Jacob Custer
Policy Data Analyst
Jacob Custer is the Policy Data Analyst at the Commonwealth Foundation.
Jacob graduated cum laude from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, with a bachelor’s degree in economics and public policy and a minor in American politics. Jacob received a master’s degree in economics from George Mason University in Virginia, where he also participated in the MA Fellowship at the Mercatus Center and worked as a graduate research assistant.
Jacob is passionate about advancing economic freedom. His work in economics explores public choice theory, the socialist calculation debate, and property rights. To connect ideas with practice, he gained experience through internships at the Leadership Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and Capitol Hill. Before joining the Commonwealth Foundation, Jacob worked in Washington, D.C., for a U.S. senator.
Outside of work, Jacob plays pickleball, looks for new board games to play, or hits the road in search of the next adventure.
The New Deal Jobs Myth
Amity Shlaes in the Wall Street Journal looks at how the New Deal era programs didn’t “create jobs”, but rather stifled growth. This is an important lesson for those…
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Are they all “selfish”?
Nate Benefield’s commentary on our website today, elicited a response from inside the Capitol. We thought we’d share it with you…because the writer makes a very good point!…
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Judge Andrew Napolitano on the State of our Rights
Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano at Reason.tv on the threat to our inherent rights — Government that violates its constitutional limitations. Topics on this page…
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Schools get no relief on pension contributions
That’s a horrible headline for the AP story in the Morning Call. Who are the “schools” anyway? It’s the taxpayers who get no relief. While the pension contribution…
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Where will projected I-80 revenue go?
In light of the FHWA questions to the Turnpike Commission – specifically about whether I-80 revenue will be used for debt services for non-I-80 expenses, and how payments to…
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Creating a Free, Searchable Website of State Spending
Policy Note by our colleagues at theWashington Policy Center on creating a state-level, searchable online database of spending. Examples of online budget databases include Georgia, Texas, and…
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A Brief History of Christmas
This Wall Street Journal article on the History of Christmas has little to do with policy (unless there is some debate over ending Christmas as a federal holiday), but…
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‘It’s been a very difficult lesson’
Interview with Bill DeWeese in the Patriot News on his role in Bonusgate. His answers: 1) Didn’t know about bonuses ($1.9 million), 2) Will consider reforming legislative spending, 3)…
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Citigroup Study Supported Act 44, Citigroup Makes Millions
As many who have been following the Act 44/I-80 Tolling fiasco are aware, the Turnpike Commission used a Citigroup Analysis to support their push for Act 44, tolling of…
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Read More: Citigroup Study Supported Act 44, Citigroup Makes Millions
Pew Trusts on State Pension Crunch
Pew Trusts analsysis of the looming state pension and retiree health care crisis in Pennsylvania. Index to 50-state analysis here. Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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Another Poor State Economy Ranking for PA
The Beacon Hill Institute has released their State Competitiveness Report 2007. Pennsylvania ranks 34th out of 50, based on Government and Fiscal Policy, Security, Infrastructure, Human Resources, Technology,…
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Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Borrows Today, You Pay the Taxes Tomorrow
FreedomWorks calls for an end to Turnpike Commission borrowing (based on the increasingly unlikely promise of I-80 tolling) and pursuing public-private partnerships in transportation. Topics on this page…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Borrows Today, You Pay the Taxes Tomorrow
Superintendent Contracts
The Altoona Mirror has put together an extensive list of information on superintendent pay and contracts for all 501 school districts (at least the 447 they obtained information from).
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Biggest factor in rising health costs are the doctors themselves
Editorial in Dallas Morning News (by a doctor), details why health care costs to much (in part) – doctors order too many tests. The two reasons for this are…
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Tax Free Christmas Presents
For those of you still shopping for Christmas gifts – here is a list of gift ideas, based on products that are exempt from the Pennsylvania Sales Tax: Food…
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Pension Payment Update
Update on the coming pension spike from the mid-year briefing report (page 103). Click on image for larger version.
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College affordability
Richard Vedder and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity have a new short report on the cost of college and state spending on higher education. Among the…
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52,000 New K-8 Students, 42,500 New K-8 Teachers.
Education Intelligence Agency Communique on the discrepancy between school enrollment and school hires: The National Education Association today released its annual report, Rankings and Estimates: Rankings of the…
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Read More: 52,000 New K-8 Students, 42,500 New K-8 Teachers.
E-mails show how Dems tied staffers’ bonuses to campaign work
Dennis Roddy and Tracie Mauriello have a detailed account of BonusGate among the House Democrats in the Post-Gazette, including analysis of several incriminating emails they obtained. Topics on…
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Following Feds letter Gov Rendell says he prefers lease of Turnpike to tolling of PA/I-80
Toll Roads News on the recent communication from the Federal Highway Administration to the PA Turnpike Commission. The last line of the article says it all: “No amount of…
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Read More: Following Feds letter Gov Rendell says he prefers lease of Turnpike to tolling of PA/I-80
Turnpike CEO’s spin on I-80 tolling
Following the return of the PennDOT-PTC bid to toll I-80 (See our news release here), Turnpike CEO Brimmeier is in full spin mode. From the Post-Gazette:…
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