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Energy
New Report: Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Energy Proposals Will Double Electric Bills
The report finds PACER and PRESS proposals would impose massive increases to household electricity rates. Harrisburg, Pa., May 27, 2025 — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation released its latest…
Read More: New Report: Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Energy Proposals Will Double Electric Bills
Education
Public Schools Increased Spending to $23,000 Per Student, Ballooned Reserves While Enrollment Declined
Read More: Public Schools Increased Spending to $23,000 Per Student, Ballooned Reserves While Enrollment Declined
Energy
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on RGGI
Read More: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on RGGI
Education
Senate Education Committee Approves Bipartisan PASS Scholarships, Offering Lifeline to Students in Need
Read More: Senate Education Committee Approves Bipartisan PASS Scholarships, Offering Lifeline to Students in NeedTaxes & Economy
Residents Still “Movin Out” of Pennsylvania
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…
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Read More: Residents Still “Movin Out” of PennsylvaniaGovernment Accountability
Taxpayer Funded Lobbying and the Growth of Government
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…
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Read More: Taxpayer Funded Lobbying and the Growth of GovernmentEducation
Why Pennsylvania leads the nation in teacher walkouts
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…
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Read More: Why Pennsylvania leads the nation in teacher walkoutsRegulation
Taxpayers helping millionaires
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…
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Read More: Taxpayers helping millionairesRegulation
Ed Rendell and Rosie O’Donnell
Q: What do Governor Ed Rendell and Rosie O’Donnell have in common (hint: it has nothing to do with food)? A: They have both gotten on Donald Trump’s bad side.
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Read More: Ed Rendell and Rosie O’DonnellRegulation
Government Knows Best: New Mandates in Philly
Philadelphia passed a new law (HT:Grassroots) mandating Carbon Monoxide detectors in every newly constructed home. The story reminded me of…
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Read More: Government Knows Best: New Mandates in PhillyTaxes & Economy
Corporatism vs. Socialism vs. Free Markets
As President Bush announces a revised bailout for automakers, David Boaz examines the policies of Bush and proposals of Obama and concludes neither is a “socialist”, but neither…
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Read More: Corporatism vs. Socialism vs. Free MarketsRegulation
Lemieux: “Pennsylvania Taxpayers are Suckers”
This is somewhat old news, but its new to me: Mario Lemieux admitted in August that he never thought of moving the Pittsburgh Penguins, but was still able to…
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Read More: Lemieux: “Pennsylvania Taxpayers are Suckers”State Budget
Return of Pennsylvania Legislature’s Reserves?
An audit of the General Assembly found there is $200 million in legislative surplus, and called for most of it to be returned to the taxpayers who paid for…
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Read More: Return of Pennsylvania Legislature’s Reserves?Public Union Democracy
Taxes, Union Bailouts, and “Crybabies”
Every other Tuesday, Matt Brouillette hosts The Politics of Business on Pittsburgh Renaissance Radio on WMNY 1360 AM from 2-6pm. This week he tackled a variety of issues that rankled at…
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Read More: Taxes, Union Bailouts, and “Crybabies”Education
School Choice Benefits Students and Taxpayers
Bob Maranto is featured in the Inquirer today writing on why Philadelphia needs charter schools: The academic data provided by No Child Left Behind…
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Read More: School Choice Benefits Students and TaxpayersRegulation
Smoking ban is bad for business, say casinos
Pennsylvania’s slots casinos are complaining that the recently enacted state smoking ban is hurting their revenues (we told you so) and are asking that their exemption be increased…
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Read More: Smoking ban is bad for business, say casinosTaxes & Economy
Big Government Leads to Corrupt Government
John Stossel has a good article on Townhall today on Blagoevich, the bailout, and public choice theory The Public Choice economists remind us that contrary to what…
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Read More: Big Government Leads to Corrupt GovernmentTaxes & Economy
Buchanan: GOP should embrace xenophobia, not economics
Pat Buchanan on Townhall.com calls for an automakers bailout based on xenophobia and on repeating the mistakes of the past, rather than sound economic policy. Is…
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Read More: Buchanan: GOP should embrace xenophobia, not economicsPublic Union Democracy
PSEA: Sampling the Best of PA on Your Tab
The Department of Labor recently added 2008 Union LM2 records to its website. A perusal of PSEA’s LM2 (file number: 512989) reveals that the state’s largest teacher union continues…
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Read More: PSEA: Sampling the Best of PA on Your TabTaxes & Economy
State College Debates a Drink Tax
The Tax Foundation exposes the poor logic behind a proposed drink tax targeted at “freeloading” PSU students. Local officials in State College would be wise to consider the fall…
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Read More: State College Debates a Drink TaxTaxes & Economy
Ten Problems with a Federal Bailout of the States
Chris Edwards has an article in National Review Online on why a bailout of the states is bad policy. Here are his top ten reasons. 1. The federal government…
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Read More: Ten Problems with a Federal Bailout of the StatesTaxes & Economy
Bigger Government is no Stimulus
Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute has a great video on why government spending has, and will, fail to “stimulate” the economy. The evidence detailed by Mitchell…
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Read More: Bigger Government is no StimulusTaxes & Economy
Happy Bill of Rights Day
Today is the 318th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights Institute has some resources, as does The Examiner.
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Read More: Happy Bill of Rights DayState Budget
Earmarks Galore
Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn has a new report on the most outrageous examples of federal spending. Some of the top examples, courtesy of the Center for Fiscal Accountability:…
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Read More: Earmarks GaloreRegulation
Pennsylvania school employees pension costs to quadruple in 4 years
The Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) at their meeting today certified a small increase in the employers’ (re: taxpayers) contribution rate – from the current 4.76% to…
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Read More: Pennsylvania school employees pension costs to quadruple in 4 years