Media

Education

PSEA Behind Phony Grassroots Effort

• Priya Brannick
• August 17, 2011

In 2009-10, the PSEA spent more than $2.6 million on political activities and lobbying. By the next year, that figure had ballooned to $4.2 million, an increase of about 60%.

Media

The real victims of a severance tax

• August 17, 2011

Media Hit

Public sector retirees find the going much easier

• August 17, 2011

Media Hit

Regulation

This Is What a Boom Looks Like

• Charles Mitchell
• August 16, 2011

About half an hour ago, I was in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. (For my fellow natives of the Philadelphia area, Canonsburg is southwest of Pittsburgh, where they say “younse” instead of “youse”…

Media

Regulation

Understanding the Proposed Gallonage Tax

• Nathan Benefield
• August 16, 2011

Rep. Mike Turzai’s proposal to get state government out of the business of selling liquor (HB 11) would replace current alcohol taxes and fees with a “gallonage tax.” This…

Media

PLCB: Kiosk Chaos Continues Until Morale Improves

• August 16, 2011

Would a legitimate business ignore the findings of its own contract evaluation panel that found an inexperienced vendor’s business plan “deficient,” but go on to award a contract that didn’t meet consumer demands let…

Media

Education

This is Educational Accountability?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 16, 2011

At a recent Pennsylvania House Education Committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a proposed voucher program would provide “accountability”.  Indeed, they want to be sure that these schools have the…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania’s Cost of Government Day

• Priya Brannick
• August 15, 2011

By the calculation of Americans for Tax Reform, Pennsylvania just reached its Cost of Government Day. That is, it took the average Keystone worker until Aug. 15, or 227…

Media

Mayor of Merlot ‘Misspoke’

• August 15, 2011

The Mayor of Merlot, monopolies, mediocrity and mismanagement “misspoke,” said a PLCB spokesperson of a critical portion of Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board CEO Joe Conti’s testimony to a House Liquor…

Media

Solar power is costly

• August 14, 2011

Media Hit

Pensions could become 401(k)-style

• August 13, 2011

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

Welfare Fraud Persists

• Elizabeth Stelle
• August 12, 2011

The LIHEAP heating assistance program is once again under fire from Auditor General Jack Wagner. A 2007 audit lead the district attorney of Philadelphia to charge 18 people with…

Media

Regulation

Conti Continues Canard Campaign

• Nathan Benefield
• August 12, 2011

Roxbury News has posted a video of Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board CEO Joe Conti calling for “civility” from critics of the PLCB. Mr. Conti claims that without the…

Media

Conservatives and unions in new civil war

• August 11, 2011

Media Hit

Government Accountability

Which Government Structure Reforms will Benefit Taxpayers?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 11, 2011

This week, the Pennsylvania House State Government Committee held a hearing on bills to reduce the size of the General Assembly (i.e., the number of legislators). While CF did…

Media

Regulation

Conti Confused by Booze Bill Backing

• August 11, 2011

In a furious flip-flop fiasco that might make John Kerry blush, beleaguered booze boss and former State Sen. Joe Conti contended cluelessness in how his name appeared as co-sponsor…

Media

Regulation

PLCB Kiosk Catastrophe Contains Cover Up

• August 11, 2011

The Commonwealth Foundation strongly condemned the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today for failing to listen to advisors and covering up interagency memos recommending against a failed wine kiosk program…

Press Release

45 state liquor stores lose money

• August 10, 2011

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

Who’s Nutty Now?

• Charles Mitchell
• August 8, 2011

There’s a ton of chatter out there right now about how nutty the Tea Party is, most recently with 29 percent of voters saying Tea Party members are “economic…

Media

Education

Yes, Vouchers DO Improve Student Learning

• Nathan Benefield
• August 8, 2011

The Philadelphia Inquirer today reports on a “study”—from a group dedicated to protecting the educational status quo and led by a partisan staffer—that claims that school vouchers have…

Media

Pennsylvania’s film tax credit panned, praised

• August 8, 2011

Media Hit