Pennsylvania economy suffers under Rendell

I've learned not to trust any economic news released by Gov. Ed Rendell since he is notorious for twisting and turning numbers into something unrecognizable.

I consider information from third parties more credible, especially when the source is a group like the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association, which has a vested interest in the condition of the state's economy. The group's motto: "Business in Pennsylvania Is Our Business."

The latest edition of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association Bulletin, available online today, offers a sobering look at how sluggish the state's economy is under Gov. Rendell. Pennsylvania ranks 44 out of 50 states in economic growth.

I guess it's safe to conclude that higher taxes and corporate welfare is not the way to go to stimulate the state's economy. But that's been Rendell's strategy since taking office in 2003.

You can't blame the state's sad-sack economy entirely on Rendell. The Pennsylvania Legislature has turned into a doormat when it comes to economic stimulus.

House Democrats are kept on a short leash by Rendell and Republicans (especially in the Senate) have a short attention span. They can't concentrate long enough to make a convincing case that the state is headed in the wrong direction.

The four-page PMA Bulletin features these headlines:

2006 PA ECONOMIC GROWTH ONLY HALF OF U.S. RATE

Ranked 44th in Gross Domestic Product growth; Pennsylvania loses out on $7.25 billion

"This is price all Pennsylvanians are continuing to pay for Harrisburg’s misplaced priorities," says David N. Taylor, executive director of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association. "All of the state government policies that make Pennsylvania less business-friendly than our competitor states – whether it's chronic overspending, high business taxes, rampant lawsuit abuse, or regulatory overkill – are robbing our citizens and undermining our quality of life."

To read the Bulletin online, click here, or visit www.pamanufacturers.org