Media

Taxes & Economy

Lessons from the Failed PA Turnpike Lease

• Nathan Benefield
• March 25, 2009

The Pew Center on the States has a new report out offering lessons to Pennsylvania and other states on the proposed deal to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike (full…

Media

Health Care

A Bad Deal on Health Care

• Nathan Benefield
• March 24, 2009

This AP story reports that AHIP and Blue Cross Blue Shield are willing to “compromise” on health care reform – ending the practice of “charging higher premiums to…

Media

Regulation

State Regulation of Bake Sales Goes Too Far

• Nathan Benefield
• March 24, 2009

Hat Tip to Tom Shaheen of the PA Family Institute for this story of the weird/big government.  It turns out that the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has been…

Media

Taxes & Economy

State Personal Income and Pennsylvania’s Economic Ranking

• Nathan Benefield
• March 24, 2009

The Bureau of Economic Analysis has released the latest data on personal income by state. For the first time in many years, Pennsylvania grew faster than the nation as…

Media

Taxes & Economy

State Personal Income and Pennsylvania’s Economic Ranking

• Nathan Benefield
• March 24, 2009

The Bureau of Economic Analysis has released the latest data on personal income by state. For the first time in many years, Pennsylvania grew faster than the nation as…

Media

Government Accountability

Taxpayers Spend $2.3 Million to Defend Fumo

• Nathan Benefield
• March 23, 2009

ABC 27 has a story on the amount of OPM – “other people’s money,” i.e. taxpayers – used to defend former Sen. Vince Fumo, who was convicted of illegally…

Media

Government Accountability

Taxpayers Spend $2.3 Million to Defend Fumo

• March 23, 2009

ABC 27 has a story on the amount of OPM – “other people’s money,” i.e. taxpayers – used to defend former Sen. Vince Fumo, who was convicted of illegally…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Musical Chairs at Pennnsylvania Turnpike

• Nathan Benefield
• March 23, 2009

Governor Rendell has promptly dumped Mitchell Rubin as chairperson of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and replaced him with Michael Pratt of Pepper Hamilton LLP.  Toll Roads News…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Musical Chairs at Pennnsylvania Turnpike

• Nathan Benefield
• March 23, 2009

Governor Rendell has promptly dumped Mitchell Rubin as chairperson of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and replaced him with Michael Pratt of Pepper Hamilton LLP.  Toll Roads News…

Media

Regulation

No “Property Tax Relief” This Year?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 23, 2009

Sharon Smith writes that the slots taxes may not generate enough revenue to trigger property relief this year.  By law, the Property Tax Relief Fund must have $570 million…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Spending Under President George W. Bush

• Nathan Benefield
• March 21, 2009

The Mercatus Center has a final analysis of spending under the Bush presidency – including the growth in spending, comparisons to Clinton and previous spender, pork projects, and growth…

Media

Education

Bailouts and Bull

• Nathan Benefield
• March 20, 2009

John Stossel’s latest 20/20 special on bailouts and bull debunks numerous big-government myths, including the bailout mentality.  Stosell also tackles toll road privatization, universal Pre-K, medical marijuana, the border…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Turnpike Chair Target of FBI

• Nathan Benefield
• March 20, 2009

KYW Radio reports that Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Chairman Mitch Rubin is now the target of an FBI Corruption probe. This should not be a surprise, following the conviction…

Media

Taxes & Economy

More on the AIG Bonuses

• Nathan Benefield
• March 19, 2009

Greg Mankiw notes that the AIG bonuses, which seem to be such a focus of Congressional leaders these days, amount to 0.001% of GDP – a pretty trivial amount…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Does Pennsylvania Need to Fund Public TV?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 19, 2009

The Allegheny Institute has an excellent post on state funding of public television.  The local Pittsburgh station – WQED – is asking viewers to contribute “their two cents”; not…

Media

Government Accountability

More Taxpayer Money Wasted on Promotions and Marketing

• Nathan Benefield
• March 19, 2009

I’m not sure if readers are aware of this, but Congress recently passed something called a “stimulus” bill a few weeks ago.  In order to publicize the stimulus funding,…

Media

Education

School Choice Battles Wage On

• Nathan Benefield
• March 18, 2009

Mary Katherine Ham has an excellent article on the battle over the DC Scholarship Program.The Philadelphia Bulletin also has a recent article, noting an Obama spokesman has said…

Media

Regulation

Gaming Control Board Under Fire

• Nathan Benefield
• March 18, 2009

Sen. Jane Orie, Rep. Mike Vereb, and a few other Republican lawmakers teed off on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control board, for their travel habits during a travel ban. …

Media

Education

Rendell Tells PSU to Cut Costs

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 18, 2009

Yesterday, the Governor met with the Pennsylvania Tuition Coalition, a student group lobbying the state to include state-related schools, like PSU, in the Governor’s tuition relief scheme. Rendell told…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Who’s Really “Nuts” on Economic Policy?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 18, 2009

We posted yesterday on the Turzai-Quigley proposal to cut state spending and tax rates.  Today Governor Rendell called Turzai “nuts” and his plan “ludicrous“.  Rendell has previously lambasted…

Media

Benefield to Casey: Stop Rewarding Failure

• Nathan Benefield
• March 18, 2009

I received an email from my Senator, Bob Casey, with the subject “Casey to AIG: Do the Right Thing“, in which he asked for constituents to submit their thoughts. …

Media