Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Has Most Legislative Staff

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 8, 2009

Brad Bumsted had an article over the weekend on Pennsylvania’s largest in the nation legislative staff and, of course, the high cost of keeping that staff.  The number of…

Media

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Education

PA’s Prepaid Tuition Program Under Fire

  • September 1, 2009

State Treasurer Robert McCord announced yesterday he is delaying increased premiums on Pennsylvania’s Guaranteed Savings Plan, which allows parents to purchase college tuition credits at current prices and…

Media

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Government Accountability

Dwight Evan’s Favorite WAM Recipient Has Plenty of Problems

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 7, 2009

The Philadelphia Inquirer exposes another nonprofit with ties to a state lawmaker – this time House Democrat Appropriations Chair Dwight Evans – whose use of tax dollars seems sketchy…

Media

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Government Accountability

Cost and Benefits of State Spending Transparency

  • July 17, 2009

The Mercatus Center has a new podcast on state online spending transparency.  Jerry Brito, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, discusses the need for spending transparency in states…

Media

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State Budget

Budget Facts 2009: Personal Income Tax and Job Losses

  • July 3, 2009

Pennsylvania faces a $3 billion tax revenue shortfall in the state's General Fund Budget. Competing proposals from Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican-led Senate differ on raising taxes and reducing/reprioritizing…

Fact Sheet

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Taxes & Economy

The Real Effect of Rendell’s Taxes on Small Business

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 30, 2009

While Gov. Rendell continues his propaganda campaign for higher taxes (see WGAL for a related news story on the thousands Rendell has spent in taxpayer funds lobbying for more…

Media

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Government Accountability

State Spending Transparency Hearing

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 19, 2009

FYI by PLS has a brief summary of a hearing yesterday on proposals to create a state spending transparency for Pennsylvania, with particular attention paid to HB 1460…

Media

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Regulation

Harley Davidson and the Problem with Corporate Welfare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 14, 2009

Harley Davidson’s announcement that they may shut down their plant in York illustrates the problem with taxpayer funded corporate welfare. For starters, Harley Davidson has received $4.3 million…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Rendell Colludes with Unions to Avoid Cutting Wasteful Spending

  • April 6, 2009

Trumpets blared last week as Governor Rendell announced an agreement with state employee unions to “save” $200 million by temporarily reducing payments by 20 percent to their benefit…

Media

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