Media

How to reduce the cost of insurance by 50%

• Nathan Benefield
• August 21, 2007

Wall Street Journal article on new, low-cost individual health insurance offerings. (HT to SPN Blog) This sounded good especially, “Humana Inc. packages start at $26 a month“. This…

Media

Drunk on ethanol

• Nathan Benefield
• August 21, 2007

Los Angeles Times article on politicians love for ethanol – mandating its use and subsidizing its production, while keeping high tariffs on foreign ethanol. They also point out how…

Media

Dunk’s Commentaries

• August 21, 2007

Bill Dunkelberg–who is a Commonwealth Foundation Board Member, Temple economics professor, and chief economist for the NFIB–provides these regular commentaries on today’s issues. Here’s his latest installment… With…

Media

Do stop-light cameras kill?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 21, 2007

I am on an email list giving about 85 or so reasons to oppose stop-light cameras. I think I’ve ignored about 52 of these emails so far, but I’ll pass…

Media

Like them or not, cyber schools prove accountable

• Nathan Benefield
• August 21, 2007

Editorial by Dennis Tulli in the Lebanon Daily News on the accountability of cyber schools, along with their underfunding (and the frequent refusal of school districts to pay their…

Media

Pennsylvanians not pleased with plan for I-80

• August 20, 2007

Pennsylvanians are starting to give their two cents on Gov. Rendell’s proposed plan to toll I-80, and so far, they aren’t singing its praises. Not even close.

Media

Real Consideration of Turnpike Lease?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 20, 2007

Pete DeCoursey at Capitolwire is reporting that not only is Governor Rendell continuing to press for a Turnpike Lease, but that he has several supporters, including Sen. Jake…

Media

Toll of teacher strikes

• Nathan Benefield
• August 20, 2007

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on the cost of teacher strikes in PA, citing this study by the Allegheny Institute. Also read Simon Campbell’s commentary on legislation to end teacher…

Media

Why Campaign Expenditures are Increasing: The Government is Getting Bigger

• Nathan Benefield
• August 20, 2007

Research by John Lott reveals a somewhat obvious explanation to campaign contribution growth, touched on briefly in my testimony. Special interests spend millions to influence government because government…

Media

Rendell’s world: Spending and debt

• Nathan Benefield
• August 20, 2007

Brad Bumsted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on spending and debt under Rendell – i.e. the “cardboard check syndrome”.

Media

Pennsylvania Teachers: Number One in Strikes

• Nathan Benefield
• August 17, 2007

Allegheny Institute Report on teacher strikes in Pennsylvania and nationally. The include facts about the number of strikes in each state (60% of all strikes occur in PA), and…

Media

Cyber Charter Funding Debate

• Nathan Benefield
• August 17, 2007

Good article by William Mulgrew in The Evening Bulletin on the debate over public cyber school funding, with emphasis on the Haverford District: Last year, Haverford School District…

Media

With just the click of a mouse … you’re in school

• Nathan Benefield
• August 16, 2007

More coverage of the benefits for cyber schools for students and their growing popularity among parents from the Meadville Tribune. Read our FAQ on Cyber Schools here.

Media

Expanding SCHIP Will Challenge State Finances

• Nathan Benefield
• August 16, 2007

Heritage Foundation looks at the effect of the proposed Congressional SCHIP expansion, and offers A State-by-State Analysis of the effect on finances. The SCHIP expansion under consideration would increase…

Media

Another reason why there’s no money for bridges

• Nathan Benefield
• August 16, 2007

Another story about taxes ostensibly to be used for transportation are going to Pork: That’s because — thanks to state funding — PPL is installing 88 new sidewalk…

Media

Poll: Campaign Finance

• Nathan Benefield
• August 15, 2007

Our first ever Policy Blog poll wants to know what our readers think of proposed campaign finance reform in Pennsylvania. After answering, check out our Policy Points on…

Media

Parochial choice

• Nathan Benefield
• August 15, 2007

Letter to the Patriot News explains how Harrisburg Schools can save money — through school choice. We have discussed this idea a number of times, including a policy brief,…

Media

Property Tax Relief?

• August 15, 2007

It’s been three years since the passage of the largest expansion of gambling in Pennsylvania. The people of Pennsylvania were told by Gov. Rendell and the majority of House and…

Media

Agriculture Number 1?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 14, 2007

I’ve seen politicians, from both parties and from all regions of the state, throw around the claim that Agriculture is PA’s number one industry, most recently in the Governor’s…

Media

Benefield Testimony on PCN

• Nathan Benefield
• August 14, 2007

My testimony on campaign finance limits will be carried live on PCN today. I am scheduled to take the hot seat at 1:30. The hearing will re-air beginning at…

Media

Government Accountability

Campaign Finance “Reform” is a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

• Nathan Benefield
• August 14, 2007

Good afternoon. My name is Nathan Benefield; I am the Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation, a public policy research and educational institution based in Harrisburg. I…

Testimony