Media

Health Care

PA liability for state retiree health: $8.8 billion

• Nathan Benefield
• May 12, 2008

The PA Office of the Budget released their actuarial report on retiree health care liabilities, revealing that the estimated unfunded liablity as of July 1, 2008 is $8.8 billion…

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Health Care

Address the Cost of Health Care

• Nathan Benefield
• May 11, 2008

Here is a letter to the editor I sent to the York Daily Record on health care reform: I am responding to a May 4 op-ed by Rep. Eugene…

Media

Taxes & Economy

State Income Taxes and Economic Growth

• Nathan Benefield
• May 10, 2008

The Cato Journal has an article looking at the effects of state taxes and economic growth. Their finding, which should not surprise our readers, is that high marginal…

Media

Regulation

Smoke, Lies, and the Nanny State

• Nathan Benefield
• May 10, 2008

Here is an interesting read on the science of smoking and smoking bans, with plenty of additional resources listed in the end, written by Joe Jackson (yes, that…

Media

What bid? That’s ridiculous!

• May 10, 2008

Apparently Turnpike Commission CEO Joe Brimmeier was surprised to learn from the Pittsuburgh Post-Gazette that he had submitted a bid on to operate the Turnpike. Well, it’s not a…

Media

Education

Talking Cyber Schools

• Nathan Benefield
• May 9, 2008

I discuss Cyber Schools on this week’s Lincoln Radio Journal with Lowman Henry of the Lincoln Institute. Our recent policy brief on cyber schools is here. I…

Media

State Budget

A Closer Look at Stadium Subsidies

• Nathan Benefield
• May 9, 2008

The American magazine has an exposé on sport stadium subsidies, by Dennis Coates, reaching the conclusion that they do not result in broad economic growth: My own research,…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Rendell: “Let me spend your money, or face ‘total meltdown'”

• Nathan Benefield
• May 9, 2008

Ed Rendell is up to his old demogoguery on his energy proposal. This time he claims he will reduce everyone’s energy costs, and there will be a or ‘total…

Media

First Turnpike Bid Is In! Only $5.3 Billion

• May 9, 2008

PA Turnpike Commission plan will provide only $450 million per year for state’s roads, highways, bridges, and mass transit HARRISBURG, PA — As Gov. Rendell and the General Assembly await…

Press Release

Health Care

Health Care Reform (the right kind) in the states

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2008

Georgia enacted a few of the health care reforms we have been touting. From the SPN Blog: Georgia eliminates a major tax inequity by allowing individuals to…

Media

Public Union Democracy

In Defense of RINO Hunting

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2008

Pat Toomey lowers the hammer in the Wall Street Journal on the Republican establishment-types, who just want to win elections, regardless of policy, vision, or principles (note: this is…

Media

SmartTalk on PA Turnpike Lease

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2008

Here is the video of Matt Brouillette’s appearance on last week’s Smart Talk Program on WITF discussing a lease of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Media

Regulation

Leasing HBG Parking Garages

• May 8, 2008

Patriot News reports on the Harrisburg Parking Authority’s 3-2 vote last night to contract with a private company to lease nine city parking garages, two public lots and 1,200…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Watch Our Award Winning Video

• Nathan Benefield
• May 7, 2008

The Commonwealth Foundation’s video Frontlines of Liberty won a 2008 Telly Award. GK Visual gets the credit for producing the video (along with all our videos) but…

Media

Taxes & Economy

South Carolina vs. PA

• Nathan Benefield
• May 7, 2008

The Club For Growth has been keeping track of news on potential VP candidates, and this post on SC Mark Sanford stood out. Again, not because John McCain won’t…

Media

Education

The Price is Wrong

• Nathan Benefield
• May 7, 2008

Education Next story shows how little the general public knows about school spending. For instance, survey respondents were asked to estimate how much their school district spends, per pupil.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Big Farm whips Big Oil

• Nathan Benefield
• May 7, 2008

Great editorial on how “Big Farm” companies dominate “Big Oil” as a special interest, having both “record profits” and government subsidies for ethanol in the wake of a global…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Does Marriage Matter?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 6, 2008

As the PA Senate is expected to vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment today, I’d thought I’d remind readers that we discussed this proposal with both supporters and opponents…

Media

Health Care

Savings from McCain’s Health Care Tax Credit

• Nathan Benefield
• May 6, 2008

With the re-release of John McCain’s health care plan came a lot of criticism (along with praise) over who benefits from his tax credit. McCain would offer…

Media

Regulation

Harrisburg mayor proposing outsourcing parking

• Nathan Benefield
• May 6, 2008

Patriot News reports that Harrisburg mayor Stephen Reed proposing leasing operations of the city’s parking garages and meters to private operators. The deal would fetch $215 million for a…

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