Media

Government Accountability

State Spending Transparency

• Elizabeth Stelle
• June 17, 2009

Testimony of Elizabeth Bryan to the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee, June 18, 2009 Good morning, I am Elizabeth Bryan, a research associate with the Commonwealth Foundation, a free-market public…

Testimony

Regulation

Film Tax Credit Study Produced by Hollywood Consultants

• Nathan Benefield
• June 17, 2009

One of our PolicyBlog readers sent us a note that the researchers contracted to do the study of the Pennsylvania Film Tax Credit (click here for our comments on…

Media

State Budget

Pennsylvania’s Income Tax Competitiveness

• Matthew Brouillette
• June 17, 2009

The New York Times covered Gov. Rendell’s proposed 16% increase in the Personal Income Tax. Immediately before citing the Commonwealth Foundation, the article states that “Pennsylvania currently has the…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Why 16% Tax Increase Would Cost Pennsylvania 24,000 Jobs

• Nathan Benefield
• June 16, 2009

I’ve gotten a couple of question on the “how” and “why” we estimate that Rendell’s personal income tax increase will cost 24,000 Pennsylvania jobs. The estimate of 24,000 jobs…

Media

Rendell’s 16% Income Tax Increase Will Cost 24,000 Jobs

• June 16, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA — In response to Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposed 16% increase in the Personal Income Tax, the Commonwealth Foundation projected the economic impact of taking an additional $1.5 billion…

Press Release

Taxes & Economy

Commonwealth Foundation Joins Farmers in Fight Against Higher Taxes

• June 16, 2009

Harrisburg, PA — Straight from the fields of their small, family farms, a contingent of Pennsylvania farmers today traveled to the state Capitol to join the Commonwealth Foundation in speaking…

Press Release

Taxes & Economy

Gov. Rendell Proposes Firing 24,000 Pennsylvania Workers

• Nathan Benefield
• June 16, 2009

Governor Rendell announced today that to satisfy his appetite for more spending, he would like to increase Pennsylvania’s Personal Income Tax (PIT) by 0.5 percentage points – to…

Media

Health Care

What not to like about ObamaCare

• Nathan Benefield
• June 16, 2009

The Cato Institute has a recent publication out highlighting “Seven Bad Ideas” of President Obama’s health care plan. Here are some more on two of those bad ideas: Paying…

Media

Public Union Democracy

State Agency Forces Private Sector to Pay Prevailing Wage

• June 16, 2009

Due to a standing order by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), all public universities are required to pay prevailing wage rates on construction projects funded by…

Media

Government Accountability

Will Rendell’s Closed-Door Cabinet Meeting Violate Sunshine Law?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 15, 2009

Today, Governor Rendell announced an “emergency cabinet meeting” to discuss the state budget, and state the meeting will be closed to the public. But wouldn’t such a closed-door…

Media

PIT Increase Would Cost Thousands of PA Jobs

• June 15, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA —  A new economic analysis from the Commonwealth Foundation reveals that a proposed increase in Pennsylvania’s Personal Income Tax (PIT) would result in the loss of tens of…

Press Release

Regulation

Growing Pennsylvania’s Economy

• Nathan Benefield
• June 15, 2009

A coalition of business groups released their proposals aimed at improving Pennsylvania’s economic climate. Among the top of their list were state spending limits, lower business taxes, health care reform,…

Media

Can We Sell our GM Shares?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 15, 2009

Imagine if I told you that my stockbroker told me I should invest in a failing company, and I told him not to.  My stockbroker then invested in the company…

Media

Education

Salaries for Pennsylvania Teachers and School Employees Online

• Nathan Benefield
• June 15, 2009

Stop Teacher Strikes has posted the 2007-08 salary information (collected by Asbury Park Press) for 195,000 Pennsylvania teachers and school employees, searchable by  name, district, or position…

Media

State Budget

Rendell’s propaganda machine

• Nathan Benefield
• June 15, 2009

Brad Bumsted’s latest column wraps up some of the more absurd rhetoric coming from the Rendell administration about the Senate version of the Pennsylvania budget: The bill…

Media

Taxes & Economy

“Stimulus” Kills Pennsylvania Steel Jobs

• Nathan Benefield
• June 14, 2009

Redstate notes how the “buy American” provision of the so-called stimulus bill is already putting some Pennsylvania’s out of of work.  See the original Canadian Press article here.

Media

Education

“Is public education socialism?”

• Matthew Brouillette
• June 13, 2009

In defense of a single-payer health care system, possible U.S. Senate candidate and state Rep. Bill Kortz (D-Dravosburg) asked, “Is public education socialism? No. This is the same thing.”…

Media

Taxes & Economy

How Much Would Cap and Trade Cost Your Family?

• June 12, 2009

The Tax Foundation today released a calculator for families to estimate the annual household cost of a cap and trade system. It’s based on their recent study, “Who…

Media

Education

Fact Check: The Costing-Out Study

• Elizabeth Stelle
• June 12, 2009

Today the Governor wraps up his “Tax You More Tour” with Matt Brouillette following stride for stride. Meanwhile, we’re debunking another spending myth: The Costing-Out Study…

Media

Education

Voters Want More School Funding – Until They Get the Facts

• Nathan Benefield
• June 12, 2009

For followers of the Rendell “Tax You More Bus Tour” and the debate on education funding, I would recommend checking out this analysis from Education Next:  The…

Media

Education

Public Schools’ Edifice Complex

• Nathan Benefield
• June 11, 2009

John Micek and I (@NathanBenefield) had a little discussion via Twitter over the cost of public school buildings. John wonders what is wrong with having nice school…

Media