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Fairness
A Septa Bailout Is as Predictable as It Is Irresponsible
Originally published by Penn Live. We hate to say, “We told you so.” But when it comes to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) demanding another state bailout, we told…
Read More: A Septa Bailout Is as Predictable as It Is Irresponsible
Prosperity
How To Make Pennsylvania Manufacturing Boom
Read More: How To Make Pennsylvania Manufacturing Boom
Shapiro ‘Price Cap’ Could Hike Electricity Bills
Read More: Shapiro ‘Price Cap’ Could Hike Electricity Bills
Prosperity
Bring Domestic Steel Manufacturing Into America’s Golden Age
Read More: Bring Domestic Steel Manufacturing Into America’s Golden Age
Tort Reform Key to Reducing Health Care Costs
As Washington continues debating how to curb health care costs, one area largely ignored is medical malpractice reform. Ample evidence from states indicates tort reform is central to overhauling the…
Commentary
Read More: Tort Reform Key to Reducing Health Care CostsRegulation
Punishing the Next Generation: The Rendell Pension Legacy
As the Rendell administration moves inexorably toward its finish line in January 2011, it is reasonable to begin considering the issues awaiting the next governor. Of significant note is Rendell's…
Commentary
Read More: Punishing the Next Generation: The Rendell Pension LegacyRegulation
An Honest Debate About State Spending
Throughout the budget process, Rendell has used this same tactic, called a "Washington Monument" ploy. From claiming education would be set back decades, to asserting state police would have to…
Commentary
Read More: An Honest Debate About State SpendingState Budget
Re-examine Public Welfare Spending
Pennsylvania has, as of this writing, gone 90 days without a budget, longer than any other state. The impasse has been driven by Gov. Rendell's demand for higher spending and…
Commentary
Read More: Re-examine Public Welfare SpendingRegulation
Torts, Taxes Hinder Pennsylvania’s Prosperity
Wrongheaded economic development policies and one of the nation's worst labor climates are serious impediments to Pennsylvania's prosperity. As if those obstacles were not enough, the commonwealth also has saddled…
Commentary
Read More: Torts, Taxes Hinder Pennsylvania’s ProsperityEducation
Reform, Not More Spending, Key to College Affordability
This year's budget debate has generated several silly schemes, including a few related to higher education funding. But Gov. Rendell's proposed video poker tax and House Democrats' ploy to move university appropriations off-budget do…
Commentary
Read More: Reform, Not More Spending, Key to College AffordabilityGovernment Accountability
Reforming the Budget Process in Pennsylvania
In the political world, 2009 will be remembered as the year that Pennsylvania went longer than any other state without a budget. The Commonwealth went months past the June 30th…
Commentary
Read More: Reforming the Budget Process in PennsylvaniaState Budget
Senate GOP Can Still Protect Taxpayers
Earlier this year, state Senate Republicans drew a line in the sand, stating they would not support a budget that: 1) spends more than last fiscal year; 2) includes broad-based…
Commentary
Read More: Senate GOP Can Still Protect TaxpayersRegulation
Philly Pension “Reform”: A Vote to Raise Taxes Now and in the Future
The state budget impasse hinges on the inability of Governor Rendell and the House Democrat Majority to garner enough votes for state tax increases. Yet for now it seems enough…
Commentary
Read More: Philly Pension “Reform”: A Vote to Raise Taxes Now and in the FutureHealth Care
Whoops, We Were Wrong…
One of our goals at the Commonwealth Foundation is to predict the effect of proposed public policies. Most of the time, we are proven correct, and humbly announce, "We told…
Commentary
Read More: Whoops, We Were Wrong…Regulation
Pennsylvania’s Failed Economic Development Spending
State and local governments are locked in a constant competition to attract and retain businesses. Unfortunately, instead of addressing a poor business climate and flawed economic policies, they have increasingly…
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Failed Economic Development SpendingPublic Union Democracy
Tolling I-80 is a Recipe for Disaster
Once again, state lawmakers, bureaucrats and special interest groups are looking for another way to grab more money from Pennsylvanians. The latest rendition is tolling Interstate 80 across the northern…
Commentary
Read More: Tolling I-80 is a Recipe for DisasterEnergy
Rendell’s Mixed Energy Agenda
Governor Rendell frequently talks about the need to combat rising energy costs. Yet he continues to support policies that will increase Pennsylvanians’ electric bills and endanger thousands of jobs in…
Commentary
Read More: Rendell’s Mixed Energy AgendaRegulation
Keep on Truckin’
With Harrisburg gridlocked by the state budget impasse and Washington battling over national health care, an issue vital to Pennsylvania lurks below the radar. The debate is over…
Commentary
Read More: Keep on Truckin’Health Care
ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for Pennsylvania
America faces divergent prescriptions for health care reform—one calling for more government control, the other for patient empowerment. Unfortunately President Obama, Governor Rendell, and Democrats in Congress and…
Commentary
Read More: ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for PennsylvaniaEducation
Low Standards De-Value Diplomas
The U.S. dollar isn’t the only piece of paper plagued by inflation. While the Federal Reserve drives down the value of the greenback, low academic standards in Pennsylvania are decreasing…
Commentary
Read More: Low Standards De-Value DiplomasPublic Union Democracy
The Perils of Slavish Devotion to Organized Labor
Labor unions maintain a political stranglehold on legislation in Pennsylvania despite representing less than two out of 10 workers.
Commentary
Read More: The Perils of Slavish Devotion to Organized LaborEducation
Who’s For the Children?
In the television comedy The Office, dim-witted boss Michael Scott remarks that he likes giving presents because they are “like this tangible thing that you can point to and say…
Commentary
Read More: Who’s For the Children?Taxes & Economy
Why Pennsylvania Should Not Build High-Speed Rail
Last week, Gov. Rendell submitted an application to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a share of the $8 billion of stimulus money Congress allocated for high-speed rail. This raises…
Commentary
Read More: Why Pennsylvania Should Not Build High-Speed RailEducation
The Faulty Premise of the Budget Impasse
Governor Rendell wants the taxpayers to spend more on public schools. So do Republicans in the General Assembly—nearly 12 percent more. Yet education funding remains a major obstacle in the…
Commentary
Read More: The Faulty Premise of the Budget ImpasseRegulation
Pennsylvania’s Gambling Addiction
Five years ago this month, Gov. Rendell signed into law the signature policy achievement of his tenure -- legalized slot machine gambling. Act 71 of 2004 allows for 61,000 slot…
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Gambling Addiction