Media

Bonanza from lease of turnpike not so big?

• May 6, 2008

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story on the expected bids to lease the Turnpike. What’s interesting is that even with the downturn of the market, a Public-Private Partnership on the Turnpike…

Media

Education

Happy Birthday EITC

• Nathan Benefield
• May 6, 2008

Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit turns 7 this month; there is a birthday party at the Capitol beginning at noon today (I believe free cake is involved). For more…

Media

Government Accountability

NTU calls for Spending Transparency in PA

• Nathan Benefield
• May 5, 2008

The National Taxpayers Unions has sent a letter encouraging passage of a spending transparency website. The legislation, SB 1350, was introduced by Sen. Browne in April. For more…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Is the US in a recession?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 5, 2008

Tony Phyrillas writes that the U.S. is not in a recession. John Micek jokes about Phyrillas swallowing Bush’s rhetoric. Of course Tony has the evidence, whereas John is,…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Endorsing Obama = End of Corruption

• Nathan Benefield
• May 5, 2008

Wall Street Journal article on Barack Obama’s support for reducing oversight of the Teamsters. Says Obama, “organized crime influence in the union has drastically declined.” (HT Amanda Carpenter).

Media

Regulation

Pension COLA has hefty price tag

• Nathan Benefield
• May 5, 2008

Charles Thompson has a story in the Patriot News about the high cost to taxpayers of the propose pension COLA. The Tribune Review also had an article last…

Media

Health Care

High Risk Pools

• Nathan Benefield
• May 5, 2008

One of the key recommendations from Rick Dreyfuss’s health care testimony last week which received a number of questions was creating a state high risk pool. CAHI has…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Judicial Merit Selection?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 4, 2008

“Robin Hood” writes on the Keystone Politics Blog against the idea of judicial merit selection. In a pre-rebuttal, JudgesonMerit offers an analysis of what critics of merit selection…

Media

Taxes & Economy

The Proposed Mortage Bailout

• Nathan Benefield
• May 4, 2008

Here are a few resources on the proposed federal mortgage bailout. FreedomWorks has a new site on this issue called AngryRenter.com Heritage Foundation’s research on the “Mortgage…

Media

State Budget

Did Pork cause bridge collapse?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 2, 2008

Yahoo! News has a story about McCain “backing off” an earlier statement that pork barrel projects caused the Minnesota bridge collapse. However, while earmarks didn’t cause the bridge to…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Right-to-Work leads to Economic Growth

• Nathan Benefield
• May 2, 2008

The Mackinac Center has a brief analysis the economic climate of Right to Work states and Forced Unionism states. Mark Perry sums it up nicely: What are…

Media

How much are you getting in Property Tax Relief?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 2, 2008

PDE has released the amount each Pennsylvania homeowner and farmstead owner will get in property tax relief in 2008-09 from gambling revenue. (Note: if you own rental property, own…

Media

Health Care

Healthcare Affordability

• Richard Dreyfuss
• May 1, 2008

Healthcare Reform Principles Every reform action should be tested against two criteria: • Does it take costs out of the system?• Does it price insurance in proportion to expected…

Testimony

State Budget

Who Gets Farm Subsidies

• Nathan Benefield
• May 1, 2008

Environmental Working Group has a comprehensive database of US farm subsidies. (HT Club for Growth). Here are Pennsylvania’s top recipients in 2007.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Ethanol and Rendell

• Nathan Benefield
• May 1, 2008

Many are calling for an end to ethanol mandates because of how they drive up food costs: Aid workers and others contend diverting more than a a quarter…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Five Ways to Lower Gasoline Prices

• Nathan Benefield
• May 1, 2008

Video from the Heritage Foundation:…

Media

Education

Bevy of School Choice Articles/Research

• Nathan Benefield
• May 1, 2008

A number of articles came across my email and blog reader, and I decided to put them all into one post. The Philadelphia Bulletin has a write-up…

Media

Health Care

Health Care Affordability Debated

• Nathan Benefield
• April 30, 2008

Today’s health care hearing, at which Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow Rick Dreyfuss testified, will be airing on PCN tonight; check here for future airings. The York Dispatch also did…

Media

Government Accountability

Fumo: fighting to keep slavery outlawed

• Nathan Benefield
• April 30, 2008

State Senator Vince Fumo said Tuesday that “If we introduced a bill on slavery, it might pass …I know some people up here, especially on a secret ballot, it would…

Media

Education

Edifice Complex Video

• Nathan Benefield
• April 30, 2008

Here is the video from yesterday’s lucheon on public school spending and cyber schools. (The Commonwealth Foundation report referenced can be found here.) Visit EdificeComplex.org for…

Media

Regulation

House Committee Votes to Increase Pensions/Property Taxes

• Nathan Benefield
• April 30, 2008

The House State Government Committee passed a Pension COLA bill – AP Story here – which would require a dramatic increase in spending (on top of the expected higher…

Media