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
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…
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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 TripHealth Care
How free is PA’s health care market?
The Pacific Research Institute released their U.S. Index of Health Ownership, 2008 last week (full report in PDF). The report ranks states’ health care markets and regulations based…
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Read More: How free is PA’s health care market?Taxes & Economy
Five Ways to Wreck a Recovery
Amity Shlaes offers lessons from Hoover and FDR on how to extend a recession and make it worse (hint: do the opposite): 1) Give in to protectionism2) Blame…
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How do you spell relief?
Yesterday the Public Utility Commission released electric price estimates comparing current market prices to current capped rates and highlighting six strategies for mitigating the high cost of electricity. In…
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Read More: How do you spell relief?Taxes & Economy
High Corporate Taxes Hinder Growth
An article in the Wall Street Journal today underscores the issue of high corporate tax rates in Pennsylvania. It also discusses the impact of corporate tax rates on…
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Read More: High Corporate Taxes Hinder GrowthTaxes & Economy
Mack Trucks bolts to Right to Work state
Mack Trucks is headed south ”to improve our profitability and competitiveness,” said president and CEO Dennis R. Slagle. Although the Allentown Morning Call story doesn’t mention the fact that…
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Read More: Mack Trucks bolts to Right to Work stateTaxes & Economy
I-80 plan relies on traffic growth, while drivers are driving less
Congressman Peterson, the lead critic of tolling I-80, makes an astute observation: the Turnpike Commission’s financial model relies on I-80 traffic growing 2.5% annually. Yet a recent…
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Read More: I-80 plan relies on traffic growth, while drivers are driving lessTaxes & Economy
Silly Senator, Corn is for Food!
ReasonTV video looks at the ethanol craze: Ethanol, especially the corn-based variety, is bad for taxpayers, bad for consumers, bad for the environment, and horrible for the world’s…
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Read More: Silly Senator, Corn is for Food!