Media

State House to consider bill to control state pension costs

• June 15, 2010

Media Hit

Government Accountability

Why Every Teacher Should Stop Paying PSEA Dues

• Nathan Benefield
• June 15, 2010

A couple of stories about Pennsylvania’s pension crisis reveal some crazy talk (HT Grassroots PA). First, in an article covering some proposed reforms, Gov. Rendell claims gambling will…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Hey, PennFuture: Return Your BP Money

• June 15, 2010

In today’s Washington Times, the husband-and-wife team of David and Amy Ridenour at the National Center for Public Policy Research make the case that nonprofit organizations and…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Public Sector Unions and Rent-Seeking

• June 15, 2010

Last week, Nathan Benefield blogged how the average public sector employee earns a 34% higher salary and 66% more in employer benefits than the average private sector employee.

Media

Severance tax on gas industry would in end hurt consumers

• June 14, 2010

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

Economics is Funky

• Nathan Benefield
• June 14, 2010

In discussing a natural gas severance tax, Patriot News reporter-columnist Laura Vescey makes fun of the fundamental economic principle that companies…

Media

Taxes & Economy

PA Senators Effectively Support Job-Killing Cap & Trade

• June 14, 2010

Last week, the United States Senate voted on legislation that would have stopped the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, 53 Senators, including Pennsylvania’s Casey and Specter, voted…

Media

Government Accountability

Budget Ideas for PA from Other States

• Nathan Benefield
• June 14, 2010

The April 2010 edition of the Inside ALEC newsletter has a number of ideas Pennsylvania lawmakers should look at to balance the state budget, and for long-term fiscal reform.

Media

Advocates say poor need available free cell phones

• June 14, 2010

Media Hit

Report draws mixed reaction

• June 13, 2010

Media Hit

Regulation

Babies Buying Beer?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 11, 2010

Those who profit from Pennsylvania’s current liquor distribution monopoly have an ongoing campaign to stop liquor store privatization. One ad shows a man at a gas pump looking at cases…

Media

State Budget

Severance Tax Wish List

• Elizabeth Stelle
• June 11, 2010

Legislators are justifying the enactment of a natural gas severance tax by claiming the revenue will go towards environmental impacts. In reality, the environment is just one of a host…

Media

Regulation

Green Jobs and the Broken Window Fallacy

• Nathan Benefield
• June 11, 2010

On behalf of the Commonwealth Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan public policy research and educational institute based in Harrisburg, we would like to thank Chairman Saylor and the members of the…

Testimony

Public Union Democracy

Are Government Workers Underpaid?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 11, 2010

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has a new report showing state and local government workers earn far more than their private sector counterparts. The Wall Street Journal…

Media

Regulation

Ethics of Tobacco Advisory Committee Goes Up in Smoke

• June 10, 2010

Several groups have requested investigation of, or filed ethics complaints against, members of the FDA’s new Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC). Identified in March 2010, the TPSAC’s…

Media

State Budget

National Groups Weigh in on Pennsylvania Tax Hike

• Nathan Benefield
• June 10, 2010

The National Taxpayers Union send a recent letter to Pennsylvania lawmakers on proposed tax hikes to balance the PA state budget.  John Stephenson, NTU…

Media

Regulation

Tobacco Tax Fact Check (Part Two)

• June 10, 2010

This is the second half of a two part blog, fact checking tmyths about tobacco taxes.  This blog focuses on what the some call a good tax model –…

Media

Rendell’s tax ideas lead to economic stagnation

• June 10, 2010

Media Hit

Education

Government Preschool Delivers Few Results

• Nathan Benefield
• June 10, 2010

State Sen. Pat Browne is quoted on John Micek’s blog Wednesday, citing an oft-repeated claim that government funding for preschool is one of the “best investments” of taxpayer money:…

Media

Regulation

Why Taxing Natural Gas Won’t Solve PA Budget Woes

• Nathan Benefield
• June 9, 2010

Here is a letter I sent in to the Scranton Times Tribune (a slightly edited version was printed today) on the proposed natural gas severance tax and the Pennsylvania…

Media

Government Accountability

Judical Merit Selection Info

• Nathan Benefield
• June 9, 2010

A proposed Pennsylvania state constitutional amendment on merit selection of judges is/was the subject of a press conference today, feature the most recent living Pennsylvania governors. The topic was spurred…

Media