Posts by third and state

Third and State This Week: Marcellus Shale Action, Pat Toomey's Deficit Plan and Latest PA Job Numbers

Posted by Third and State on November 18, 2011 4:47 pm

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This week, we blogged about October job growth in Pennsylvania, legislative action on a Marcellus Shale fee, and a deficit plan from Senator Pat Toomey that would increase after-tax income inequality even further in the U.S.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

On the Marcellus Shale, Sharon Ward shared her media statement on the Pennsylvania Senate's approval of a Marcellus Shale impact fee. Earlier in the week, Chris Lilienthal passed on some analysis of the various fee bills before the General Assembly. And Mark Price provided some context to a claim made by an industry group that "natural gas production is an unmatched private-sector job creation machine."
On inequality, Stephen Herzenberg connected some dots for readers on Senator Pat Toomey's deficit plan.
And in the Morning Must Reads this week, Mark Price blogged about October's relatively good job growth; the need to close loopholes; the real threat to job growth; Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank president Charles Plosser's unwillingness to support effective job creation policies; and economists' fears of another recession.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Third and State This Week: Income Inequality, Stagnant Wages and Putting the Brakes on PA's Recovery

Posted by Third and State on November 11, 2011 2:00 pm

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This week we blogged about how public-sector job losses are putting the brakes on the state's economic recovery, the top paid executives in Central Pennsylvania, and wage stagnation. In the Morning Must Reads, we also highlighted news stories on the economics of fracking, a new report on campaign contributions made by gas companies, new data on job openings, and much more.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

On income inequality, Mark Price blogged that between 2000 and 2007, while Pennsylvania's per capita output grew, workers' wages remained stagnant. Stephen Herzenberg also had a post on Central Pennsylvania's highest-paid executives.
On jobs and the economy, Stephen Herzenberg wrote about a new policy brief from the Keystone Research Center showing that public-sector job losses are putting the brakes on Pennsylvania’s economic recovery.
In the Morning Must Reads this week, Mark Price highlighted new data on job openings, noting that there are 4.2 unemployed workers competing for each new job opening. He also wrote about a bleak employment outlook from Dean Baker and J-1 visas and teacher layoffs in Pittsburgh.
Mark Price also focused three Morning Must Reads this week on the Marcellus Shale. He highlighted a new study by Common Cause on campaign contributions made by natural gas companies in Pennsylvania; blogged about a news report stating that taxpayers could be stuck with most of the $100,000 it costs to plug an abandoned Marcellus gas well; and shared Paul Krugman's primer on the basic economics of fracking.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Third and State This Week: Weak Drilling Fee, More Bad Employment News and Ranking Social Well-being

Posted by Third and State on November 4, 2011 1:00 pm

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This week, we blogged about the latest developments in enacting a Marcellus Shale drilling fee, more bad employment news for Pennsylvania and a new study ranking nations based on indicators of social well being (the U.S. doesn't do so good).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

On the Marcellus Shale, Sharon Ward provided an update on legislative developments in the Pennsylvania House, and Michael Wood shared a new fact check from the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center comparing the effective rates of leading drilling tax and fee plans before the General Assembly.
On inequality, Stephen Herzenberg blogged about a new study that ranks the 31 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries on eight indicators of social well-being. The U.S. ranks 27th.
On jobs and unemployment, Mark Price wrote about more bad employment news for Pennsylvania, including a revised outlook from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve signaling that the state's economy will be shrinking through the first quarter of 2012.
In the Morning Must Reads this week, Mark Price summed up local unemployment data, shared an amusing video from The Daily Show suggesting that it is time for the 1% to go on strike, wrote about rising college tuition and budget strains for local governments, highlighted a lack of political will for fixing the broken economy, and noted that some in the U.S. Senate would just prefer that people that have to drive over structurally deficient bridges would just drop dead.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Third and State This Week: Income Inequality, Funding Woes for Schools and Transit, and a Citizens' Take on Shale

