Media

State Budget

When Fish is Really Pork

• Nathan Benefield
• June 1, 2006

A press release from the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) attempts to justify the Fish Fund as a core function of government. However, we maintain our assertion…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Unions and Politics

• Nathan Benefield
• June 1, 2006

A couple of very good reads on teacher unions and education in the Summer 2006 Education Next. In Strike Phobia, Frederick Hess and Marty West look at the…

Media

Regulation

Groups identify $4.3 billion in ‘wasteful’ spending

• June 1, 2006

Public Radio Capitol News on our Piglet Book 2006. Although reporter Damon Baughmer probably doesn’t appreciate the fact that we think his employer (we, the taxpayers) should be funding…

Media

Government Accountability

Reform Needed in PA

• Nathan Benefield
• June 1, 2006

Mike Folmer on the primary and the need for reform in Pennsylvania in today’s Wall Street Journal.

Media

Government Accountability

It wasn’t the raise; it was the lack of Republican principles

• June 1, 2006

Pat Toomy in the Philadelphia Inquirer on the message of May 16, 2006…the Primary Election that will go downin history for ousting 17 incumbents, more than every year combined…

Media

Regulation

Pension problem looming

• May 31, 2006

The Altoona Mirror says “Pennsylvanians need to look past the headlines on legislators because there is a much bigger problem lurking.” We couldn’t agree more!…

Media

Piglet Book Coverage

• Nathan Benefield
• May 31, 2006

Coverage of the Piglet Book in the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice, the Scranton Times-Tribune, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette…

Media

GOP targets Rendell budget pork

• May 31, 2006

Despite the misleading title (the Commonwealth Foundation and Citizens Against Government Waste are not the GOP, just the ask the GOP!), Alison Hawkes writes an excellent story for the…

Media

State Budget

Piglet Book Coverage

• Nathan Benefield
• May 30, 2006

Coverage of the Pennsylvania Piglet Book in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Download the full Piglet Book here.

Media

Regulation

EDITORIAL | Public servants retire in luxury

• May 30, 2006

Centre Daily Times on how our “servants” have become “masters” at the expense of the public.

Media

Regulation

Pinching pennies? Not ousted lawmakers

• May 28, 2006

“Voters probably weren’t thinking about it at the time, but when they ousted Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Jubelirer, R-Blair, and Senate Majority Leader David “Chip” Brightbill, R-Lebanon, they opened…

Media

Regulation

State gaming official arrested

• May 28, 2006

“A state Gaming Control Board investigator arrested outside a South Side bar early Saturday, allegedly after threatening and then trying to run from police, has become the fifth agency employee…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Swann plan requires work …

• May 28, 2006

So says our friend Jake Haulk of the Allegheny Institute in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Dr. Haulk concludes that “it’s still tax-shifting, relies on magic money, wrongly disses property tax…

Media

Regulation

Pa. lawmakers find retiring pays

• May 28, 2006

Excellent article from the Centre Daily Times on the coming pension crisis. “It’s a train wreck waiting to happen — it’s barreling down the tracks at us,” said Centre…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Minimum Wages Politics vs. Economics

• Nathan Benefield
• May 25, 2006

The push for a minimum wage increase is going on in North Carolina as well as here in PA. A piece in the Raleigh News Observer looks at the…

Media

Regulation

Govenment benefits for retirees grow into ‘monster’

• Nathan Benefield
• May 25, 2006

An article in today’s USA TODAY points out that future unfunded liabilities for Medicare, Social Security, and govenment employees pensions and retirement benefits have grown to $57.8 trillion. To…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Government made bumper stickers

• Nathan Benefield
• May 24, 2006

The Pennsylvania Office of Tourism (part of the Department of Community and Economic Development) have started voting for a PA Bumper Sticker. Not only is developing an “official state…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Building excise fees will not mean property-tax relief

• Nathan Benefield
• May 23, 2006

Read Grant Gulibon’s commentary in the latest News Item.

Media

Regulation

Perzel takes up state pension issue

• Nathan Benefield
• May 22, 2006

House Speaker Perzel names a panel on state pension and retiree medical benefits to study the issues identified in the Commonwealth Foundation’s Pension Study. Perzel even suggests setting…

Media

Government Accountability

Savor these election snapshots

• May 21, 2006

OK, for the record, I don’t sleep in a coat and tie, despite what Pat Carroll thinks! 🙂 It has indeed been a great experience to work alongside folks…

Media

Regulation

VIP perks are history for ousted legislators

• May 21, 2006

Morning Call on what the ousted Senate leaders will be losing as a result of their loss at the ballot box last Tuesday. Don’t worry though, they’ll still be…

Media