State Budget

Pennsylvania Budget Deficit Grows by Nearly $1 Billion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 1, 2009

Both the Pennsylvania House Democrats and Republicans are reporting an April General Fund revenue shortfall of $941.5 million. I am still waiting for the report from the Department of…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Deficit Grows by Nearly $1 Billion

Taxes & Economy

Over $4 Million in PA Unemployment Fraud

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 1, 2009

WGAL has a story on reports from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry of over $4 million in fraud in unemployment compensation benefits.  You can assume there is…

Media

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State Budget

PA House Dems to Introduce Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 1, 2009

Dwight Evans, chair of the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee, is scheduled to introduce the 2009-10 budget legislation “using the Rendell budget proposal as the basis.” They are also estimating…

Media

Read More: PA House Dems to Introduce Budget

Taxes & Economy

Wrong Time for a Severance Tax

  • April 30, 2009

The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (PBPC) released a report this week advocating for a severance tax on natural resource extraction, such as the proposed tax by Governor Rendell…

Media

Read More: Wrong Time for a Severance Tax

Taxes & Economy

How PA Should Use Its Stimulus Money

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • April 30, 2009

Lawmakers in Missouri announced they are foregoing pet projects in order to temporarily lower the state’s personal income tax from 6% to 5.5%. (HT NTU) Governor Rendell would be…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Amendment to Protect Taxpayers from Unfunded Mandates

  • April 30, 2009

Rep. Mike Peifer proposed a constitutional amendment to ban state legislation that imposes unfunded mandates on local governments. Since Governor Rendell has been lax at cutting wasteful spending…

Media

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Government Accountability

Is Pennsylvania’s Medical Malpractice Crisis Over?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 28, 2009

Governor Rendell has declared that Pennsylvania no longer has a “crisis” in medical malpractice lawsuits, citing recent declines in the number of suits filed.  Critics claimed that reform have…

Media

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Regulation

Public Television Subsidies

  • April 28, 2009

Testimony from the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives to the Pennsylvania House State Government CommitteeApril 28, 2008 We would like to thank the members of the House State…

Testimony

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Education

Rethinking Financial Aid for Higher Ed

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 28, 2009

Andrew Gillen of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity has an interesting analysis of the effects of federal and state financial aid programs for colleges and universities.  Namely,…

Media

Read More: Rethinking Financial Aid for Higher Ed