Posted by Third and State on October 28, 2011 3:42 pm

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This week, we blogged about rising inequality, the financial troubles of public schools and public transportation, and the recommendations made by the Citizens Marcellus Shale Commission.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

On the Marcellus Shale, Mark Price blogged about the Citizens Commission report, which found that Pennsylvanians believe gas drilling has moved too quickly and that public officials need to do a better job protecting their communities and environment. Chris Lilienthal also highlighted the report along with a recent press conference where lawmakers from both parties called for drillers to pay their fair share.
On inequality, Stephen Herzenberg shared his response to the speech on income inequality that U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor never delivered. The Congressman canceled his planned speech at the University of Pennsylvania last week after learning that the event would be open to the public. Also, Mark Price summarized new data from the Congressional Budget Office showing that the after-tax income of the richest 1% nearly tripled between 1979 and 2007.
On jobs and unemployment, Mark Price provided a rundown of Pennsylvania's September jobs report, which showed a loss of just over 15,000 jobs last month.
On state budget and taxes, Mark Price wrote about legislators' attempts to create a tax loophole for the sale and service of airplanes, while Pittsburgh's Port Authority remains significantly underfunded. Mark also pointed out that while Philadelphia schools are faced with further budget cuts, elected officials are considering a school voucher program that would drain even more revenue from public school classrooms.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Third and State This Week: Rising Unemployment, a Health Insurance Rate Hike and Momentum for a Drilling Tax

Posted by Third and State on October 21, 2011 6:26 pm

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This week we blogged about momentum building for a natural gas drilling tax and rising unemployment in Pennsylvania. We also featured a guest post on the need for stronger insurance rate protections in Pennsylvania. And Mark Price kept us up to date with the Morning Must Reads.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

On jobs and unemployment, Stephen Herzenberg shared his media statement on the rising jobless rate in Pennsylvania.
On the Marcellus Shale, Sharon Ward highlighted a recent New York Times article on the problems that have come with Marcellus Shale growth in Pennsylvania. Kate Atkins urged readers to sign a letter to lawmakers in support of a drilling tax that would generate revenue to improve schools, fix roads, train workers, and protect the environment.
On health care, Athena Ford of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network penned a guest post on the need for better insurance rate protections in Pennsylvania.
Finally, Mark Price had Morning Must Reads on the economic polarization of the 99%, the need for more accountability in charter schools, how we can boost the economy, and what budget cuts and layoffs have in common.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Third and State This Week: Gloomy Economic News, Trade Agreements and Tracking Salaries

Posted by Third and State on October 14, 2011 3:10 pm

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This week, we blogged about the need for a jobs plan, an effort to make labor markets more transparent, and the negligible effect the recently passed trade agreements will have on reducing joblessness. Plus, the Friday Funny is back, with the warm words of everybody's favorite CEO, T. Herman Zweibel (extra points, if you know who that is without looking him up).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

On the recession and recovery, Mark Price addressed a Patriot-News editorial that calls for passage of the American Jobs Act but misstates the important impact that the Recovery Act of 2009 had on turning the free-falling economy around. Mark also blogged about some of the awkward facts that make it difficult to root for GE and other multinationals.
On unemployment and the economy, Mark compared a poll performed by the Mercyhurst College Center for Applied Politics with labor analysis done by the Keystone Research Center — both finding that roughly 1 in 4 Pennsylvania residents have had less paid work than they wanted during the last 12 months.
In other economic news, Mark blogged about Congress' failure to address the lack of consumer demand that is keeping unemployment high and its passage of a free trade agreement that will have a negligible impact on U.S. employment.
On wages and the workplace, Chris Lilienthal blogged about an online project aimed at creating a more transparent labor market. You can share and compare salaries and wages, understand your rights on the job, and look up the salaries of politicians, CEOs, athletes, and Hollywood stars.
Lastly, a bit of humor after a gloomy news week. Chris shared some satire from The Onion's publisher emeritus, T. Herman Zweibel, who is shocked that his repeatedly mistreated employees are in disbelief that he would move their offices to the Yukon.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Video: Our New Hero

Posted by Third and State on October 10, 2011 3:09 pm

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If you have been following the Occupy Wall Street Movement, you may have already seen this clip last week. In case you missed it, here's the rundown.

