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Regulation

Pa. pension plan overhaul overdue

• Nathan Benefield
• October 5, 2006

Lancaster New Era piece on the looming crisis in the state’s pension plans.

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Commonwealth Foundation Report Mentioned in Governor Debate

• Nathan Benefield
• October 5, 2006

Here is the Commonwealth Foundation analysis cited in last night’s gubernatorial debate.

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Taxes & Economy

Property Taxes by County

• Nathan Benefield
• October 4, 2006

Tax Foundation Data – Property Taxes on Owner Occupied Housing by County, 2005. Data on average property tax paid, average home value, and average income for homeowners. Features the…

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Education

Federal probe targets PHEAA

• Nathan Benefield
• October 4, 2006

The US Department of Education is investigating PHEAA for overbilling taxpayers for federal loan reimbursements, the Patriot News reports. I guess PHEAA will have to open their books after…

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Taxes & Economy

Gov’t subsidies bad economic policy

• Nathan Benefield
• October 4, 2006

Bill Dunkelberg’s comments on KYW: Philadelphia Gas Works wants a hundred million more dollars of your money. Why? Well, over the years, they have been inefficiently managed, beset with…

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Taxes & Economy

Tax Cuts and the Economy

• Nathan Benefield
• October 3, 2006

Heritage Foundation Report titled (and summarized) Tax Rate Reductions Strengthen the Economy, But Excessive Government Spending Threatens Long-Run Performance.Some very nice charts and numbers are in there.

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Taxes & Economy

Democrats want you to pay more taxes

• October 3, 2006

Tony Phyrillas highlights the government’s “take” of your money. His conclusion on what rolling back the Bush tax cuts would mean to Pennsylvanians is enlightening: • Pennsylvania’s married…

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Public Union Democracy

Teachers walk the picket line

• October 3, 2006

The labor union in Littlestown are striking over health care. Currently, teachers pay only 2.6% of the premium for their health care benefits. The school board wants them…

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Public Union Democracy

Union Slams Proposed Teacher Strike Ban

• October 3, 2006

With a teacher strike currently occuring in Adams County, the effort to ban teacher strikes in Pennsylvania is building steam. Despite the fact that 38 other states prohibit government…

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Regulation

A roll of the dice

• October 3, 2006

Northeast PA Business Journal looks at the potential impact of slot machines in PA. “The only real economic impact is if you draw people from outside your region,” says…

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Government Accountability

Lame ducks ruffle feathers in 3 statehouses

• Nathan Benefield
• October 2, 2006

Stateline.org article on Lame Duck legislatures. Guess which state is the leader in post-election shenanigans.

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Education

Our Soviet education model

• October 2, 2006

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Bill Steigerwald interviews the Cato Institute’s Neal McCluskey on how a number of “conservatives” have taken a “180-degree wrong turn from conservatism’s once-solid principles of limited government,…

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Taxes & Economy

Income tax cuts benefit all payers

• Nathan Benefield
• October 2, 2006

USA Today article exposes the rhetoric of “tax cuts for the rich.” They note that middle income taxpayers saw a larger percent reduction in their tax burdern, and that…

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Government Accountability

EDITORIAL | State judges underpaid?

• September 29, 2006

Williamsport Sun-Gazette editorializes on judges’ pay.

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Health Care

Statement on Health Savings Accounts

• Nathan Benefield
• September 29, 2006

John Goodman of NCPA’s US Senate Testimony on Health Savings Accounts and the need for consumer driven health care.: “If health care really were free, people would have an…

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Regulation

Auditor general’s report on pension funds should be an alarm bell to Pennsylvanians

• Nathan Benefield
• September 29, 2006

Allentown Morning Call on the looming crisis in state pension systems.

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Education

Posh dorms become the norm

• Nathan Benefield
• September 28, 2006

AP story on the posh living quarters and lifestyles of today’s college students. As the alma mater is featured (and I must admit, I had quite the bachelor pad…

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Taxes & Economy

Group plans rally to oppose seizure

• Nathan Benefield
• September 28, 2006

Upcoming STOMP Rally to feature the Commonwealth Foundation.

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Health Care

Opportunities for State Medicaid Reform

• Nathan Benefield
• September 28, 2006

New Report on state Medicaid reforms from the NCPA. “At the rate the program is growing, it is on a course to consume the entire budgets of state governments…

Media

Regulation

Big business loves government

• Nathan Benefield
• September 27, 2006

John Stossel column on Townhall.com about the all-too-frequent collusion between big business and big government – from corporate welfare handouts to regulation of competition.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Cramer Parking/HIA Eminent Domain Case

• Nathan Benefield
• September 27, 2006

The Patriot News reports that the legal standoff between Cramer Airport Parking may be resolved, if the airport agrees to one of three solutions that would allow them to…

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