Smart Talk: How does PA economy/taxes compare?; New book sheds light on Benedict Arnold

What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, May 19, 2016:

How do Pennsylvania’s economy and taxes compare to other states?  That’s a question undertaken in a new report by The Tax Foundation in partnership with the Pennsylvania Business Council.

The two groups identify themselves as independent, although they are often described as conservative leaning.

However, the report — Pennsylvania Illustrated: A Visual Guide to Taxes and the Economy — uses data to compare and rank Pennsylvania in areas such as income, jobs and several taxes.

Appearing on Thursday’s Smart Talk to discuss the report’s findings are Nicole Kaeding, an economist with the Center for State Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation and David Patti, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Business Council.

Also, anyone who has gone through an American history class in middle school knows that Benedict Arnold is the country’s most famous traitor.  We know that Arnold betrayed the young United States and the Continental Army by providing and attempting to sell information to the British during the American Revolution. 

Nathaniel Philbrick has written a new book called Valiant Ambition that portrays Arnold and his treason as much more complicated than what most of us have learned about him.  Philbrick joins us on Thursday’s Smart Talk.