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Fairness
New Analysis Reveals Striking Partisanship of Government Union Spending
Government unions spent more than $33 million on political causes and only 5.2 percent of PAC contributions went to non-Democratic candidates. Harrisburg, Pa., April 16, 2025 — Government unions…
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Prosperity
Independent Fiscal Office Exposes Shapiro’s Overinflated Revenue Projections
Read More: Independent Fiscal Office Exposes Shapiro’s Overinflated Revenue Projections
Education
Senate Republicans School Shapiro Administration, Stand up for Students and Taxpayers
Read More: Senate Republicans School Shapiro Administration, Stand up for Students and Taxpayers
Commonwealth Foundation Announces Promotion of Elizabeth Stelle to Vice President of Policy
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Announces Promotion of Elizabeth Stelle to Vice President of Policy
Energy Snapshot Powerpoint
The PowerPoint summary of the various energy plans from today’s luncheon can be found here as a slideshow and here as a PDF file. If you missed the…
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Bonus Ban Measure Passes State Government Committee
John Eichelberger’s Bonus Ban Bill – banning all bonuses in state government, PHEAA, legislative staffers, executive branch, etc. – cleared its first hurdle today.
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Interest to lease turnpike is broad
Philadelphia Inquirer on the interest in leasing the Turnpike. List of companies completing RFQ is included (several companies entered joint proposals – thus there are 34 companies listed, but…
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Spain constructors eye 21.2 bln eur Pennsylvania highway privatisation
Thomson Financial on potential Spanish bidders on a Turnpike lease (RFQs were due today). Once you get past the British spelling (“privatisation”) , you need to covert Euros…
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No time for energy conservation when PR is at stake
Rendell’s energy plan calls for a whole host of subsidies and tax credits to end our “dependence on foreign oil”. Cutting taxpayer-funded bus tours to promote his energy plan…
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FHWA responds on I-80 tolls
Toll Roads News posts and analyzes a letter from the Federal Highway Administration to the Turnpike Commission on tolling I-80. The letter doesn’t say much other than the…
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Federal Energy Tax Policy
This research paper from 2006 offers a good summary of current federal tax policy – taxes and tax credits – toward energy. Things I learned reading it include:…
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Crisis of the Uninsured: 2007
NCPA Brief Analysis breaks down who is insured, who is uninsured, and why.
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RIP John Berthoud
John Berthoud, president of the National Taxpayers Union, died yesterday at 47. John was a long-time defender of taxpayers and a champion of liberty. NTU ask anyone wishing to pay…
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A Law Best Left Behind
Wall Street Journal looks at the No Child Left Behind Act – facing reauthorization – noting how the adminstration has not enforced or pushed the school choice provision. Under…
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PHEAA CEO to get $360,000 annual pension
Jan Murphy on the pension retiring PHEAA CEO Dick Willey will receive. The pension is so elevated because his $180,000 bonus counts toward the pension calculation. Of course, he…
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Do we need Special Session on Baseball Bats?
Philadelphia Inquirer story on the controversy over a bill to ban metal bats in baseball and softball from Little League through High School. The claim is that balls come…
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Wal-Mart Reduces Cost of Prescriptions; State Increases Costs
Wal-Mart press release indicates they saved Pennsylvania residents $18 last year on prescription drugs through their “$4 prescription drug” program. However, state law doesn’t let Wal-Mart sell their drugs…
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Do Green Mandates and Subsidies Create Jobs?
Testimony of Dick Armey on the economic impacts of energy mandates and subsidies. Needless to say, he doesn’t agree with Governor Rendell that taxpayer-funded handouts to politically selected companies…
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Rendell: Show me the money and I’ll pull plan for I-80 tolls
Morning Call Story on Governor Rendell’s announcement he would support a repeal of Act 44 if legislators found an alternative funding stream. A Turnpike lease remains at…
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SCHIP Information Center
New Website from the NCPA provides a collection of information on the SCHIP program, including recent research, commentary, and blogs.
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Push for “Distracted Drivers” legislation
Legislation to ban hand held cell phones and text messages – aimed at curbing “distratcted drivers” – is being pushed as a top priority by House Democrats. In the…
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PHEAA CEO to step down
PHEAA CEO Dick Willey announced he will resign at the end of the year. Possible reasons include a better paying job in the private sector, belief that Governor…
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Tax Poor to Fund Middle Class
NCPA Report on SCHIP Expansion finds that If SCHIP is expanded as Congress now proposes, says the paper, people making under 200 percent of the poverty line…
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Many reasons to oppose the collecting of tolls on Interstate 80
Rep. Kerry Benninghoff on the need to repeal Act 44.
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Read More: Many reasons to oppose the collecting of tolls on Interstate 80
Defend America, Buy More Iranian Oil
This Reason Foundation Commentary explains why “Energy independence isn’t a good national security strategy,” in spite of Governor Rendell’s use of the “189 Pennsylvanians killed in Iraq and…
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