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.
Government Accountability
Mickey Goes to Washington
Washington Post article on Walt Disney and other lobbyists pushing for taxpayer subsidies for tourism. If you don’t want to know how the sausage is made, don’t read this…
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State’s economy, budget are at odds
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review question the Rendell administration’s glorious reviews of the state’s economy. The size of the state’s economy grew about 20 percent from 1997 to 2006, but…
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JFK gives Rendell advice on “economic stimulus”
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Is Rendell’s rebate legal?
John Micek in the Morning Call raises some key issues as to Governor Rendell’s proposed “rebate” for low-income Pennsylvanians. First, that the using the Budget Stabilization Reserve (or “Rainy…
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Ethanol: Another dose of snake oil?
Another article, from the Star-Tribune, on the hype of ethanol, which summarizes the issue pretty well: 1)Ethanol results in more carbon emissions – “By clearing forests and grasslands…
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Federal “Stimulus” Rebate Calculator
Here is a tool to calculate for federal rebate under the federal “stimulus” package, courtesy of Consumerism Commentary Blog. (You will need to have or know your 2007 federal…
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Read More: Federal “Stimulus” Rebate CalculatorState Budget
Borrowing in 2008-09 Budget
Below is some more analysis of the proposed borrowing in Governor Rendell’s proposed budget – $2.6 billion in debt will be issued in 2008-09. (More on PA’s Total Debt…
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‘Stimulus’ Nonsense
Arthur Laffer in the Wall Street Journal on the Stimulus Nonsense of robbing Peter to pay Paul: All of the stimulative effects of the rebate to the recipients…
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States of Opportunity
Wall Street Journal on the net domestic migration from high-tax to low-tax states.
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The “Cost of the Uninsured”
Many proposals for “universal health care”, including RendellCare, claim that there will be savings by eliminating what everyone pays on “costs for the uninsured”, or uncompensated care.But a new…
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Consumption of the Rich and Poor
Interesting analysis in the New York Times of consumption by income category (for a quick summary, click on the chart): If we look at consumption per person,…
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Court strikes down EPA’s emissions rule
A federal court struck down the federal EPA’s emissions rule in a lawsuit partially funded by Pennsylvania Taxpayers. My understanding of the ruling – and feel free to correct…
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Living Large
ReasonTV video with Drew Carey on America’s middle class.
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Study: Ethanol may add to global warming
Another study finds that ethanol and biofuels are not “green” and will only increase greenhouse gasses: The study said that after taking into account expected worldwide land-use changes,…
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Read More: Study: Ethanol may add to global warmingHealth Care
Health Insurance Mandate Update
Wall Street Journal op-ed by CAHI researchers on the cost of the 1,961 health insurance mandates. A health-insurance “mandate” is a legislative requirement that an insurance company or…
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Federal Stimulus=$300K per job
The Heritage Foundation Foundry Blog sums up the “economic stimulus” package just passed by the US Senate. OMB Director Jim Nussle (advocating in favor of the stimulus package),…
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Proposed PA Budget Details
For all the budget watchers and number-crunchers out there, here are some additional budget resources: Spreadsheet with all the line items from the proposed General Fund Budget (Microsoft Excel…
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Is Rendell Nuts?
Pennsylvania governor confuses taxpayers with leprechauns HARRISBURG, PA — In Gov. Ed Rendell’s FY 2008-09 budget address, he called for higher and new taxes that, if passed by the…
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Video from Budget Biopsy Luncheon
Watch Below or here…
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Are You Nuts Governor?
Governor Ed Rendell goes ballistic on KDKA reporter Jon Delano, asking “Are you nuts, Jon? Are you nuts?” (watch the incredible Video Clip) Delano’s sanity is in question…
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Change in plan to cut tax angers Pa. business owners
Governor Rendell’s budget calls for another slowdown of the Corporate Stock and Franchise Tax phaseout. While this isn’t technically a tax increase – rather represents less of a reduction…
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