Media

Government Accountability

More Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying for Higher Taxes

• Nathan Benefield
• June 5, 2009

The Rendell administration is going on another taxpayer funded bus trip across the state for higher spending (and the higher taxes need to pay for them).    The target this…

Media

State Budget

PA House Democrat Pushing for Higher Taxes

• Nathan Benefield
• June 5, 2009

Pennsylvania House Appropriations Chair Dwight Evans is again trumpeting the calls for a higher state income taxes in the Tribune Review. Despite billions in federal dollars flowing into…

Media

Taxes & Economy

What Will Higher Business Taxes Get You?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 4, 2009

Bloomberg, via the Club for Growth, has a troubling lesson for those who want to hike business taxes.  Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says that if Obama’s new corporate…

Media

House Should Act Immediately on Spending Transparency Bill

• June 4, 2009

Harrisburg, PA — With Pennsylvania facing a $3 billion General Fund Budget deficit, the Commonwealth Foundation today urged the House to act immediately on spending transparency legislation adopted this week…

Press Release

Public Union Democracy

Action Alert on Pennsylvania’s Prevailing Wage Law

• June 4, 2009

The Manufacturer & Business Association sent an action alert yesterday on Sen. Brubaker’s proposal to place a three-year moratorium on Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage requirement (SB 695). Click…

Media

Regulation

New Study of Film Tax Credit Ignores Economics

• Nathan Benefield
• June 4, 2009

The Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee issued a report on the state’s film tax credit, concluding that the $75 million program generates over $500 million in economic activity…

Media

Education

Will Government-Run Preschool Help Fight Al-Qaeda?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 3, 2009

The Patriot News has a blurb about former generals saying that government-run preschool will help improve the military, and that if the Pennsylvania Senate budget passes, the terrorists…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Proposed Power Authority Would Manipulate the Market

• June 3, 2009

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee last week held a hearing to discuss legislation proposed in 2008 to create a Pennsylvania Power Authority to oversee the state’s electricity…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Increasing Personal Income Tax Will Increase Volatility (Draft)

• June 3, 2009

The Wall Street Journal ran an article today on the widespread state budget deficits and how this problem will not only persist but worsen in coming years.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Rendell Budget 2.0

• Nathan Benefield
• June 3, 2009

In remarks yesterday, Gov. Rendell announced that he will cut at least $400 million from his earlier spending plan.  He then went on to berate himself for being…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Threat of State Park Closures “Ridiculous”

• June 3, 2009

According to state Senator Mary Jo White, Gov. Rendell ordered every department secretary to issue press releases, blasting the Senate’s proposed budget and the “meanâ€? cuts that would ensue.

Media

Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: June 2009

• June 2, 2009

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released the May revenue collections showing state General Fund revenues are $2.84 billion short for the fiscal year to date. Governor Rendell had estimated…

Press Release

Health Care

Still Looking for Free Market Health Care Proposals

• Nathan Benefield
• June 2, 2009

Ryan Ellis has a good post over on RedState on the Congressional Republican health care plan (see previous post here) and offering much more serious proposal for transforming…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Budget deficit was predicted, and ignored.

• June 2, 2009

This was our blog post from July 04, 2008…yes, Independence Day, but also the day Gov. Ed Rendell signed the 2008-09 budget despite clear evidence that it was unrealistic in…

Media

Government Accountability

PA Senate Passes Spending Transparency

• Nathan Benefield
• June 2, 2009

Legislation which we have discussed many times on this blog (see previous posts here and here, and Elizabeth Bryan’s commentary here) to create an online database…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Budget Deficit Reaches $2.8 Billion

• Nathan Benefield
• June 1, 2009

The latest report from the PA Department of Revenue, through the end of May, indicate that Pennsylvania’s General Fund revenue shortfall has now reached $2.8 billion for the fiscal…

Media

Regulation

Another Bad Pension Proposal

• Nathan Benefield
• June 1, 2009

The Post-Gazette has a story of another reform to municipal pension plans. The plan would be to put all new municipal employees into a statewide, defined benefit pension system.

Media

Government Accountability

Last Chance to Enter Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest

• Nathan Benefield
• June 1, 2009

The deadline for entering our Please, No More Taxes! video contest is midnight tonight (June 1).  There are $4,000 in prizes available for the top 3 entries. Contest rules…

Media

Taxes & Economy

June 9th Taxpayers’ Protest

• Nathan Benefield
• May 29, 2009

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe is helping to coordinate a “Taxpayer’s Protest” on June 9 in Harrisburg. All taxpayers are encouraged to come down to the state…

Media

Government Accountability

Transparency Needed in Pennsylvania Budget Debate

• Nathan Benefield
• May 29, 2009

ABC 27 has a news story and video on proposed legislation that would create an online portal and database of state spending in Pennsylvania. What is most disappointing…

Media

Regulation

Will Tourism Collapse Without Taxpayer Subsidies?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 29, 2009

Letter sent from the Commonwealth Foundation to Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Tourism Mickey Rowley   Dear Mr. Rowley: I am writing to respond to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office's recent…

Media