is refusing to fund an earmark put in place by Rep. Kanjorski. The earmark was intended to fund a parking garage near Kanjorski’s monument…
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Read More: Kanjorski Earmark DeniedTaxes & Economy
Family friendly reforms
The NCPA has a new Brief Analysis highlighting “Five Family Friendly Policies” -l abor, tax, and health care reforms providing greater freedom, flexibility, and portablity for workers and employers.
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Read More: Family friendly reformsHealth Care
Is “universal health care” a religion?
Michael Cannon pulls a troubling quote from an advocate of SCHIP expansion, who admits his support is based on faith, not evidence. Of course Cannon is a well-known…
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Read More: Is “universal health care” a religion?Education
School boards have no control over teacher salaries?
Tony Phyrillas laughs at school board members complaining about not having control over things like teacher salaries – you know, the salaries school boards establish (typically through labor contracts)…
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Read More: School boards have no control over teacher salaries?Taxes & Economy
Steelers for sale?
In what may be a shock to Pittsburgh Steelers fans, the Wall Street Journal reports the Rooney family may be looking to sell the team (also see Tribune Review article).
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Read More: Steelers for sale?State Budget
Gambling in PA … with a $28 billion budget
No one can say we didn’t warn lawmakers that their 4.06% increase in spending for the 2008-09 fiscal year was not fiscally prudent. The AP reports that Rendell,…
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Read More: Gambling in PA … with a $28 billion budgetTaxes & Economy
Impeach JFK
Evergreen Freedom Foundation blog highlights the NEA convention adopting a resolution stating The National Education Association believes that any president who starts a war with another country without a…
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Read More: Impeach JFKTaxes & Economy
Silent Cal Speaks Loudly
The Wall Street Journal’s Notable & Quotable provides us with some nuggets from Calvin Coolidge’s marking of the 150th anniversary of the Delcaration of Independence. Coolidge gave us some…
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Read More: Silent Cal Speaks LoudlyGovernment Accountability
What can we cut?
An anonymous poster to GrassrootsPA defends the recently enacted state budget against criticism from the Commonwealth Foundation, along with that in other comments. The budget…
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Read More: What can we cut?Taxes & Economy
We hold these truths to be self evident
Independence Day video from the Evergreen Freedom Foundation…
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Read More: We hold these truths to be self evident