Jesse LaGreca, a vocal member of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, was interviewed by a producer for Greta van Susteren‘s Fox News show. The articulate LaGreca quickly puts the producer in his place, prompting him toward the end of the clip to admit: "Fair enough. You have voiced an important reason to criticize myself and my company."

The New York Observer shared the video that Fox chose not to run. As the Observer writes, "... the decision was made to leave [this segment] on the cutting room floor. The reason should be obvious pretty quickly."

Third and State This Week: The Guv's Drilling Fee, Bruce Bartlett on Regulations, and Occupy Wall Street in PA

Posted by Third and State on October 7, 2011 3:28 pm

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This week, we blogged about Marcellus Shale tax and fee proposals and the latest state revenue numbers. Meanwhile, Mark Price kept us up-to-date with the Morning Must Reads, debunking false claims about skills mismatch, staging a three-act play on zombie banksters and much more.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

On the Marcellus Shale, Sharon Ward shared her media statement on Governor Corbett's proposed drilling impact fee, which "fails to capture for Pennsylvanians the true worth of this vast natural resource and fails to fully offset the short and long-term damage that will be done by the industry."
Sharon also blogged about remarks she made at a recent press conference on Representatives Tom Murt and Gene DiGirolamo's drilling tax plan, which would bring Pennsylvania into the mainstream of other energy-producing states.
On state budget and taxes, Michael Wood analyzed Pennsylvania's first quarter revenue collections, which showed respectable growth over the first quarter of 2010.
And Mark Price kept waking up early this week to troll the morning headlines for your must read news of the day. Don't miss this week's posts on Occupy Wall Street coming to Pennsylvania; Reagan adviser Bruce Bartlett on the real problem with the economy (hint: it ain't regulations); false claims in the media about skills mismatch and the unemployed; the failure of politicians to aid struggling homeowners; and of course those zombie banksters.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Third and State This Week: Strong Revenue Growth in PA, Rising Student Loan Defaults, and Morning Must Reads

Posted by Third and State on September 30, 2011 3:30 pm

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This week, we blogged about rising rates of student loan defaults, Pennsylvania's strong revenue growth early in the fiscal year, and rising poverty in the wake of recessions. We also started each day with the "Morning Must Reads," highlighting the must-read economic news and opinion of the day.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

On higher education and unemployment, Sean Brandon blogged about the rising number of student loan defaults as young college grads find jobs harder to come by in this economy.
On poverty and recessions, Chris Lilienthal shared a chart showing how the recessions of the last 30 years have driven up poverty rates in their aftermath.
On state budget and taxes, Michael Wood wrote about a new Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center analysis showing that state revenue collections in the first two months of 2011-12 are running well ahead of the same two-month period last year. Mike also shared a chart showing that July-August tax collections have outperformed the same two-month period in the last five fiscal years. September revenue collections will provide a much better idea of what to expect in future months.
Lastly, Mark Price greeted you each daybreak with the "Morning Must Reads," highlighting current economic news and opinion. This week, Mark highlighted articles on paid sick leave, public sector employment losses, the challenges of local economic development, local area unemployment rates and the bupkis Congress is doing to spur economic recovery.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Third and State This Week: A GOP Drilling Tax Bill, Local Poverty Data and a New Blog Feature

Posted by Third and State on September 23, 2011 4:39 pm

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This week, we blogged about rising unemployment in Pennsylvania, a new GOP plan to enact a Marcellus Shale drilling tax and local poverty data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Plus, Mark Price launched a new daily blog feature highlighting the morning's economic news.

Third and State