Government Accountability

Update: State Spending Transparency

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 3, 2008

A reader emailed to ask if there are examples of states with online spending databases. Indeed states across the country are adopting transparency legislation while state officials and think tanks…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

How Do You Define “American-Made”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 27, 2008

Mark Perry poses the question about how you define “American-made” cars.  Does it depend on where the car was assembled?  Where the corporate headquarters is?  What percentage of the…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania could become policy innovator with turnpike lease

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 26, 2008

The Wall Street Journal had a fairly lengthy cover story on the proposal to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Among the points addressed 1) Other states are looking to PA…

Media

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Government Accountability

Reducing the Size of the General Assembly

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • August 19, 2008

Testimony before the House State Government Committee, August 19, 2008 Thank you, Chairwoman Josephs, and members of the House State Government Committee for the opportunity to testify today on the…

Testimony

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Health Care

How free is PA’s health care market?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 18, 2008

The Pacific Research Institute released their U.S. Index of Health Ownership, 2008 last week (full report in PDF).  The report ranks states’ health care markets and regulations based…

Media

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Self-Imposed Ethics Charges

  • July 23, 2008

In an “unprecedented move”, Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-NY has filed Ethics Charges…against himself. This was brought about after The Washington Post ran a series of articles raising questions about Rangel’s…

Media

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Regulation

How much do you work for Government?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 16, 2008

Americans for Tax Reform has released their 2008 Cost of Government Report today, which happens to be Cost of Government day for the US. Their report is broader than…

Media

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Government Accountability

Pennsylvania’s super-sized legislature

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 14, 2008

There’s nothing like a government scandal to get people in the mood . . . for reform. An article by Anne Reeves in the Patriot-News reminds us why the…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Movin’ Out

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 11, 2008

With all due respect to Billy Joel’s "Allentown," the tune which best describes Pennsylvania today would likely be "Movin' Out." For years, Pennsylvania has seen residents (particularly younger ones) move…

Commentary

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