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Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Sales Tax Exemptions

• Nathan Benefield
• August 25, 2009

There has been some discussion lately about filling the Pennsylvania budget hole with additional revenue by expanding the state sales tax to include currently exempt goods, services, or categories.

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Regulation

Problem of PA Prison Population and Price

• August 25, 2009

Last week Bill Cosby declared that it only costs taxpayers $4,000 a year to educate a child, but $33,000 a year to incarcerate someone (this statement is inaccurate, unless…

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Senate May Vote On Philly Tax Hike Tomorrow

• August 25, 2009

Media Hit

Regulation

What Happens When There is No Funding for Corporate Welfare?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 24, 2009

Gov. Rendell has noted on many occasions that without large state “economic development” grant programs, Pennsylvania’s economy would tank.  He has argued that the Senate budget, which would eliminate many…

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Health Care

Explaining the Town-Hall Protests

• Nathan Benefield
• August 24, 2009

John Goodman – the health care policy guru, not the star of Arachnophobia – has an editorial in Friday’s Wall Street Journal on those protesting Obama’s version of health…

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State Budget

Is Cash for Clunkers the Dumbest Government Program Ever?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 24, 2009

Chris Edwards of Cato suggests “Cash for Clunkers” is the dumbest government program of all time: A few billion dollars worth of wealth was destroyed. About 750,000…

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Analysis: Political interests hold sway in budget battle

• August 23, 2009

Media Hit

An End to WAMs?

• August 23, 2009

Media Hit

Public Union Democracy

Address the Spending Side on Road Funding First

• Nathan Benefield
• August 21, 2009

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation issued a statement responding to our blog post that explains state transportation spending has increased 121% since 1995, more than triple the rate…

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Regulation

We’re Twice as Smart of the People of Shelbyville

• Elizabeth Stelle
• August 21, 2009

Harley-Davidson continues to tour business friendly states to re-locate its York plant that employs over 2,000 workers – among the four options considered are Shelbyville, Indiana and Shelbyville, Kentucky.

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Health Care

Post-Gazette Combats Health Care “Lies” With Actual Lies

• Nathan Benefield
• August 21, 2009

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Sally Kalson has a ridiculous piece on health care reform (HT PA Watercooler), in which she admittedly fabricates a number of proposals she “imagines” Republicans would…

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State Budget

Cash for Clunkers Crash and Burns

• Elizabeth Stelle
• August 21, 2009

The New York Times reports that car dealers in New York have pulled out of the government’s cost-shifting program to aid automakers in Detroit under the banner…

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Taxes & Economy

Auditor General Finds More Waste and Fraud in Pennsylvania Welfare

• Nathan Benefield
• August 20, 2009

A new report from Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner finds that the Special Allowances program in the Department of Public Welfare is “rife with mismanagement and potential for fraud.” …

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Who is Blogging about CF?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 20, 2009

Lots of love from the Blogosphere about Commonwealth Foundation studies, events, are blog posts this week: Tony Phyrillas writes about the high level of debt in Pennsylvania state…

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Health Care

Obama’s “Co-operative” Trojan Horse

• August 20, 2009

With the public voicing overwhelming concern over the potential effects Obama’s “public option” could have on America’s healthcare industry, the White House now has its back against the wall. Progressives…

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Education

Fact-Checking Gov. Rendell and Bill Cosby

• Nathan Benefield
• August 19, 2009

This afternoon. Gov. Ed Rendell, school superintendents, and Bill Cosby held a press conference on improvement in Pennsylvania test scores, and calling for funding increases. Unfortunately, they got a number…

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Education

“Special Needs” Status Tied to Warped Incentives

• August 19, 2009

Marcus Winters and Jay Greene from the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research have released a study that shows that offering disabled students special education vouchers reduces the likelihood that…

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Health Care

Report: National Healthcare Would Harm PA

• August 19, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation released a report today showing that President Obama’s proposed takeover of health care by the federal government would have dramatically negative effects on Pennsylvanians.

Press Release

Buses from Pennsylvania for 9/12 March on Washington

• Nathan Benefield
• August 19, 2009

Here is some info of buses being coordinate from various parts of Pennsylvania for the 9/12 March on Washington:  The 9/12 Project PA has lists of a…

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RIP Rose Friedman

• Nathan Benefield
• August 18, 2009

Here is a statement from our friends at the REACH Foundation on the passing of Rose Friedman yesterday: Rose Director Friedman passed away today, Tuesday, August 18, 2009,…

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Health Care

Lots More Reasons why ObamaCare isn’t Popular

• Nathan Benefield
• August 18, 2009

Pete DeCoursey has an interesting column on Capitowire (subscription) about why people oppose ObamaCare. He hits the main point correct — most people are satisfied with their coverage (…

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