Government Accountability

Pennsylvania House and Senate Results

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 5, 2008

Based on elections results from the Pennsylvania Department of State and the Tribune Review: Republicans pick up one seat in the PA Senate.  Their current majority will be 29-20, with…

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Government Accountability

More on ACORN and Voter Fraud

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 9, 2008

As a followup to Jessica’s post on ACORN and Voter Fraud, here are some recent updates: The Tribune Review notes that investigations of ACORN could be coming to…

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Read More: More on ACORN and Voter Fraud

Government Accountability

Failure of Reform: Who’s to Blame?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 30, 2008

Brad Bumsted in the Tribune-Review reports on the inability of the General Assembly to pass reform legislation this session. The Senate is blaming the House for failing to act…

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Taxes & Economy

No immediate fiscal crisis?

  • September 29, 2008

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports on the drop in transportation funding due to the rejection of the Turnpike Commission’s I-80 tolling plan. Under Act 44, the Turnpike Commission will borrow…

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Taxes & Economy

$12.8B lease opportunity is all but lost

  • September 26, 2008

The opportunity to plug a massive transportation funding gap will be lost because of legislative inaction. Although Gov. Rendell plans to try to revive the turnpike lease in 2009, one…

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Read More: $12.8B lease opportunity is all but lost

Taxes & Economy

Gas tax increase coming instead of Turnpike lease?

  • September 21, 2008

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says Rendell is looking at a gas tax increase in light of the refusal of legislative leaders to consider the lease. “To make up the shortfall, we’re…

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Government Accountability

Past Time to Clean Up Harrisburg

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 8, 2008

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review has a couple of stories on corruption in the Capitol.  One is a query about the $10 million in taxpayer grants directed to the Beaver…

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Read More: Past Time to Clean Up Harrisburg

Taxes & Economy

End of the “Second Whiskey Rebellion”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 4, 2008

The Allegheny Institute writes that a court ruling, disallowing a referendum on the Allegheny County drink tax, will likely be overturned on appeal, because is so shoddy. Pittsburgh…

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Education

Is PHEAA reformable?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 24, 2008

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review questions whether PHEAA can be reformed, as the Auditor General suggests, given that the legislators who dominate the PHEAA board don’t think legislators should vote to…

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Read More: Is PHEAA reformable?