Government Accountability

Will State Lawmakers Take a Pay Cut?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 18, 2009

As many readers will be aware, Pennsylvania lawmakers, judges, and executive branch officials receive an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), using the CPI for Philadelphia as the measure for inflation. What…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

End Rate Caps to Create Electric Choice and Competition

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • November 9, 2009

Concern about potential price hikes in the midst of a recession may motivate some lawmakers to push for legislation to halt or delay that expiration under the guise of consumer…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Taxpayers Flee High Tax States

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 29, 2009

Our friends at the Empire Center for New York State Policy has a new report on the “exodus” of residents from New York to other states. The report is…

Media

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State Budget

The Best And Worst Ways To Eliminate A Budget Deficit

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • October 5, 2009

John Nothdurft of The Heartland Institute wrote this last February… Anybody listening in Harrisburg? Legislatures in at least 39 states will have to take steps by the end of…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Two New State Business Climate Rankings

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 25, 2009

The Tax Foundation released their updated State Business Tax Climate Index for FY 2010. In the latest rendition, Pennsylvania ranks 27th overall. Broken down by category the Keystone State…

Media

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Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Has 6th Best Stimulus Website

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 30, 2009

Good Jobs First has released state stimulus website rankings for all states. Unlike other state rankings, Pennsylvania does well, relative to its peers. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania gets 50…

Media

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Education

The Faulty Premise of the Budget Impasse

  • Matthew Brouillette, Nathan Benefield
  • July 20, 2009

Governor Rendell wants the taxpayers to spend more on public schools. So do Republicans in the General Assembly—nearly 12 percent more. Yet education funding remains a major obstacle in the…

Commentary

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Government Accountability

State Spending Transparency

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 17, 2009

Testimony of Elizabeth Bryan to the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee, June 18, 2009 Good morning, I am Elizabeth Bryan, a research associate with the Commonwealth Foundation, a free-market public…

Testimony

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