Media

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…

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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…

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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

Education

Teachers Union vs. Taxpayers and Students (Draft)

• Nathan Benefield
• May 28, 2009

The Blackhawk Education Association sparked ligation costing taxpayers in the Blackhawk School District over $160,000. The district was paying tutors the rate of substitute teachers, but the union had…

Media

Education

Philadelphia Limits Choices for School Children

• Nathan Benefield
• May 28, 2009

Brad Vasoli has a troubling article in The Bulletin about how the Philadelphia School District is trying to limit the enrollment of charter schools in the district. District officials…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Will Government Motors be a Partisan Operation?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 28, 2009

With the federal government taking control over Chrysler and GM, ill-conceived ideas are sure to ensue.   The planned restructuring of GM (soon be renamed Government Motors?) is one…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to Reapply to Toll I-80

• Nathan Benefield
• May 27, 2009

Tom Barnes in the Post-Gazette has a story on how some Pennsylvania lawmakers, who hail from nowhere near the I-80 corridor, want the Turnpike Commission to reapply to toll…

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