The revenge of the failures

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2007

Bruce N. Shortt on how public agencies are trying to “help” homeschoolers by regulating them.

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Leasing the Turnpike

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 8, 2007

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial on a turnpike lease: But there’s resistance in the Keystone State where many people think only the government should operate public infrastructure. Is that because it…

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CA to offer tax breaks for health insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2007

Governor Schwarzenegger plans to make health coverage more affordable for Californians by making individually purchased plans tax free (the same way employer provide plans are taken from pre-tax income).

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Tax as you go.

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2007

Wall Street Journal piece on Nancy Pelosi’s “PayGo” plan, which would prevent tax cuts but wouldn’t restrain spending.

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The Right Minimum Wage: $0

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 4, 2007

George Will in the Washington Post on why the nostalgia for New Deal era Big Government proposals – such as the minimum wage – are as bad an idea…

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Some big bills are coming due

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 3, 2007

Clarke Thomas in the Post-Gazette on the big bills (and potential tax increases to fund them) looming for state and local governments in transporation, employee pensions and health care,…

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Bush: Time for a New Course

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 3, 2007

With Democrats in control in Congress, President Bush has decided to practice fiscal conservatism. In a letter to the Wall Street Journal, he promises to keep spending in check…

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Minimum Wage Impact

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 3, 2007

Coverage of the new Pennsylvania minimum wage and its impact on local businesses in the Carlisle Sentinel and the News Item. While local businesses feel the pinch and…

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Legislative Reform on Tap?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 2, 2007

Regardless of who is elected Speaker of the House (see here), both the Pennsylvania House and Senate have promised to take up reforms to make the legislative process more…

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Minimum wage: The rising tide that lifts all wages?

  • December 31, 2006

Carlisle Sentinel on PA’s higher minimum wage. Alhtough, our study is quoted, the context is not fully given. Our study does indeed claim that jobs will be lost; however,…

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Federal income tax data

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 21, 2006

In response to the commenter on my last post here are some numbers on federal income tax receipts: for 2000 and 2004 from the Tax Foundation and 2006…

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The Top 1% Pay 35%

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 20, 2006

Wall Street Journal article on how much “the rich” pay in taxes.

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Health tab for public Pa. retirees nears $34 billion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 20, 2006

AP Story on the liability for health coverage for retired state workers. Preliminary estimates are that state taxpayers will have to contribute $1.125 billion annually to pay off the…

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To lease or not to lease

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 20, 2006

From Capitolwire.com (subscription): While Gov. Ed Rendell waits for a Dec. 22 deadline for private firms to submit “expressions of interest” to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike, public policy…

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Gambling board perks add up to $25M

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 18, 2006

No wonder the Gaming Control Board is asking for a bigger budget: Brad Bumsted and Andrew Conte expose the waste on perks, in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

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