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Perzel v. Benefield on Turnpike

• Nathan Benefield
• March 29, 2007

Speaker Emeritus Perzel thinks we should add more taxpayer-backed debt to fund road repairs, while I argue that a Turnpike lease is better than the bevy of tolls and debt…

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Exception turns into rule for property tax increases

• Nathan Benefield
• March 29, 2007

So much for protecting property taxpayers. The Patriot-News looks at the numbe of districts applying for exemptions to Act 1. Turns out 210 of the 501 school districts have…

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Duquesne law professor under fire

• Nathan Benefield
• March 28, 2007

Duquesne law professor Bruce Ledewitz (website) has been a harsh critic of the PA court system, including criticizing the Supreme Court ruling to reinstate their own pay-raise, and…

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Cost of Insurance Mandates

• Nathan Benefield
• March 28, 2007

A new report from CAHI for 2007 lists the health insurance mandates by state and the estimated cost of each mandate. PA has a43 identified mandates, each of which…

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Who Pays America’s Tax Burden

• Nathan Benefield
• March 27, 2007

Tax Foundation Report breaking down both who pays taxes by income quintile and who recieves the most from government spending. This includes both federal taxes and spending along with…

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The Cost of Tort

• Nathan Benefield
• March 27, 2007

A new study from the Pacific Research Institute estimates the US tort system imposes wasteful cost of $865 billion. In terms non-billionaires can understand, this equates to almost $10,000…

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Farm Subsidies for the Rich

• Nathan Benefield
• March 27, 2007

Wall Street Journal article on opposition to reducing the cap on farm subisidies for those earning between $200,000 and $2.5 million a year, including those “farming” in Washington DC.

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Reformers Everywhere

• Nathan Benefield
• March 27, 2007

Yesterday should illustrate how “reform” in Harrisburg has become more popular than the Beatles. First, the Senate State Government committee held a hearing on a possible state Constitutional Convention, at…

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Education

Free-Market Approaches to Fiscal Policy

• Nathan Benefield
• March 27, 2007

Good morning. My name is Nathan Benefield; I am the Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation, a research and policy institute in Harrisburg. I want to thank the…

Testimony

Time for ’pike commission to hit the road

• Nathan Benefield
• March 26, 2007

Bill Keisling editorial in the Tribune Democrat on the need to privatize the Turnpike and get rid of the corruption of the Turnpike Commission.

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Turnpike plan makes leasing look good

• Nathan Benefield
• March 26, 2007

The Post-Gazette has caught on to the benefits of a Turnpike Lease, at least contrasted with the Turnpike Commissions counter-proposal of more tolls on the Turnpike and on…

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Just who gets this check?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 26, 2007

Morning Call article on semi-anonymous corporate welfare. After questioning the Rendell Adminstration about the recipients of an announced handout, the Morning Call was told they don’t give out that…

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Rendell pressing to lease turnpike

• Nathan Benefield
• March 23, 2007

Governor Rendell almost sounds like Milton Friedman is his arguments for a Turnpike Lease in the Philadelphia Inquirer (well, not quite, but at least he recognizes the folly of…

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Republican RX

• Nathan Benefield
• March 23, 2007

Wall Street Journal article on Sen. Tom Coburn’s free-market healthcare reform proposals. Mr. Coburn, like the White House, would remove the subsidy corporations get for health care, and…

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Pay-hike leaders’ hefty pensions

• Nathan Benefield
• March 23, 2007

Brad Bumsted in the Tribune Review on the oversized pensions (after lump-sum payouts) of Bob Jubelirer and Chip Brightbill.

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Turnpike Unions Sued

• Nathan Benefield
• March 23, 2007

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that 26 PA Turnpike Employees are suing the union (Teamsters Local 250) for witholding union dues, even after they requested to leave the union. In…

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PHEAA travel guidelines

• Nathan Benefield
• March 22, 2007

Patriot News article on PHEAA’s consideration of new travel guidelines. PHEAA CEO Dick Willey adds: “The problem with buying bottles of wine is that they tend to add up.”…

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Is your governor a good-time Charlie?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 22, 2007

That is the question posed by Stephen Moore as he discusses State Spending Sprees in the Wall Street Journal. The answer, if you are reading this in the Keystone…

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Governors health care plan assailed

• Nathan Benefield
• March 22, 2007

Alison Hawkes in The Herald Standard on business groups responses to Governor Rendell’s universal healthcare plan. [Rendell healthcare spokeswoman] Kelchner said she can’t understand why business trade associations are…

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Leasing Toll Roads FAQ

• Nathan Benefield
• March 21, 2007

Analysis by the Reason Foundation on the most frequently asked questions about leasing toll roads, along with addressing the most common rhetoric from critics.

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RomneyCare falls down slippery slope

• Nathan Benefield
• March 21, 2007

New York Times reports on the how RomneyCare (as Massachusetts’ universal health care plan is known) continues to be worse than advertised. The board of the “Connector” which was…

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