State Budget

Budget Hearings a Taxpayer-Funded Sham?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 21, 2009

The Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee is holding hearings on the vesion of the state budget passed by the Senate (see here for more on that) today and tomorrow. Yet…

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Taxes & Economy

PA Senate Budget by the Numbers

• Nathan Benefield
• May 5, 2009

Jake Corman, PA Senate Appropriations Chairman, has introduced the Senate Republicans version of the state budget (SB 850). The $27.3 billion General Fund budget represents a $1.7 billion reduction…

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Regulation

PA Liquor Stores Want a Better Monopoly

• April 27, 2009

Brian O’Neill with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported yesterday that the PA Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has spent $3.7 million to develop a new name for their stores in an…

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Taxes & Economy

Thousands Attend Pittsburgh Tea Party

• Nathan Benefield
• April 11, 2009

The Tribune Review reports that several thousand protesters showed up to the Pittsburgh Tea Party held today (HT GrassrootsPA). Instapundit has more, including a picture…

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Former Manager Sues PA Turnpike Commission for Political Firing

• Nathan Benefield
• April 8, 2009

A former manager for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is suing the agency for wrongful firing, claiming he was let go because of his lack of political connectaions, the Post-Gazette…

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Public Union Democracy

Union Intimidation in Action

• Nathan Benefield
• March 31, 2009

Unions claim they won’t use intimidation as one of their tactics if the Employee Free Choice Act, a.k.a. “Card Check” is passed, eliminating the secret ballot in union elections. But…

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Taxes & Economy

Freedom in Pennsylvania and the 50 states

• Nathan Benefield
• March 9, 2009

The Mercatus Center has a new report ranking freedom – both personal and economic – in the 50 states.  Overall, they rank Pennsylvania 20th. See a related story…

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Education

Local Proficiency Measures are Lacking in PA

• Nathan Benefield
• February 26, 2009

A new study from Penn State reveals that local school districts’ assessments, allowed as an alternative to the 11th-grade PSSA exam to demonstrate proficiency for Pennsylvania students before graduating,…

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Taxes & Economy

Is tolling I-80 dead?

• Nathan Benefield
• February 20, 2009

Some of the Turnpike Commissioners think that tolling I-80 across PA remains a strong possibility, and that the federal government did not “reject” the tolling plan.  See the…

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