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June 2, 2011 | Policy Brief by NICHOLAS FETT
Pennsylvania's State Union Contracts
On June 30, 2011, 15 of the state's 19 government union contracts expire, with two more expiring in August. These 19 public sector unions represent 62,271 state employees, whose compensation from taxpayers exceeds $4.6 billion. Here are some of the main provisions concerning wages, benefits, and key provisions in the contracts include.
March 17, 2011 | Commentary by KATRINA CURRIE, NICHOLAS FETT
Retaining the Film Tax Credit: Two Thumbs Down for Taxpayers
Behind the lens of Gov. Tom Corbett's budget the focus is largely on putting taxpayers first and fostering economic growth. But at a time when the director should be yelling, ‘cut,' to all handouts, retaining Pennsylvania's $60 million film tax credit program tells those who exist on corporate welfare that the show will go on.
Recent Blog Posts
MAY 20, 2011
Pennsylvania Union PAC Spending Topped $23 Million in 2010
"Money in politics" is a popular topic of discussion; case in point: a study that executives and employees of natural gas companies gave over $2 million to Pennsylvania candidates in 2009-10.
Calling a gubernatorial budget proposal of shared sacrifice "cowardly," state representative and Montgomery County commissioner candidate Josh Shapiro lamented the lack of voice for "those without means and of those without major donations to give his gubernatorial coffers."
Surely he cannot be referring to unions like the PSEA, whose PAC spent in excess of $2 million last cycle.
Below is a list of the contributions from the top political action committees of unions. The top honor goes to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker's Philadelphia PAC who put up over $3.29 million. The Pittsburgh IBEW also made the list, as did the PSEA, AFSCME, SEIU, and Teamsters.
The total spending of just these 24 union PACs was over $23 million in the 2009-10 campaign cycle. To compare to other contributors, unions made up 22 of 50 of the highest spending PACs in the 2007-2008 cycle.
posted by NICHOLAS FETT, JAY OSTRICH | 03:40 PM | 0 comment
APRIL 19, 2011
Atlas Shrugged: Part I Movie Reviews
Friday night, three CF staffers braved sold-out theaters to watch the much anticipated Atlas Shrugged movie, a film that was big on buzz and short on funds. The movie, like the novel, uses the experiences of railroad executive Dagny Taggart and steel magnate Hank Rearden to demonstrate the superiority of individualism, freedom and entrepreneurship over regulation and forced charity.
Here are our reactions:
Nick: I wasn't too impressed. With choppy scenes, mediocre acting, and cheesy music playing over scenes that weren't well explained, I must say that I was a little let down. As a true fan of Ayn Rand, I went to see the movie wearing my Ragnar Danneskold t-shirt, I had hoped the film would live up to novel and that was certainly not the case. However, Rand's story is still powerfully refreshing, shunning the collectivist mentality that justifies coercion for the sake of equality. So despite the poor filmmaking, I'm ready for the sequel.
Elizabeth: The book is always better than the movie, and Atlas Shrugged is no different. Once you get past the opening minutes, which inform you that skyrocketing oil prices—thanks to unrest in the Middle East—have reinstated the dominance of railroad transportation, the story is free to progress uninhibited by modern day inconsistencies. I admit I was disappointed with the very brief appearance of Dr. Stadler, the character who compromises his principles for social approval (sound familiar?), but those who've made it through the 1,069 page novel will appreciate the film's devotion to the book.
All in all, the movie's amateurish undertones are eclipsed by the powerful ideas that turn much of today's popular wisdom on its head. Any thoughtful person unfamiliar with Rand will be challenged by the films unabashed defense of capitalism, the ultimate goal of both the novel and the film. For that reason alone, I think the film is well worth watching.
Katrina: Knowing Atlas Shrugged was a low-budget film, I wasn't expecting Oscar material. Then again, I haven't read the book so I really didn't know what to expect. This movie was clearly for those who have read the novel. While the larger themes of free markets and free people come through loud and clear, many of the nuances are lost to awkward transitions and confusing scenes. Atlas Shrugged is a great story that needs to be shared with the world; unfortunately this film does not have the mainstream appeal necessary to attract those unfamiliar with Rand and her works.
posted by ELIZABETH STELLE, KATRINA CURRIE, NICHOLAS FETT | 04:41 PM | 1 comment
APRIL 14, 2011
Happy Tax Freedom Day 2011, Pennsylvania
According to the Tax Foundation, if every Pennsylvanian started working on January 1, we would have to work until April 14, or 104 days of the year, in order to pay off their total tax burden. So Happy Tax Freedom Day!
The commonwealth has the 11th highest tax burden in the nation, slightly worse than the national average, with a Tax Freedom Day of April 12. The highest state and local tax burden in 2011 went to Connecticut, which won't celebrate Tax Freedom Day until May 2, whereas Mississippi's Tax Freedom Day occured on March 26.
Another way of looking at it is, if you work an 8-hour workday, the first 2 hours and 20 minutes of every day go towards paying the taxes.
Looking at the national tax burden over time is also cause for concern. As the chart shows, Americans would have to work until May 23 (an extra 41 days) this year if the measure included paying off the federal deficit.
More on Tax Freedom Day from the Tax Foundation.
posted by NICHOLAS FETT | 00:00 PM | 0 comment
