Regulation
Cities and their Bankrupt Pension Plans
A recent study, published by Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, found shocking statistics about the solvency of most city and state pension funds. The total unfunded pension liability for…
Media
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PA Mayors Facing Budget Crunch – Whose Fault Is It?
Pennsylvania mayors have voiced their frustrations with public sector unions forcing counties to pay higher wages even as they face budget constraints. Inevitably, that has led to higher taxes,…
Media
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Higher Taxes and Tuition Coming for PA College Students
The Tribune Review reports Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is continuing to threaten a tax on tuition, attempting to use a jedi mind trick to persuade universities to cough up…
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Pittsburgh Tuition Tax Podcast
Elizabeth Bryan and I discuss the proposed tuition tax in Pittsburgh in a podcast. Joining us for part of the conversation is Aaron Gross, a student…
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Taxing Tuition: The Future of Higher Education?
With Pittsburgh on the brink of bankruptcy thanks to its continual out-of-control spending, Mayor Ravenstahl and his allies on City Council have hatched a new scheme to collect more money…
Commentary
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Taxing Students For Past Mistakes
Pittsburgh’s financial problems are such that it gave rise to the Intergovermental Cooperation Authority(ICA) – formed by none other than, perennially in-deficit Governor, Ed Rendell. The ICA was put…
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Ravenstahl pleads to delay state takeover of Pittsburgh’s pensions
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Pennsylvania Municipal Pension Reform in a Nutshell
Yesterday the Senate approved HB 1828, a long and complicated bill full of so-called pension reforms and potential local tax increases. Here’s a basic summary of the provisions following…
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There’s a reason so many Steeler fans have left Pittsburgh
Jerry Bowyer has an excellent piece in today’s Wall Street Journal on why sports – and taxpayer subsidized sports stadiums – do not lead to broader economic gains (a…
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