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Prosperity
New Report: Gig-Workers Prefer Flexibility of Portable Benefits
Commonwealth Foundation’s new report analyzes the success of DoorDash’s Portable Benefits Pilot Program in Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, Pa., April 24, 2025 – DoorDash unveiled its portable benefits pilot…
Read More: New Report: Gig-Workers Prefer Flexibility of Portable Benefits
Education
Andrew Lewis on ‘This Week in Pennsylvania’
Read More: Andrew Lewis on ‘This Week in Pennsylvania’
Prosperity
Stephen Bloom joins RJ Harris in the Morning to Talk Tax Reform
Read More: Stephen Bloom joins RJ Harris in the Morning to Talk Tax Reform
Fairness
New Analysis Reveals Striking Partisanship of Government Union Spending
Read More: New Analysis Reveals Striking Partisanship of Government Union SpendingRegulation
Fiddling while Pennsylvania bleeds
Brian O’Neill has an outstanding column in the Post-Gazette questioning the efficacy of “economic development” subsidies (corporate welfare) during a state budget crunch – or any time, really. The…
Media
Read More: Fiddling while Pennsylvania bleedsTaxes & Economy
Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?
Who is to blame for the current economic predicament? We answered this question many months ago, but a new poll highlighted on the New York Times Economix Blog…
Media
Read More: Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?State Budget
Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall Projections
For those who are following Pennsylvania’s revenue shortfall closely, the state Budget Office provided on request (and were kind enough to waive the 25-cent cost) me the monthly…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall ProjectionsTaxes & Economy
Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?
Free Market Politics with no words (or 6,000 if you think a picture is worth a thousand words) debunks the oft-stated rhetoric that we are facing the “worst economic…
Media
Read More: Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?Government Accountability
Commonwealth Foundation Launches PennsylvaniaVotes.org
HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced the launch of PennsylvaniaVotes.org, the state’s first and only web site that provides—at no cost—a nonpartisan, layman’s description of every bill…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Launches PennsylvaniaVotes.orgState Budget
Shovel Ready?
In discussion of a “stimulus” plan/bailout of state and local governments, a lot of has been made of funding “shovel ready” projects – thus leading to governors and mayors putting…
Media
Read More: Shovel Ready?Taxes & Economy
New $95,000 job created for ousted PA lawmaker – during hiring freeze
Despite a state hiring freeze, and an $814 million revenue shortfall, Governor Rendell has created a new position – paying $95,002 annually – for former state representative…
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Read More: New $95,000 job created for ousted PA lawmaker – during hiring freezeRegulation
Kicking and screaming over soccer stadium
Delware County Councilman Andy Lewis is fighting against taxpayer funding for the proposed soccer stadium in Chester, noting (among other things) that Major League Soccer might go under, leaving…
Media
Read More: Kicking and screaming over soccer stadiumTaxes & Economy
Stimu-less
Lots of good explanation of why a federal “economic stimulus” is likely to fail. The Heritage Foundation has the “Do’s and Don’ts of an Economic Stimulus” – unfortunately all…
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We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?
Suppose you were faced with a major revenue shorfall and had to prioritize spending. Would you: 1) Give employees their promised raises or2) Produce a website/video…
Media
Read More: We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?State Budget
The façade of Pennsylvania’a state budget
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a story on how state taxpayer funding is available for business façades. The real façade is that the state budget is “cut to the…
Media
Read More: The façade of Pennsylvania’a state budgetHealth Care
What Medicaid Tells Us About Government Health Care
In the Wall Street Journal, Scott Gottlieb notes the poor performance of Medicaid, and wonders why President-elect Obama (or Governor Rendell) would want to expand on such a…
Media
Read More: What Medicaid Tells Us About Government Health CareEducation
Remembering Paul Henkels
Paul Henckels, chaiman of the REACH Foundation and a leader in the school choice movement in Pennsylvania, passed away late last week. Please find the news release from…
Media
Read More: Remembering Paul HenkelsEducation
Plan to Reform Public Education
The Washington Policy Center recently released its Education Reform Plan for the Washington school system. It highlights the failure of the current program: Nearly one-third of Washington public…
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Read More: Plan to Reform Public EducationTaxes & Economy
Movin’ Out of Pennsylvania in 2008
United Van Lines has released their 2008 migration study, detailing shipments into and out of each state. Pennsylvania saw 58% of movement leaving the state, ranking as the…
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Read More: Movin’ Out of Pennsylvania in 2008Education
School district consolidation unlikely to cut cost
Over at School Board Transparency blog, Fred Baldwin writes that consolidating school districts (to county wide districts) is unlikely to result in substantial cost savings – that is…
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Read More: School district consolidation unlikely to cut costEducation
Lesson from Pittsburgh: Low standards Hurt Students
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article covers how the Pittsburgh Public Schools administration is trying to defend its policy of a 50% minimum grade (HT GrassrootsPA), But…
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Read More: Lesson from Pittsburgh: Low standards Hurt StudentsTaxes & Economy
More on the Porn Bailout
As mentioned here yesterday, the Porn Industry (led by Hustler’s Larry Flynt and Girl’s Gone Wild‘s Joe Francis) is seeking a federal bailout. I’m not sure if they are…
Media
Read More: More on the Porn BailoutState Budget
Rendell, Legislature have left a fiscal mess in Pennsylvania
Tony Phyrillas has an excellent editorial on the state budget deficit and the history of recent overspending by Governor Rendell and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Media
Read More: Rendell, Legislature have left a fiscal mess in PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Bailout for the Porn Industry?
I knew this was coming: Porn industry seeks federal bailout. The Internet and globalization have hit Penthouse and Girls Gone Wild Pretty brands…
Media
Read More: Bailout for the Porn Industry?Taxes & Economy
Talking economics
The podcast from yesterday’s Pittsburgh Renaissance Radio with Matt Brouillette features discussion of a federal bailout of the states, “economic stimulus”, and Pennsylvania’s budget crunch. Full Program…
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Read More: Talking economics