Education

Determining the Cost of an Adequate Education

• Nathan Benefield
• March 5, 2008

The Pennsylvania General Assembly recently commissioned a $650,000 study to determine what it “costs” to educate a child. The firm winning the commission reported that the state should increase spending…

Commentary

More Resources on Costing Out Studies

• Nathan Benefield
• November 16, 2007

Courtroom Alchemy – Education Next: We reviewed results from professional judgment studies in eight states released from 2001 to 2003. All eight studies were conducted by…

Media

Is RendellCare good medicine?

• Nathan Benefield
• April 9, 2007

Three articles in the NE PA Business Journal on Governor Rendell’s health care proposals, all featuring the Commonwealth Foundation’s Rick Dreyfuss. Is Gov. Rendell’s ‘Prescription for Pennsylvania’ Good Medicine?:…

Media

Will leasing PA Turnpike be a 21st-century taxpayer bargain?

• December 31, 2006

Will leasing PA Turnpike be a 21st-century taxpayer bargain?By MARC LEVYAssociated Press Writer HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP, Dec. 30) – Let the bidding begin. With lots of private money looking…

Media

Health Care

Judge overturns Wal-Mart law

• Nathan Benefield
• July 20, 2006

AP Story on the overturning of Maryland’s “Wal-Mart” Health Care law. This law would have required all businesses with 10,000 or more workers to spend at least 8% of…

Media

State Budget

Rendell: Budget Could Be Worse

• Nathan Benefield
• June 30, 2006

Governor Rendell names states who will be increasing their budgets faster than PA. Ironically, his list is identical to our list of “States we least want to emulate.” From…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Building Excise Fees are Not Property Tax Relief

• May 22, 2006

Henry David Thoreau said, “There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.” In Pennsylvania, that “evil” is the school property…

Commentary

Health Care

“Fair-Share Health Care”: Big Labor’s Assault on Profitable Job Providers

• April 18, 2006

Remember the old saying “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”? When it comes to the ongoing war between Wal-Mart and Big Labor, it has turned into “If you can’t…

Commentary

Can a black Republican win in a blue state?

• April 8, 2006

Interesting Wall Street Journal article on Maryland’s Michael Steele run for U.S. Senate.

Media