Media

State Budget

Budget shortfall, but money (and giant checks) for pork is plentiful

• Nathan Benefield
• November 20, 2008

Even though Pennsylvania is facing a massive budget shortfall, don’t expect Governor Rendell to stop touring the state handing out taxpayer funds. Yesterday, he announced $44 million in “investments”…

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Pennsylvania’s economic climate gets another bleak ranking

• Nathan Benefield
• November 20, 2008

The Beacon Hill Institute has issued a new report on state economic competitiveness.  Not surprising, Pennsylvania ranks poorly – 39th out of the fifty states.  You can find the…

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Government Accountability

PA Lawmakers, Executives, Judges Get Pay Raise

• Nathan Benefield
• November 20, 2008

Patriot News story on the 2.8% cost of living increase that Pennsylvania lawmakers will get beginning Dec. 1, and state judges and executive branch officials will get the raise…

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Public Union Democracy

Ending secret ballot elections: Change you can believe in?

• Nathan Benefield
• November 20, 2008

Rick Berman of the Center for Union Facts writes in the DC Examiner that the first priority of the Obama Administration may well be outlawing secret ballots…

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Taxes & Economy

Latest on automakers bailout

• Nathan Benefield
• November 19, 2008

The Center for Fiscal Accountability has a letter opposing a bailout of automakers, joining NTU, which sent out their own letter. Alan Reynolds poses the question of…

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Government Accountability

Open Records Are Not Optional

• Elizabeth Stelle
• November 19, 2008

Editors of The Morning Call criticize Allentown mayor Ed Pawlowski for attempting to keep the cost of police contract negotiations secret despite the city’s home rule charter which specifically…

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Regulation

States Don’t Need a Bailout

• Nathan Benefield
• November 19, 2008

Steven Malanga of the Manhattan Institute has an excellent editorial in the Wall Street Journal covering all the major topics of why states overspend – creating or…

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Taxes & Economy

Do you support limited government?

• Nathan Benefield
• November 18, 2008

Jay P. Greene explains why anyone who believes in limited government and free markets should support the Commonwealth Foundation. Not directly, of course, but his conclusion is that…

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Education

Hope for me, but not for thee

• November 18, 2008

Cross posted on Capital Domes. It seems Washington, D.C., is atwitter over President-elect Barack Obama’s first major decision. No, it’s not which cabinet post Hillary will get.

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Taxes & Economy

Don’t bail out out our state!

• Nathan Benefield
• November 18, 2008

The Commonwealth Foundation has joined with 58 other groups (led by the NTU) sending a letter to Congress on why a bailout of state and local governments…

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Regulation

Pittsburgh Faces Billions in Unfunded Retiree Benefits

• Elizabeth Stelle
• November 18, 2008

The Allegheny Institute has released a report on the mounting costs of OPEB or the public sector retiree benefits for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County employees. Previously…

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Regulation

How far will smoking bans go?

• Nathan Benefield
• November 17, 2008

A new ReasonTV video, Just Can’t Quit, looks at government’s addiction to smoking bans. California became the first state to ban smoking in bars a decade…

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Taxes & Economy

No UAW Bailout

• Nathan Benefield
• November 17, 2008

IBD Editorials writes that a bailout of the automakers is a misguided idea, aimed only at protecting their current union contracts (which are largely to blame for their…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Bush defends Free Market (and Big Government)

• Nathan Benefield
• November 17, 2008

In a speech to the Manhattan Institute, President Bush defends the free market.  Let me parse what I consider to be the key paragraph: History has…

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Taxes & Economy

New Power Lines Reduce Electricity Rates

• Elizabeth Stelle
• November 17, 2008

The PUC recently approved a small portion (1.5 miles) of the Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line, Allegheny Energy is responsible for constructing 37.2 miles of the controversial 240 mile transmission line.

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Government Accountability

Full-Time Legislators still not the norm

• Nathan Benefield
• November 16, 2008

The National Council of State Legislatures has some new data on occupations of state legislators. Here in Pennsylvania, 77.5% reported their occupation as “full-time legislator” (even though PA…

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Taxes & Economy

Trashing Friedman’s Economics

• Nathan Benefield
• November 16, 2008

Crain's Chicago Business speculates that “failure of the free market” and “deregulation” will harm the reputation of the University of Chicago's School of Economics and of any influenced by…

Media

Pennsylvania Senate GOP has Turnpike Lease Study

• Nathan Benefield
• November 15, 2008

An analysis of potential Turnpike lease by Moody’s, commissioned the the PA Senate Transportation Committee, was released yesterday. Their findings are that a Turnpike lease might be beneficial, that…

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Government Accountability

Prizes for bloggers, citizen activists, video producers, and more

• Nathan Benefield
• November 15, 2008

Our friends at the Sam Adams Alliance have something called The Sammies awards (with cash prizes) to encourage bloggers and citizens to get involved in political action. Here…

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Education

Charter schools produce graduates, cost less

• Nathan Benefield
• November 15, 2008

Jay P. Greene’s blog points to a couple of recent studies on charter schools. The first one (link to full study here) shows that charter schools in Florida…

Media

Turnpike Commission Cutting Work Force

• Nathan Benefield
• November 14, 2008

Following traffic and revenue declines, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced it will be reducing its staff size starting with a “voluntary departure program”, with layoffs to be next. Curiously,…

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