Media

Government Accountability

Why the capital budget process needs to be reformed

• Nathan Benefield
• April 4, 2008

Here is a response I posted on GrassrootsPA to the defenders of the $13 billion in capital budget projects who state essentially “It isn’t that bad, because not all…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Hoover’s Heirs

• Nathan Benefield
• April 3, 2008

Wall Street Journal editorial on what not to do facing a possible recession, i.e. follow the lead of Herbert Hoover: In 1930, he signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act,…

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State Budget

Pork-Barrel Projects Take Taxpayers to Slaughterhouse

• April 3, 2008

Commonwealth Foundation condemns earmarking of $12.7 billion in taxpayer debt HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation expressed disappointment in the Pennsylvania Senate’s passage of House Bill 1589, which authorizes $12.7…

Press Release

State Budget

$13 Billion capital budget flies under radar

• Nathan Benefield
• April 3, 2008

The $12.7 billion in borrowing for the state Capital Budget has become a hot topic on GrassrootsPA. Otherwise, it has merited a blurb in the Patriot News, and…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Is the GOP Still the Party of Economic Growth?

• Nathan Benefield
• April 3, 2008

John Tamny has a scathing RealClearMarkets column on the national economic policy of the last 7 years, implying that, had you been stuck on an island with Jack, Sawyer,…

Media

Government Accountability

Philadelphia Parking Authority to face scrutiny

• Nathan Benefield
• April 3, 2008

One the most wasteful, patronage-ridden, and shady government entities – the Philadelphia Parking Authority – will face investigation into its practices, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Like many other agencies…

Media

State Budget

CAGW releases Congressional Pig Book

• Nathan Benefield
• April 2, 2008

Citizens Against Government Waste released their annual Congressional Pig Book, highlighting $17.2 billion in pork projects (11,610 projects). Pennsylvania ranks 31st in pork per capita (though sixth in…

Media

Taxes & Economy

The Clean Energy Scam

• Nathan Benefield
• April 2, 2008

Time Magazine blasts the ethanol craze that has politicians (including Governor Rendell) demanding more subsidies and mandates for biofuels than they already get (HT: Carpe Diem):…

Media

Education

Report: Philly graduation rate 33% lower than suburbs

• Nathan Benefield
• April 1, 2008

A new report on graduation rates in the largest US cities has troubling news for Philadelphia (and most urban districts). The Philadelphia City School District ranks 34th among the…

Media

Repeal Act 44 Videos

• Nathan Benefield
• April 1, 2008

Hat Tip to Grassroots PA for pointing out these absurd but hilarious videos calling for a repeal of Act 44. My favorite is the video below featuring two…

Media

Health Care

MCare: End it, Don’t Extend It

• Nathan Benefield
• April 1, 2008

Governor Rendell and House Democrats have refused to extend the MCare abatements unless it is tied to their Cover All Pennsylvania’s/PA ABC plan (read my commentary…

Media

Taxes & Economy

NTU: Return Legislative Surplus to Taxpayers

• Nathan Benefield
• March 31, 2008

The National Taxpayers Union sent an open letter to Pennsylvania legislators urging them to return the estimated $240 million surplus in legislative leadership accounts in the form of tax…

Media

Education

New Reports on Education and School Choice

• Nathan Benefield
• March 31, 2008

Here are a few new reports that make for handy reference guides for legislators, advocates, researchers, or anyone interested in education reform. American Legislative Exchange Council: 2007…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Those wacky truckers

• Nathan Benefield
• March 31, 2008

As anyone in the Harrisburg area would have noticed this morning, the Truck Drivers are coming into town to protest high diesel prices. Without even addressing their proposal (a…

Media

Taxes & Economy

What’s a Charity?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 31, 2008

A recent blog post on the Tax Foundation blog points to an analysis they did on the tax treatment of charities, which I found to be quite intriguing.

Media

Education

School Choice Tax Credit Saves Money in IL

• Nathan Benefield
• March 28, 2008

An analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute of the Illinois Education Expense Tax Credit finds that an increase on the cap for that credit to $4,000 per child would…

Media

Education

Merit selection and education lawsuits

• Nathan Benefield
• March 28, 2008

Our sister think tank, the Show Me Institute, has an interesting post on the intersection of merit selection of judges (i.e. the Missouri Plan) and education cases – namely…

Media

Health Care

RendellCare lobbyists push socialist pricing

• Nathan Benefield
• March 27, 2008

The lobbyists charged with pushing RendellCare InsurePANow has fired off another missive advocating more of Rendell’s health care agenda. They tout a bill that they proclaim will “make insurance…

Media

Education

Salaries for 120,000 PA teachers

• Nathan Benefield
• March 27, 2008

Stop Teacher Strikes has the data here.

Media

State Budget

$100 Trillion Dollars in Debt!

• Nathan Benefield
• March 27, 2008

John Goodman analyzes the latest report of unfunded Social Security and Medicare liabilities and come up with the grand total of $102 Trillion for the “infinite horizon” (after reducing…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Rendell pleads for more spending

• Nathan Benefield
• March 27, 2008

Tony Phyrillas comments on Governor Rendell’s latest plea for legislators to borrow, tax, and spend more. Rendell claims that for a few dollars more, he can fix all our…

Media