Government Accountability

Getting the Best Deal from Government

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • May 27, 2015

If you’ve ever spent hundreds on a smartphone or thousands on a new car, you know what it’s like to hunt for the best deal. Yet when paying for state…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Marcellus Shale Successes Continue

  • Gordon Tomb
  • February 10, 2015

The stories continue: more jobs, increased tax revenue and cheap energy, all from the free-market production of Marcellus Shale gas. Take last week’s report from the Central Pennsylvania…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Former Pennsylvanians Voted with their Feet

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2015

Residents continued their exodus from Pennsylvania in 2014. The latest Census population estimates, released last month, show that Pennsylvania gained 5,913 in total population between July 2013 and July…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Employees Lose Under PA’s Public Pension Systems

  • Gordon Tomb
  • September 16, 2014

Most workers are shortchanged by Pennsylvania’s public employee pension programs, according to two recent studies. The Urban Institute gives Pennsylvania’s State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS) an “F”…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Mailbag: How will SuperPACs Affect Pennsylvania?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 20, 2014

A PolicyBlog reader asked if we could explain a recent “SuperPAC” ruling we covered in an op-ed back in April, along with its implications for state and national elections.

Media

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Regulation

PA Tops in Corporate Welfare

  • May 14, 2014

Pennsylvania’s system of economic development subsidies costs taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually, yet this spending does little to promote overall job growth. Given the state’s fiscal hurdles,…

Media

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Government Accountability

Government Unions’ Political Power Grows

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 11, 2014

Despite claims that union dues aren’t used for politics, the amount Pennsylvania’s five largest government unions reported spending from union dues on “political activities and lobbying” increased in…

Media

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