Public Union Democracy

Gettin’ out while the gettin’s good

  • March 7, 2006

The Hempfield Area School District is expecting nearly 90 employees (mostly teachers) to retire this year, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. This is a district where the average salary…

Media

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Education

Cyberschools have districts edgy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 6, 2006

Times-Tribune article on the growth of Pennsylvanias’ Cyberschools. The bottom line: students do better when parents are able to choose which school is best for them.

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Rendell’s pay not “real money”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 6, 2006

From CapitolWire: Rendell’s pay not “real money”…For those of you who haven’t heard just how much Gov. Ed Rendell travels in upper-bracket circles these days, he was…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Seductive snake oil

  • March 6, 2006

Interesting commentary that goes to show you that the battle for free-markets is happening all over the world…including Israel. And the opponents of freedom are the same… ______________Seductive…

Media

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Regulation

State employees’ pensions might carry big price tag

  • March 6, 2006

“Might”? Whoever wrote the headline for this Patriot-News story on the looming pension crisis should have read the story. Even the plan administrators at PSERS and SERS don’t see…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

State Revenue Boom Paves Way for Tax Cuts

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 3, 2006

An analysis by the Cato Institute of tax revenue and rates for all 50 states ranks Pennsylvania as a “state in need of tax cuts.” This is based on…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Teachers set strike date

  • March 2, 2006

Penn-Trafford’s teachers may be on the picket line…again, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. More fodder for Simon Campbell’s www.StopTeacherStrikes.com.

Media

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Education

Black Flight

  • March 2, 2006

Excellent Wall Street Journal article on what is happening in Minneaopolis where African-American families in the city’s poorest neighborhoods are choosing to leave their assigned public schools in large…

Media

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Regulation

Pay no attention to the coming crisis.

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 1, 2006

In an Alfred E Neuman-esque “What, me worry?” Council 13 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees claims there is no future pension problem in Pennsylvania. “…

Media

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Regulation

EDITORIAL | Pension padding

  • February 28, 2006

“Getting elected to the state’s freewheeling Legislature isn’t nearly as sweet as leaving the public body after several terms.” Read more from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

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Regulation

The Real War on Wal-Mart is to Expand Government

  • February 28, 2006

Brendan Miniter in today’s Wall Street Journal… “Let’s first understand that the drive to enact anti-Wal-Mart legislation has very little to do with the retail giant except in two…

Media

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Regulation

The Pay Raise and Pension Link

  • February 24, 2006

Herald Standard story by Alison Hawkes on how “unvouchered expenses” are going to boost pensions for those lawmakers who took the unconstitutional money.

Media

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Regulation

Pension sticker shock about to hit

  • February 24, 2006

This Morning Call article by Christina Gostomski begins by looking at how PA’s archaic pension system is going to impact our property taxes.

Media

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