Media

Government Accountability

Government Ethics: Alaska vs. Pennsylvania

• Nathan Benefield
• July 22, 2009

Amanda Carpenter writes about a report that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin may be cited (though no penalties would be attached) for ethics violations for … wait for it ……

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Regulation

Gaming Board Cashing Out

• July 22, 2009

It is common knowledge that the Gaming Control Board, and its employees, receive generous paychecks, fatter than they deserve relative to the prevailing market for comparable work and skills.

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State Budget

Your $28 Million Dollar Pork Dinner

• July 21, 2009

With growing criticism of the effectiveness of President Obama $787 billion dollar economic stimulus plan mounting, several recent purchases by the Department of Agriculture have American taxpayers in a…

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State Budget

Who’s Telling Half-Truths on Pennsylvania Budget?

• Nathan Benefield
• July 21, 2009

Chuck Ardo, the Governor’s spokesman, became incensed (as reported by John Micek) when Sen. Piccola made a strong comment against the governor. During last night’s Senate debate on a…

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State Budget

Best Budget Practices For Legislators

• July 21, 2009

Scott Pattison, the executive director of National Association of Budget Officers, in an interview with the Mercatus Center brought to light the most important question he feels legislators…

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Public Union Democracy

Coalition of Groups Call for Suspension of Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Law

• Nathan Benefield
• July 21, 2009

The Commonwealth Foundation joined a coalition of organizations – including business groups, boroughs, and school boards – calling for reforming Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage law. Specific proposals include: Sun setting or…

Media

Both Barrels Boscola: Senate Dem Opposes Raising Taxes, Supports GOP Budget

• July 21, 2009

  Floor Remarks from Senator Lisa M. Boscola (July 20, 2009) ___________     To pass a state budget that spends more money than we have in…

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Education

Education Spending Goes Awry

• July 20, 2009

The Easton Area School Board approved a reimbursement plan on Thursday that will be sent to the state Department of Education detailing more than $93 million spent to build…

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State Budget

Tax Foundation Podcast: Pennsylvania Budget Battle

• Nathan Benefield
• July 20, 2009

Matt Brouillette is interviewed in the latest Tax Policy Podcast from the Tax Foundation, giving an update of the Pennsylvania Budget Battle.

Media

State Budget

“Blue Dog” Democrats Still Against Pennsylvania Tax Increase

• Nathan Benefield
• July 20, 2009

State Rep. John Pallone, one of Pennsylvania’s “Blue Dog” Democrats, has penned a statewide letter to the editor noting that he, along with about 20 other unnamed House Democrats, should…

Media

Health Care

Why We Must Ration Health Care

• Nathan Benefield
• July 20, 2009

In a New York Times piece, a bioethics professor defends rationing in health care, stating we have to do it.  He uses a number of examples in which the…

Media

Health Care

ObamaCare will Raise Costs and Taxes

• Nathan Benefield
• July 19, 2009

The Director of the Congressional Budget Office warned that the “public option” and other items in Congressional Democrats’ health care proposals would cause health care costs to increase, not…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Obama Reverses On Stimulus Promises

• Nathan Benefield
• July 18, 2009

The GOP has a pretty hard hitting video on Obama’s stimulus promises.  First it shows Obama’s promises that the stimulus would have an “immediate impact” on creating jobs.  Then…

Media

State Budget

What Next for Pennsylvania State Budget?

• Nathan Benefield
• July 18, 2009

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House passed HB 1416, a vehicle for the state budget. But that should not be taken to mean that Pennsylvania is much closer to having a…

Media

Government Accountability

Cost and Benefits of State Spending Transparency

• July 17, 2009

The Mercatus Center has a new podcast on state online spending transparency.  Jerry Brito, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, discusses the need for spending transparency in states…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Job Losses are Never “Good News”

• Nathan Benefield
• July 17, 2009

A number of media outlets, such as the AP, are reporting Pennsylvania’s June job losses of 3,400 with a positive spin, as in the “smallest monthly job loss…

Media

Government Accountability

PA Ranks Low on Ethics Disclosure, Ask Bob Mellow

• July 17, 2009

The Pennsylvania legislature got a “F” from the Center for Public Integrity in a national report on lawmakers disclosing information about assets, holdings or connections to special interests. In…

Media

Education

PA School Districts Have $2.4 Billion in Reserves

• Nathan Benefield
• July 17, 2009

New data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (released last week) show that school districts across the state have a combined $2.4 billion in General Fund reserves as of…

Media

State Budget

Follow the Pennsylvania Budget Debate

• Nathan Benefield
• July 16, 2009

The House of Representatives has begun debating the Pennsylvania state budget (HB 1416) likely to continue today and tomorrow.  For live updates, you can follow the Commonwealth Foundation…

Media

State Budget

Can Gov. Rendell Pay State Workers?

• Nathan Benefield
• July 16, 2009

KDKA TV has a story about how legislative staffers are being paid during the Pennsylvania budget impasse, with the angle that it is unfair to other state workers (who…

Media

Regulation

Will Early Retirement Incentives Save PA Money, or Cost More?

• Nathan Benefield
• July 16, 2009

Among the proposal of Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner to help balance the state budget without a tax increase.  But Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow Rick Dreyfuss suggests this is…

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