Media

State Budget

“Pork” database passed

• Nathan Benefield
• September 15, 2006

Reuters Story on the passage of legislation that would create a new web database of all pork barrel grants. Hopefully transparency is but the first step in reducing wasteful…

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Government Accountability

Judicial pay raise outrage

• Nathan Benefield
• September 15, 2006

WHP CBS21 coverage of the pay raise ruling, featuring video of our very own Matthew Brouillette talking with angry callers.

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Government Accountability

Summary of Supreme Court Ruling on Pay Raise

• Nathan Benefield
• September 14, 2006

The PA Supreme Court Opinion on the pay raise, issued today (view the last two pages for the Conclusion) makes the following decisions: 1) The repeal (Act 72 of…

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Government Accountability

Pay Raise is Back

• Nathan Benefield
• September 14, 2006

The Patriot News reports that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reinstated last July’s pay raise, for judges–a ruling which raises the pay of the Supreme Court Justices. The ruling also…

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Taxes & Economy

Wal-Mart and Chicago

• Nathan Benefield
• September 14, 2006

Following Chicago Major Daley’s 1st ever veto, the city council is reconsidering the law they passed requiring “Big Box Retailers” to pay a “living wage” and benefits. Investor’s Business…

Media

Privatize Amtrak

• Nathan Benefield
• September 13, 2006

In the wake of some discussion on the GrassrootsPA comments section on whether we need to keep subsidizing Amtrak with tax dollars, I thought these analyses would be useful…

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State Budget

Earmark Showdown

• Nathan Benefield
• September 13, 2006

Wall Street Journal article on a couple of bills expected to come up in Congress this week that would address pork barrel spending. While these bills wouldn’t reduce spending,…

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Taxes & Economy

Why are people rich?

• Nathan Benefield
• September 13, 2006

A study, summarized by NCPA, takes on the critics of free markets, with some common sense finding. While some on the left insist that “the rich are getting richer…

Media

Philly-to-Harrisburg on high-speed rail

• Nathan Benefield
• September 12, 2006

From PennLive.com NewsFlash: Harrisburg to Philly on high speed trains? Cool.Trains at 110 miles per hour? Neat.Only an hour and a half from HAR to PHL? Ok.

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Taxes & Economy

Rendell Looks to Raise Taxes on Oil Companies in Pennsylvania

• Nathan Benefield
• September 12, 2006

From The Tax Foundation.

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Taxes & Economy

Property Tax Relief that Isn’t

• Nathan Benefield
• September 11, 2006

The new property tax “relief” plan, Act 1, is already taking heat for not providing much relief – even for senior citizens, the group targetted for immediate relief – based…

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Welfare

PA lagging in Welfare to Work

• Nathan Benefield
• September 8, 2006

Pennsylvania is among a handful of states that need to improve the number of welfare recipients working, the AP reports. Under new federal law, states are required to have…

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Regulation

Hair Braiding Drama

• Nathan Benefield
• September 6, 2006

Patriot News article on the fear of unlicensed hair-braiders vs. the danger in regulatory professions (though they emphasize the former). Read Stephen Albert’s commentary on the burdens of…

Media

Health Care

Will Mandatory Health Insurance Work?

• Nathan Benefield
• September 6, 2006

NCPA Analysis of Health Insurance Mandates, such as the new Massachusetts law and proposals discussed at recent hearings in Pennsylvania. Bottom line: they won’t work, and they could drive…

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Government Accountability

The real meaning of ‘reform’

• Nathan Benefield
• September 5, 2006

Brad Bumsted column in Sunday’s Pittsburgh Tribune Review on the need for legislative reform. He cites the recent Commonwealth Foundation study on reforms needed.

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Taxes & Economy

Incomes and Politics

• Nathan Benefield
• September 2, 2006

Wall Street Journal article on income disparity and inconsistent political rhetoric.

Media

Education

School choice leads to less segregation

• Nathan Benefield
• September 1, 2006

Contrary to the rhetoric of many opponents of school choice, two new studies from the Milton & Rose Friedman Foundation shows that private schools participating in the voucher programs…

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Taxes & Economy

Household Income Analysis

• Nathan Benefield
• September 1, 2006

Interesting note by the The Tax Foundation on recent household income data. While a recent Census Report indicates that real median household income (adjusted for inflation) has declined since…

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Education

The best education reform: More sleep.

• Nathan Benefield
• September 1, 2006

Wall Street Journal editorial on why schools should start their days later. I’ve never considered this from a policy point of view, but I know that for 13 years,…

Media

Education

SAT Scores and PA Schools

• Nathan Benefield
• August 31, 2006

SAT Scores Nationally, scores dropped, primarily attributed to a change in the test format. Pennsylania continues to lag behind, ranking 47th in the nation in average combined SAT score.

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Health Care

Tax Credits for Health Care

• Nathan Benefield
• August 31, 2006

While Pennsylvania lawmakers discuss mandating universal health care coverage, a Census Bureau report indicates fewer people are receiving health insurance from their employers, and more are paying for…

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