Media

Government Accountability

Sunshine Week…Time for Spending Transparency in PA

• Nathan Benefield
• March 16, 2010

This week is Sunshine Week, created to promote open government and celebrate James Madison’s birthday (which is today, and an aside, he is my favorite founding father). Now would…

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Education

The Green Schools Ruse

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 16, 2010

Yesterday the House passed Rep. Drucker’s bill to exclude any costs associated with making a school building LEED certified from a possible…

Media

Government Accountability

When Will These Guys Learn?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 16, 2010

Pennsylvania Independent reports on two PA House contracts for voter lists, costing taxpayers over $225,000. Readers will recognize that this sounds quite a bit like the actions of former…

Media

Problems with using reconciliation approach

• March 15, 2010

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

CF Podcast: Freedom in the 50 States

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 15, 2010

Listen to the latest CF podcast on Mercatus Center study, Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom. The report is the first comprehensive…

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Taxes & Economy

Sam Rohrer’s Energy Proposal

• March 15, 2010

Gubernatorial candidate Sam Rohrer laid out his Energy Independence plan for Pennsylvania. The plan includes: Oppose any effort to impose a natural gas severance tax in the absence of…

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Taxes & Economy

SEPTA and I-80 Tolling

• Nathan Benefield
• March 15, 2010

While the transportation industry is propping up the myth that I-80 tolls won’t be used for transit in Pennsylvania, SEPTA officials are busy lobbying for I-80 tolling in…

Media

Obama’s cure tough to swallow

• March 14, 2010

Media Hit

Both parties realize constitutional convention is necessary

• March 14, 2010

Media Hit

Rendell’s War on (Some) Special Interests

• March 13, 2010

Media Hit

I-80 plan represents more than a toll

• March 13, 2010

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

More on the Unintended Consequences of the “Jobs Bill”

• Nathan Benefield
• March 13, 2010

CS Monitor writes that the tax credits in the so-called “jobs bill” won’t encourage small businesses to hire.  Worse yet, it might delay job creation: And as long…

Media

Regulation

Philadelphia Should Get out of the Garbage Business

• March 12, 2010

Earlier this month, Philadelphia’s Mayor Nutter proposed increasing the city’s trash collection fee to $300 to deal with the city’s budget deficit. Instead of finding ways to be more…

Media

For Whom The Turnpike Tolls

• March 12, 2010

Media Hit

Health Care

Obama and the Slacker Mandate

• Nathan Benefield
• March 12, 2010

In his health care rally in the Philadelphia area earlier this week, President Obama touted a proposed regulation that insurance companies would have to allow children up to age 26…

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Taxes & Economy

Could Municipalities Provide Cheaper Electricity?

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 12, 2010

Last week the State House Committee on Consumer Affairs held a hearing on legislation which would allow municipalities to act as electricity aggregators for residents, unless they opt-out for another…

Media

Regulation

State and Local Government Outpace Private Pay by 44%

• Nathan Benefield
• March 12, 2010

A new survey from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics looks at the total employer costs for workers in both the private and public sector. While wages for…

Media

Government Accountability

Need for an Independent Fiscal Office in PA?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 11, 2010

A new Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office was the subject of a recent legislative hearing this week, with several lawmakers arguing the need for the office (which was included in…

Media

Tolling I-80: The real toll

• March 11, 2010

Media Hit

State Budget

Reckless Driving With Taxpayer Dollars

• March 11, 2010

Pennsylvania’s move towards big government is many ways mirrored by the fleet of cars it has amassed over the last three decades. The number of cars increased from 5,700…

Media

Public knows plenty

• March 10, 2010

Media Hit