Health Care

States Push Back Against National Healthcare

  • December 17, 2009

With the health care debate still brewing on the floor of the US Senate, states are pushing back against the prospect of a government-run healthcare system. The American Legislative…

Media

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State Budget

“Big Helicopter” and Big Hollywood

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 3, 2009

While debating their myriad of tax increases (which was eventually approved by the chamber), Pennsylvania House Democrats continued to demonize “Big…

Media

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Education

Pennsylvania’s Charter School Law

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 16, 2009

Testimony of Nathan A. Benefield to the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee, March 12, 2009 Good afternoon.  I am Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation.  We…

Testimony

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State Budget

The 400 Million Dollar Question

  • October 27, 2008

Originally posted at the Capitol Domes, a new blog from the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal. How will you vote on November 4? No, I’m…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Property Taxes by State and by County

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 29, 2008

The Tax Foundation has a new analysis of property taxes by state and by county. The state data shows that Pennsylvania ranks 15th in median property taxes ($2,159),…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

“Leasing Turnpike Jeopardizes Safety”

  • September 22, 2008

… so said a commentary distributed by the Susquehanna Valley Center (see below). Either they didn’t bother to read the lease agreement or they are intentionally trying to mislead the…

Media

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Regulation

Time to end earmarks and WAMs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 7, 2008

Good op-ed in the Patriot News by William G. Williams on the need to end Congressional earmarks and WAMs by the PA General Assembly: For years in…

Media

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Education

Union Propaganda Can’t Hide Charter Schools’ Success

  • October 24, 2004

There they go again. Back in July 2002, during a slow news period, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), a school employee labor union, issued a widely cited report "showing"…

Commentary

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