Government Accountability

Shrink or Grow the Size of Legislature

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 8, 2009

NCSL’s blog, The Thicket, has a post up about debating reducing or growing the size of the legislature. Pennsylvania serves on the shrinking size, as that is an oft-cited…

Media

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Regulation

Why State Government Shouldn’t “Invest” Taxpayer Money

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 1, 2009

There have been countless examples of failed corporate welfare under Governor Rendell, and Governor Ridge before him. The latest example coming from Lebanon, PA: Lebanon Daily News, August 14,…

Media

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Regulation

Torts, Taxes Hinder Pennsylvania’s Prosperity

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • September 29, 2009

Wrongheaded economic development policies and one of the nation's worst labor climates are serious impediments to Pennsylvania's prosperity. As if those obstacles were not enough, the commonwealth also has saddled…

Commentary

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Government Accountability

How did the PA Budget Process Get So Broken?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 23, 2009

Dale Davenport had an excellent editorial in the Patriot over the weekend, noting how annual budgeting and the move to a full-time, professional legislature altereed Pennsylvania’s state budget forever: …

Media

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Government Accountability

Reforming the Budget Process in Pennsylvania

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • September 22, 2009

In the political world, 2009 will be remembered as the year that Pennsylvania went longer than any other state without a budget. The Commonwealth went months past the June 30th…

Commentary

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Government Accountability

Legislative Staff and Term Limits

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 10, 2009

Following up on our blog post and Brad Bumsted’s article about Pennsylvania having the most legislative staff, I took another look at the…

Media

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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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State Budget

Governors in Glass Mansions …

  • September 8, 2009

When prompted on why Pennsylvania is now the only state in the nation without a budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year, Governor Rendell was quick to pass the blame…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

A Cap and Trade Call to Action

  • June 24, 2009

Although originally planned for debate after the 4th of July, Congressional Leaders met late Monday night to place H.R. 2454, also known as the “cap and tradeâ€? initiative, on the…

Media

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