Public Union Democracy

Shippensburg Asks for Prevailing Wage Relief

Nathan Benefield
June 14, 2011

Shippensburg Borough Council recently passed a resolution asking for state relief from prevailing wage mandates. Prevailing wage mandates were imposed 50 years ago in Pennsylvania, following federal Davis-Bacon Act…

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State Budget

Unemployment Compensation Reform on Tap

Elizabeth Stelle
June 13, 2011

This week, the House is expected to take up SB 1030, which would change Unemployment Compensation guidelines to ensured continue benefits for about 45,000 Pennsylvanians and help bring the…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Fracking Friday

Nathan Benefield
June 10, 2011

There are several good articles and studies worth reading on natural gas drilling, Marcellus Shale and fracking: Katrina’s commentary on the local impact of natural gas drilling appears in today’s…

Media

Taxes & Economy

PA Property Tax Administration 2nd Worst in Nation

June 9, 2011

This past May, the commonwealth tied for second worse in the nation in state property tax administration, according to the Council On State Taxation (COST). States were evaluated in…

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Education

Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying at Pitt

Elizabeth Stelle
June 8, 2011

A reader shared the letter below from the University of Pittsburgh. It urges all parents and students to contact their state legislators and protest higher education cuts in the proposed…

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Taxes & Economy

The Real Victims of a Severance Tax

June 7, 2011

Jim VanBlarcom, a busy Bradford County dairy farmer, set a work day aside to come to Harrisburg and tell his story to Gov. Tom Corbett's Marcellus Shale panel. Royalty money…

Commentary

Regulation

Pennsylvania State Pension Liabilities

June 6, 2011

PSERS and SERS project total taxpayer contributions will increase from $1.1 billion this year to more than $5.5 billion in 2016—a 421% increase in five years.

Fact Sheet

Taxes & Economy

Marcellus Hiring Spree Continues

Elizabeth Stelle
June 6, 2011

The Center for Workforce Information and Analysis (the research arm of the Department of Labor and Industry) released their April Marcellus Shale Fast Facts, demonstrating tremendous growth in Marcellus…

Media

Regulation

The Phony “Surplus”

Nathan Benefield, Richard Dreyfuss
June 2, 2011

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released May General Fund tax collection data, and many lawmakers are clamoring to spend this “surplus”. But the idea there is any “surplus” is…

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