RSS FEEDS
Recent Research
AUGUST 27, 2010 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Gov. Rendell's Gamesmanship
While table games have been in Pennsylvania casinos for more than a month, I don't know if Gov. Rendell has tried his luck. But it would be a safe wager that he's a fantastic poker player. Why? For eight years, he's been able to bluff, bully, and stare down anyone who opposes his tax-borrow-and-spend agenda.
JULY 13, 2010 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
The Real Problem with the Specter Library
As part of the state budget deal, Gov. Rendell secured $600 million in new borrowing for pork-barrel projects, including $10 million for the "Arlen Specter Library" at Philadelphia University and another $10 million for the "John P. Murtha Center for Public Policy." These monuments to politicians have sparked outrage, but represen
JUNE 23, 2010 | Policy Report by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
A Taxpayer's Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania
A Taxpayer's Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania identifies opportunities to cut over $4 billion in wasteful state spending in Gov. Rendell's proposed FY 2010-11 budget. The report also offers a series of recommendations for resolving the current revenue shortfall and reducing the size and burden of government on
Recent Blog Posts
AUGUST 19, 2010
Rendell's Pinocchio Moment on WAMs
During yesterday's press conference, Roxbury News reported Gov. Rendell saying, "Opportunity Grants are not WAMS." Really?
Forget the numerous failures of Opportunity Grant recipients, like the $750,000 awarded to Siemens Energy for a never-constructed fuel cell manufacturing plant.
Forget that the 2007 Auditor General's report examined $215 million in grants expected to create 300,000 jobs, but found only 170,000 were created -- less than 60% of the goal.
And forget that the audit also revealed a poor track record of assessing and collecting fines -- $49 million in fees for failure to meet requirements were waived.
Because the real purpose of the Opportunity Grant program is press release economics. Governor Rendell may prefer "discretionary grants" or "corporate welfare" to "WAMs," but they're all examples of elected officials using other people's money to take credit for "creating jobs," even if they never materialize.
Denying that the Opportunity Grants are WAMs won't change the more important fact -- they are a waste of taxpayer dollars.
posted by ELIZABETH STELLE | 04:15 PM | 0 comment
AUGUST 12, 2010
Rendell and the Missing $30 Million
Yesterday, Gov. Rendell told lawmakers that after Congress passed legislation to increase federal aid to states for Medicaid (FMAP) and to school districts - and also cut funding for food stamps in future years - the Pennsylvania state budget was $282 million out of balance. This number seemed a bit odd to me, giving the budget had included (against sound judgment) $850 million in FMAP money and got about $600 million.
I don't want to brag, but I'm pretty good at math. Good enough, at least, to know that this math problem doesn't quite work out:
$850 m
- 600 m
$282 m
The answer to my curiosity was answered by Scott Detrow, with a parenthetical comment (emphasis added)
Pennsylvania banked on $850 million in federal aid, but Congress only approved $600 million. That, plus an increase in state medicaid costs, creates the $282 million deficit.
In other words, one month into the fiscal year, Gov. Rendell is already spending $30 million more than was budgeted.
Gov. Rendell also outlined his plans for filling the $282 million gap, which includes a 1.9% "across-the-board" cut from discretionary spending, $50 less in the basic education subsidy, and $70 million from a yet-to-be enacted tax on natural gas.
In contrast, 30 House Republicans sent a letter to the Governor demanding the elimination of $100 million in pork-barrel programs often call WAMs. Many of these line items had been eliminated in 2009, but were thrown back in this year, without warning.
posted by NATHAN BENEFIELD | 08:10 AM | 0 comment
AUGUST 9, 2010
Which Taxpayer-Funded Video Studio Tells More Lies?
Yesterday, Bob Caton, spokesman for the Pennsylvania House Democrats, and Steve Miskin, spokesman for the House Republican, engaged in a Twitter argument over which caucus' TV shows were more unrealistic, i.e., the House Democrats' or House Republicans'.
This display of polemics raises another, more important, point (though one they both missed): Why are taxpayers funding four TV studios - one of each caucus - in the basement of the Capitol?
-- this quote was brought to you by quoteurl
Side Note: The idea that Star Wars isn't real should never be discussed on the Internet. You might as well go around to kindergarten classes and tell them that Santa hates little kids.
posted by NATHAN BENEFIELD | 09:09 AM | 0 comment
