Media

Taxes & Economy

Economists against a “stimulus”

• Nathan Benefield
• January 7, 2009

Even though the Obama administration claims all economists recognize the inherent brilliance of a proposed economic stimulus (which includes a bailout of the states, “infrastructure” spend, and “rebate” checks…

Media

State Budget

Pennsylvania Deficit Watch | January 2009

• January 6, 2009

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released the December revenue collections showing state General Fund revenues are $815 million short for the fiscal year to date. This shortfall exceeds the…

Press Release

Education

Film: A Stone’s Throw

• January 6, 2009

Our sister think tank, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, recently released “A Stone’s Throw.” The film documents the frustrations of parents in Mississippi–a state notorious for its low…

Media

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania budget shortfall more than expected

• Nathan Benefield
• January 6, 2009

In our latest Pennsylvania Deficit Watch update, we take a look at the current state revenue shortfall, noting Governor Rendell’s revised estimate of a $1.6 Billion shorftall for…

Media

Government Accountability

Another $1 million spent to defend lawmakers in “Bonusgate”

• Nathan Benefield
• January 6, 2009

As new legislators are coming to Harrisburg to be sworn in, Brad Bumsted reports that the Pennsylvania Senate Republicans have spent $1 million in legal fees (despite the number…

Media

Government Accountability

Would you pay $75 for bobblehead of Harrisburg mayor?

• Nathan Benefield
• January 6, 2009

From the “News of the Weird” (that is the Patriot News local section) is the report that bobblehead’s of Harrisburg mayor Stephen Reed are being sold for $75 apiece…

Media

Education

Human Capital Contracts: The Future of Higher Ed Funding?

• Nathan Benefield
• January 5, 2009

National Center for Policy Analysis summarize the idea of “human capital contracts” to finance student’s higher education costs. Essentially these contracts constitute agreeing to pay a set percentage of…

Media

Pennsylvania Turnpike Tolls up 25%

• Nathan Benefield
• January 5, 2009

Drivers are waking up to higher tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike this week – a 25% increase in tolls went into effect Sunday.  Some of the news stories are…

Media

Regulation

Downsize the Federal Government

• Nathan Benefield
• January 2, 2009

Cato Institute video on “Downsizing the Federal Government” starting with the US Department of Agriculture. If, like me, you thought that the Dept. of Agriculture was a relatively small…

Media

Government Accountability

Less than 40 hours to help us meet our goal!

• December 30, 2008

UPDATE from the Commonwealth Foundation12.30.08 $1,315 needed for “40in40” Challenge!With only 40 hours left in 2008, we are $1,315 shy of…

Media

Regulation

New Pollution Regulations Will Cost You

• Elizabeth Stelle
• December 30, 2008

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania DEP reinstated CAIR (the Clean Air Interstate Rule) after a successful appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. In July, the…

Media

Education

Scholarships for Student Conference on Liberty

• Elizabeth Stelle
• December 29, 2008

Students For Liberty (a non-profit organization dedicated to liberty) will host their 2009 International Students For Liberty Conference from February 20-22nd at George Washington University, Washington, D.C. The…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Is Christmas bad for the Economy?

• Nathan Benefield
• December 29, 2008

Readers who are spending this week returning gifts they don’t really want – or those who think Wal-Mart playing Jingle…

Media

Regulation

Snyder County refuses Boscov’s Bailout

• Nathan Benefield
• December 29, 2008

Officials in Snyder County are refusing to back a loan as part of the Boscov’s Bailout – even though Pennsylvania officials are pressuring them to do so, arguing…

Media

Regulation

The Year in Bans

• Nathan Benefield
• December 29, 2008

Reason TV video looks at the latest examples of the Nanny State Mentality, highlighting some of the many things banned in 2008.

Media

Taxes & Economy

When has an “economic stimulus” ever worked?

• Nathan Benefield
• December 23, 2008

The Club for Growth recently put out a statement opposing a federal “economic stimulus” plan, like that currently being pushed by the incoming administration (and lobbied for by…

Media

Government Accountability

Transparency and the Bailout

• Elizabeth Stelle
• December 23, 2008

Transparency is a popular buzzword these days, but does the rhetoric reflect reality? John Stossel investigates the lack of transparency surrounding the bailout.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Residents Still “Movin Out” of Pennsylvania

• Nathan Benefield
• December 23, 2008

The Census Bureau released the latest annual population estimates.  The trends for Pennsylvania remain much the same: Pennsylvania grew by 0.2% between July 2007 and July 2008 – ranking…

Media

Government Accountability

Taxpayer Funded Lobbying and the Growth of Government

• Nathan Benefield
• December 22, 2008

Americans for Prosperity has a new analysis of taxpayer-funded lobbying of the federal government.  I don’t want to point out the obvious, but this taxpayer-funded lobbying is almost all…

Media

Education

Why Pennsylvania leads the nation in teacher walkouts

• Nathan Benefield
• December 22, 2008

The Wall Street Journal features an article on teacher strikes in Pennsylvania, noting that the Keystone State leads the nation in school employees strikes. The piece cites a…

Media

Regulation

Taxpayers helping millionaires

• Nathan Benefield
• December 22, 2008

Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed celebrates the end of a long-standing tradition of sending taxpayers money to sports stadiums in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia – or rather, the extension of that tradition…

Media