How to reduce property taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 1, 2006

An Americans for Tax Reform study on property tax reform in New Jersey and Massachusetts. While New Jersey attempted to reduce property taxes by creating an income tax with…

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Taxes & Economy

Taxing telecommuters

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 1, 2006

New study from the The Tax Foundation on how New York, Pennsylvania, and two oather states attempt to penalize telecommuters who choose not to live there. However, rather than…

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State Budget

Rendell to propose business tax cuts

  • January 31, 2006

Attempting to reshape himself as a “pro-business” Democrat after 3 years of punishing job creators, Gov. Rendell gave a sneak peek into next week’s budget address. Remember, this is after…

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Government Accountability

#254 on the Liberty Index lives up (down?) to his ranking

  • January 31, 2006

Philly Democratic Senator Vince Fumo (who scored the worst on our Liberty Index) has proposed a graduated income tax to further punish the producers in Pennsylvania. Nevermind that the “rich”…

Media

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Government Accountability

Rep. Metcalfe on the Liberty Index

  • January 31, 2006

From a news release from Rep. Daryl Metcalfe… Rep. Daryl Metcalfe: Metcalfe tops Liberty Index for second year in a row. HARRISBURG — Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) is again the…

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Government Accountability

Liberty Index in Lancaster

  • January 31, 2006

Democratic Rep. Mike Sturla’s response to his F- grade in the Intelligencer Journal is classic: “[T]hese are people who never bothered to drive, or get prescription drugs for their…

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Taxes & Economy

House fails to override veto of tax cut

  • January 31, 2006

Patriot-News story on yesterday’s action in the House where many Democrats who originally supported tax cuts renegged on their suppport.

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Education

The PHEAA raises: Another pay-jacking

  • January 29, 2006

More on the lobbyist/legislative operative who is now the highest paid state employee … in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

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Taxes & Economy

Minimum logic

  • January 28, 2006

A small businessman says, in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, how he’ll deal with Rendell’s minimum wage increase … let go employees. Of course, those pushing this Fascist economic policy…

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Taxes & Economy

The Politics of Ever-Expanding Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 26, 2006

A quality essay by Steven Malanga on how the recipients of increased government spending support increased government spending. Taxpayers are footing the bill for lobbying by by governments and…

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Regulation

How to milk the system

  • January 25, 2006

Pension ruling for judge could ‘open floodgates’ to other claims, says a dissenting judge on the Commonwealth Court. By this court’s reasoning, I should be able to collect money…

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Education

A government big enough to give you everything you want …

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 25, 2006

There is a theory (articulate in a piece by Mark Bauerlein) that left-wing academics are engrossed in large scale group think, that when large numbers of the radical left…

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Taxes & Economy

Higher minimum wage will hurt state

  • January 25, 2006

The Morning Call reprinted my letter to the governor in today’s newspaper. Also, tune in to WHP 580 AM today from 3-4pm when I will be debating a representative…

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Public Union Democracy

Why Maryland is fighting windmills.

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 23, 2006

A George Will piece (Getting mugged in Maryland), explaining why the Maryland legislature has decided to attack the paper tiger of Wal-Mart. Will cites Wal-Mart’s ample benefits and pay,…

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Taxes & Economy

Not so fast, Eddie

  • January 22, 2006

Jake Haulk of the Allegheny Institute further demonstrates the folly of government-directed “economic development.” Indeed, Pennsylvania has been a leader among states in using tax dollars to “create jobs,” yet…

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Taxes & Economy

Minimum Wage; Maximum Ignorance

  • January 19, 2006

Gov. Rendell cozied up to his labor union buddies today with his push for an artificial increase in labor costs in PA of nearly 40%. (Remember, Rendell agreed with us…

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The Ducking Swann?

  • January 19, 2006

The Commonwealth Foundation was a co-sponsor of next week’s debate among the 3 GOP gubernatorial candidates. However, Mr. Swann has declined to participate in the only schedule debate of the…

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State Budget

How about the people paying the bills???

  • January 18, 2006

Well, the Senate released its schedule for the 2006-07 Budget hearings. After Gov. Rendell presents his $24-25 BILLION taxpayer tab in early February to the General Assembly, the Senate has…

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Regulation

Public Pensions Running Wild

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 17, 2006

A National Center for Policy Analysis summary of facts about state and local government pensions. The bottom line is that states continue to enhance benefits far beyond private sector…

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Education

PSBA: “Limit School Spending for Cyber Schools”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 17, 2006

The Pennsylvania School Board Association has finally come to agree that school spending should be limited to what it actually costs to educate a child: Patriot News – Districts…

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Utah Man Wanted by Truth Police

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 17, 2006

An article appearing on ESPN.com – Why isn’t Jazz owner under fire? – argues that Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller should be penalized (fined, suspended or just chastised) for…

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