Keystone Opportunity Zones Fail to Deliver Economic Prosperity

• July 13, 2009

On Thursday, the Legislative Budget and Finance committee heard testimony evaluating the effectiveness of the Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) program. The KOZ is an “economic revitalization” program that provides…

Media

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

State Budget

Rendell’s propaganda machine

• Nathan Benefield
• June 15, 2009

Brad Bumsted’s latest column wraps up some of the more absurd rhetoric coming from the Rendell administration about the Senate version of the Pennsylvania budget: The bill…

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Government Accountability

Transparency Needed in Pennsylvania Budget Debate

• Nathan Benefield
• May 29, 2009

ABC 27 has a news story and video on proposed legislation that would create an online portal and database of state spending in Pennsylvania. What is most disappointing…

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Regulation

Rendell administration: Commonwealth Foundation is right about government spending

• Nathan Benefield
• February 19, 2009

A Capitolwire (subscription) headline reads “DCED acting secretary says little state can do to create jobs,” after a hearing in which Secretary Cornelius notes that “economic development” programs have…

Media

Regulation

Update on the Boscov’s Bailout

• Nathan Benefield
• February 18, 2009

John Micek has a summary of the new PA DCED secretary’s explanation of the Boscov’s bailout, during a hearing today. Secretary Cornelius noted that bailouts encourage companies to start…

Media

State Budget

State Spending Cuts Continue

• Elizabeth Stelle
• October 31, 2008

Governor Rendell has “discovered” an additional $111 million in spending cuts bringing the total up from $200 million to $311 million. The cuts are a result…

Media

Education

The Competitive Impact of School Choice

• Nathan Benefield
• August 25, 2008

A reader asks, in response to a post about a study show school choice in Ohio had a competitive benefit to public schools, Do you have…

Media

Government Accountability

Who has contracts with PA Government

• Nathan Benefield
• July 22, 2008

The Pennsylvania Treasury Department has a great new tool for searching state contracts online. A description of the database – what you will find and will not find –…

Media