Media

Taxes & Economy

A Cap and Trade Call to Action

• June 24, 2009

Although originally planned for debate after the 4th of July, Congressional Leaders met late Monday night to place H.R. 2454, also known as the “cap and tradeâ€? initiative, on the…

Media

Health Care

Democrats’ Health Care Plan: Tax the Middle Class, Loophole for Unions

• Nathan Benefield
• June 24, 2009

We mentioned last week that a tax on employer-provided health care benefits would likely be part of ObamaCare. This despite the fact that Obama’s campaign criticized McCain for proposing…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Speaker McCall Throws Support behind Income Tax Hike

• June 23, 2009

Pressured by a looming June 30th budget deadline and Gov. Ed Rendell’s economic team, House Speaker Keith McCall of Carbon County announced yesterday his support for a 16% increase…

Media

State Budget

Why Don’t Men Like to Wear Condoms?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 23, 2009

No, we haven’t been spammed. But if the question of ‘Why men don’t like to wear condoms?’ doesn’t seem an apt topic for PolicyBlog, does it seem an appropriate subject…

Media

Education

How Colleges are Cutting Costs

• Elizabeth Stelle
• June 23, 2009

Two recent articles in the New York Times prove universities can cut costs without decreasing the quality of education. Susquehanna University saved almost $3,000 as students…

Media

State Budget

Lawmakers Working Hard on the PA Budget?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 23, 2009

If fundraising for the next campaign is considered working out the details of the state budget, Pennsylvania lawmakers are hard at it.  John Micek points out no fewer than…

Media

State Budget

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Who Signed No Taxes Pledge

• Nathan Benefield
• June 22, 2009

Twenty-nine Pennsylvania Legislators have signed American for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge, including six Democrats.  Click here to see exactly what they pledged not to do.  Assuming politicians…

Media

Health Care

Get Informed and Active on Health Care Reform

• Nathan Benefield
• June 22, 2009

On multiple occasions, we have suggested, or passed along the advice of others saying the same, that Republicans, conservatives, libertarians, and free market advocates need to get serious…

Media

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Still Using Tax Dollars to Buy Votes

• Nathan Benefield
• June 22, 2009

Mark Levy of the AP has a hard hitting story of Pennsylvania lawmakers use of WAMs – i.e. “Walking Around Money” made available to us at the discretion of legislative…

Media

Regulation

Thumbs Down on Film Tax Credit

• Nathan Benefield
• June 19, 2009

The Patriot News has a scathing editorial against Pennsylvania’s Film Tax Credit.  Here is the deathblow: A closer look at the “motion picture industry” employment statistics(cited in…

Media

New Tax Will Crowd-Out Private Recycling Companies

• June 19, 2009

The Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association (PWIA) is making a case against HB 1069, a bill to enable Pennsylvania counties to enact a $4 tax on every ton of…

Media

Government Accountability

State Spending Transparency Hearing

• Nathan Benefield
• June 19, 2009

FYI by PLS has a brief summary of a hearing yesterday on proposals to create a state spending transparency for Pennsylvania, with particular attention paid to HB 1460…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Axe Taxes Not Jobs

• Nathan Benefield
• June 19, 2009

Here is a pretty cool site, with info based on your location, primarily on alcohol and liquor taxes.

Media

State Budget

Cash for Rich People Who Drive Hummers

• Nathan Benefield
• June 19, 2009

It is pretty clear that the Cash for Clunkers proposal is a dumb idea to intervene government in the economy and distort the market (or as Charlie Dent…

Media

Rendell to Suspend Laws of Economics for Three Years

• June 18, 2009

“Gov. Rendell’s critique of the Commonwealth Foundation’s projections of job losses under his proposed tax increase as ‘ludicrous’ is historically and economically ignorant. The Governor’s campaign to raise taxes on…

Press Release

Taxes & Economy

Liberals Who OpposeTax Hikes During Recession

• Nathan Benefield
• June 18, 2009

Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell renewed his call for higher taxes today, claiming it was ludicrous to think higher taxes would cost jobs. Who would argue with that? Well certainly…

Media

Taxes & Economy

States Lose Jobs Due to Severance Tax

• June 18, 2009

Florida’s legislature just passed new legislation to ease the severance tax burden on small oil and gas producers in the state. Drilling companies in the state have been forced…

Media

Regulation

Another $1.3 Billion In Cuts for Governor Rendell

• Nathan Benefield
• June 18, 2009

At the cabinet meeting yesterday (which the Commonwealth Foundation was escorted out of by security, being told it was a “closed meeting”, while media and staff for the PA…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest Winners

• Nathan Benefield
• June 17, 2009

First Place: $2,500“Taxesâ€? by Colin Jones, Bethel Park PA (watch for a cameo from “Governor Rendell”) Second Place: $1,000“Where’d My Paycheck Go?â€? by Robert Madeley, Mohnton PA…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Commonwealth Foundation Announces Winners of Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest

• June 17, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced the winners of the  Please, No More Taxes! video contest: First Prize ($2,500): Colin Jones of Bethel ParkSecond Prize: ($1,000): Robert…

Press Release

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