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Recent Research
AUGUST 3, 2010 | Commentary by DOUG MCLINKO
Gas Fuels Growth
The national economy is in a slump, unemployment remains stubbornly high, and economic growth is being hampered by misguided policies. Meanwhile, Bradford County, Pennsylvania led the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in net job growth from March of 2009 through March of 2010 with 2500 new jobs or a 7.2% employment increase. The robust increase
JULY 28, 2010 | Policy Report by BEACON HILL INSTITUTE AT SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY
Growing Money on Trees
An Analysis of PA’s Climate Change Action Plan
In December 2009, the Pennsylvania Climate Change Advisory Committee (PCCAC), in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS), released its report, Pennsylvania: Final Climate Change Action Plan. However, a cost-benefit analysis finds serious flaws in the rep
JULY 16, 2010 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
CF Responds to PennFuture Demands
A July 14, 2010 letter from PennFuture's attorney claimed the Commonwealth Foundation's Policy Brief, "PennFuture's Lobbying: Hypocritical, unethical, and possibly illegal," contained three inaccuracies and demanded retraction. The Commonwealth Foundation responded on July 16, 2010.
Recent Blog Posts
SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
A Slap in the Face to Pennsylvania Taxpayers
The Tribune Review revisits the Rendell Administration's leasing tens of thousands of acres of state forest lands via no-bid contracts.
State records the Tribune-Review obtained show that, in one noncompetitive agreement Jan. 7 with Texas gas company Anadarko, the state received $1,000 an acre for 2,300 acres in Sproul State Forest, in Centre and Clinton counties.
Two weeks later on Jan. 19, a public auction of 31,976 acres in Cameron, Clearfield, Potter, Clinton and Tioga counties generated $128 million, or about $4,000 an acre, for taxpayers.
A similar situation occurred in May, when another no-bid contract with Anadarko resulted in a lease of 33,000 acres at an average $3,650 an acre. Greg Wrightstone, a petroleum geologists notes private landholders were getting $5,000 to $6,000 acres at the same time.
Both of these private, no-bid lease schemes ... were consummated at less than market-bonus rates, Wrightstone said, calling the deals "a slap in the face to Pennsylvania taxpayers."
As we've blogged in the past, Gov. Rendell's no-bid deals -- in light of a budget crisis, pension crisis, and transportation crisis -- smack of corruption. And yet he wonders why lawmakers don't support his push for higher taxes.
posted by ELIZABETH STELLE | 04:05 PM | 0 comment
SEPTEMBER 1, 2010
Should Higher Taxes be a "Priority"?
Here is a letter I sent the Patriot News on a natural gas jobs tax:
Your August 31 editorial states that a natural gas tax should be the state legislature's "No. 1 Priority". This seems to be a solution looking for a problem. Which of the many issues facing Pennsylvania would a tax on this job-creating industry solve?
While your editorial uses environmental concerns to drum up support, a tax would do nothing to protect the environment. In fact, the revenue from the proposed tax would not even go toward environmental protection, but rather to the General Fund to finance Gov. Rendell's pork spending.
Gas drillers are paying for the cost of environmental inspections through license fees and mitigation costs through fines. Drillers are putting millions into repairing and even improving local roads. And the revenue drilling already brings-corporate income taxes, leasing fees and royalty payments, and income taxes from local job creation-is overlooked.
If companies were forced to pay another tax, where would that money come from? Certainly not from a pot of money hidden under a corporate CEO's mattress, but from future investment in Pennsylvania, wages for workers, or even companies' spending on safety measures.
The notion that an industry should be taxed simply because it can be taxed is more than just faulty logic. It's bad policy.
posted by NATHAN BENEFIELD | 10:40 AM | 0 comment
AUGUST 31, 2010
PPL's Distribution Rate Increase and Electric Choice
Earlier this year, we put out an electricity guide for citizens and businesses explaining why electricty rates were increasing, and how Pennsylvanians can to shop for the best deal.
In 2011, PPL territory rates will most likely increase again, but it is not related to the deregulated market.
There are three parts to electricity delivery: generation, transmission, and distribution. When you shop for a supplier, they provide you with generation and transmission. Distribution, which is essentially the upkeep of power lines, is still regulated by government, and provided by one of Pennsylvania's 11 distribution utilities.
Anyone within the PPL region must use PPL as their distributor, and PPL must appliy to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) for a distribution rate increase.
PPL is awaiting final approval by an administrative law judge and the PUC to increase its rates for an estimated revenue of $77.5 million, less than its original $114.7 million proposal, in order to recapture nearly three years ($727 million) worth of distribution investments.
If approved, a judge will decide how much of an increase will fall on residential customers, but the monthly increase is expected to be minimal, from $8.44 to $8.75.
While the distribution charge is the same, flat rate regardless of your generator, it is still a good reminder for residents to shop around and make sure they're getting the best electricity rates available.
posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 03:20 PM | 0 comment
