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

Taxes & Economy

Tax and Spend Polices are Recipe for Disaster

• Nathan Benefield
• February 11, 2009

My letter to the editor in the Post-Gazette: The state’s tax-and-spend policies are a recipe for disasterSharon Ward’s Jan. 28 Perspectives piece (“Keep…

Media

Taxes & Economy

The need to “do something”

• Nathan Benefield
• February 11, 2009

Matt Lewis has an entertaining post on the need to “do something” with regard to the federal “stimulus” – comparing it to a 19th century doctor pressed to “do…

Media

Taxes & Economy

More waste, no-bid contracts, in PA budget

• Nathan Benefield
• February 11, 2009

Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner has a draft of an audit blasting the Rendell adminstration for its technology contracts, specifically with Deloitte, the Patriot News Reports.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest

• February 10, 2009

$4,000 in cash prizes for citizens to help raise awareness of PA’s painful tax burden HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced its Please, No More Taxes!…

Press Release

Education

For-Profit Philadelphia Schools Show Gains

• Nathan Benefield
• February 10, 2009

A new study by Paul Peterson and Matthew Chingos finds that the Philadelphia public schools contracted out to for-profit operators showed significant gains in student achievement. Specifically, the…

Media

Gov. Rendell, you’re wrong too!

• February 10, 2009

I posted a blog over at Capital Domes, “Mr. Specter, You’re Wrong!”, on the argument being put forth by Pres. Obama and our senior state senator that “nearly all…

Media

Taxes & Economy

How well has more spending worked up until now?

• Nathan Benefield
• February 10, 2009

The Morning Call’s John Micek makes a joke on his blog about the effectiveness of tax cuts in stimulating the economy: Hardcore GOPers, asked for their alternative,…

Media

Taxes & Economy

With All Due Respect, Mr. Specter

• Nathan Benefield
• February 9, 2009

“The country cannot afford not to take action,” Senator Arlen Specter writes in the Washington Post justifying support for the “stimulus” package, mimicking the statement by President Obama “There…

Media

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Legislature’s growing girth

• Nathan Benefield
• February 9, 2009

Robert Swift has a good article on the “professionalization” of the Pennsylvania legislature, including  breaking down the cost of a legislator:   At $78,314, the annual salary…

Media

Taxes & Economy

How Government Created the Financial Crisis

• Nathan Benefield
• February 9, 2009

John Taylor in the Wall Street Journal on how Government created the financial crisis: Monetary excesses were the main cause of the boom. The Fed held its…

Media

Education

The Great College Hoax

• Nathan Benefield
• February 8, 2009

Forbes has an excellent article on the merits of college – and taxpayer subsidies of higher ed – even as Governor Rendell proposes legalized video poker to put…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Libertarian ideas to stimulate economy

• Nathan Benefield
• February 7, 2009

Jeffrey A. Miron has a list of libertarian proposals to stimulate the economy (I would expect most self-described “conservatives” would agree with 8 of the 9 proposals): Repeal the…

Media

Please No More Taxes Video Contest

• Nathan Benefield
• February 6, 2009

Are you tired of paying high taxes? Enter the Commonwealth Foundation’s “Please No More Taxes” video contest and win up to $2,500! Go to PleaseNoMoreTaxes.org for contest rules.

Media

Taxes & Economy

The GOP Has a Dumb Mortgage Idea

• Nathan Benefield
• February 5, 2009

In the Wall Street Journal, Ed Glaeser rips the US Senate GOP’s plans to underwrite mortgages and offer an additional tax credit for home-buyers More criticism of this…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Commonwealth Foundation Launches Please, No More Taxes! Campaign

• February 5, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced the launch of the Please, No More Taxes! campaign, a public education effort aimed at the elimination of wasteful state spending and…

Press Release

Education

Special Needs Scholarship Could Replace School for the Deaf

• Nathan Benefield
• February 5, 2009

There has been a lot of public outcry against Governor Rendell’s proposal to close the Scranton School for the Deaf, as well as the Scotland School…

Media