Media

Regulation

Rendell administration: Commonwealth Foundation is right about government spending

• Nathan Benefield
• February 19, 2009

A Capitolwire (subscription) headline reads “DCED acting secretary says little state can do to create jobs,” after a hearing in which Secretary Cornelius notes that “economic development” programs have…

Media

State Budget

What do Economists Agree On?

• Nathan Benefield
• February 18, 2009

Greg Mankiw posts a selection from his textbook on what economists agree on, from a survey.  I am not suprised to see economists overwhelmingly support free trade, as that…

Media

Regulation

Update on the Boscov’s Bailout

• Nathan Benefield
• February 18, 2009

John Micek has a summary of the new PA DCED secretary’s explanation of the Boscov’s bailout, during a hearing today.  Secretary Cornelius noted that bailouts encourage companies to start…

Media

Education

Piccola Offers Alternative Plan for PA Higher Ed

• Nathan Benefield
• February 18, 2009

State Sen. Jeff Piccola has a new proposal to offer additional grants directly to Pennsylvania students for higher education, and tie this funding to both schools’ holding tuition costs down…

Media

Education

High Marks for Higher Ed Reforms

• February 18, 2009

Sen. Piccola’s proposal would increase college affordability, accountability HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today praised the proposal to reform higher education funding introduced by Senate Education Committee…

Press Release

Government Accountability

Pay to Play Culture in Harrisburg

• Nathan Benefield
• February 18, 2009

ABC 27 has a story/video highlighting the “pay-to-play” cronyism in Harrisburg, specifically the $11 million in outside legal fees (despite hundreds of lawyers on staff) going to Ballard Spahr…

Media

Regulation

PA pension funds report major losses

• Nathan Benefield
• February 17, 2009

Mark Scolforo summarizes the reports from Pennsylvania two statewide pension funds SERS (for state workers) and PSERS (for school district employees): The percentage losses on investments were similar.

Media

Taxes & Economy

New Study of Business Tax Burdens

• Nathan Benefield
• February 17, 2009

The Council on State Taxation has released a new study on state and local business taxes.  It is a good primer on what taxes business pay (for instance, I…

Media

Taxes & Economy

A tax code even a congressman can understand

• Nathan Benefield
• February 17, 2009

Andrew Moylan editorializes that simplifying the federal tax code would provide an economic “stimulus.” Individual taxpayers spend more than 3.5 billion hours complying with the code. That …

Media

Is Propaganda Good “Economic Development”?

• Nathan Benefield
• February 16, 2009

Philadelphia Inquirer head honcho Brian Tierney has a response in the Wall Street Journal defending a state bailout of the Inky.  The Wall Street Journal had previously…

Media

Health Care

Health Care Policies and Small Business

• Nathan Benefield
• February 16, 2009

The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council has a new report ranking states in terms of their health care policy, as it pertains to small business.  Pennsylvania gets a fairly…

Media

Health Care

Health Care Policies and Small Business

• Nathan Benefield
• February 16, 2009

The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council has a new report ranking states in terms of their health care policy, as it pertains to small business.  Pennsylvania gets a fairly…

Media

Regulation

Philadelphia’s Pension Non-Reform

• Nathan Benefield
• February 15, 2009

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter is proposing addressing the city’s unfunded pension liability by, essentially, not paying as much as the city should (HT GrassrootsPA). Like Pennsylvania’s state…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Feulner blast stimulus process

• Nathan Benefield
• February 13, 2009

Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner has a scathing open letter to Congress on the stimulus bill: In addition to being the single most expensive bill ever proposed,…

Media

Education

School Choice Yearbook

• Nathan Benefield
• February 13, 2009

The Alliance for School Choice has released their 2008-09 School Choice Yearbook (click here for the news release).  The yearbook profiles school choice programs in every state, the…

Media

Taxes & Economy

The Burden of PA Business Taxes

• Nathan Benefield
• February 13, 2009

The Tribune Review has a story featuring Tax Foundation president Scott Hodge discussing Pennsylvania’s business tax climate at an appearance in Pittsburgh: The state needs…

Media

Regulation

CF Report Finds $5 billion in Gov’t Waste

• February 12, 2009

State gov’t overspending is impeding prosperity and burdening taxpayers HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today released Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009, a report that spotlights how the…

Press Release

Taxes & Economy

State Budget Shortfalls: Opportunity for Reform

• Nathan Benefield
• February 12, 2009

The Tax Foundation has a new report (released yesterday) on state budget shortfalls.  Their report concludes that overspending is largely the explanation for state shortfalls today.  (Full report…

Media

Government Accountability

An end to cronyism in state government?

• Nathan Benefield
• February 12, 2009

The Pennsylvania House GOP has unveiled several proposals to end “pay to play” – including cracking down on the ability of the administration to award of no-bid contracts.  In…

Media

Taxes & Economy

CF Budget Forum on PCN

• Nathan Benefield
• February 11, 2009

If you missed todays lunch discussion with Sens. Jake Corman and Jay Costa on the Pennsylvania budget, it is set to air tomorrow at 1 pm on PCN, with…

Media

Taxes & Economy

CF Budget Forum on PCN

• Nathan Benefield
• February 11, 2009

If you missed todays lunch discussion with Sens. Jake Corman and Jay Costa on the Pennsylvania budget, it is set to air tomorrow at 1 pm on PCN, with…

Media