Every family, business owner, and taxpayer in Pennsylvania should be able to increase their financial security without undue interference from our state government. Free-market policies that limit taxes, allow entrepreneurs to innovate and create jobs, and offer stability to families will put our state on track to become a national leader. Policies that enact spending limits, cut taxes, and reduce regulations will help Pennsylvania avoid debt and restore sound fiscal planning that will benefit citizens in the years to come.

Education

Corbett’s First Inning Scorecard

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 6, 2011

July signals the coming of two breaks in Pennsylvania—Major League Baseball's All-Star break and the end of the state budget season.   Having endured his first budget as the commonwealth's chief…

Commentary

Read More: Corbett’s First Inning Scorecard

Public Union Democracy

Disappointing Results from State Union Contract Deals

  • Priya Brannick
  • July 5, 2011

So far, the Corbett administration has concluded new four-year contracts with Pennsylvania’s two largest state worker unions, which represent 55,000 government workers—and the taxpayers are the losers.  The deals with…

Media

Read More: Disappointing Results from State Union Contract Deals

Regulation

PLCB Pulls Puzzling Perestroika Presser

  • July 5, 2011

In a mystifying maneuver made by the mother of all monopolies, the puzzling purveyors of Pennsylvania Perestroika, the PLCB, pulled a press release from the wire and its Web site today that…

Media

Read More: PLCB Pulls Puzzling Perestroika Presser

Regulation

CF Blasts Big Brother Booze Brag

  • July 5, 2011

Commonwealth Foundation denounced a Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board press release today for its failure to disclose all the fiscal facts and for boasting about a government-run monopoly on liquor…

Press Release

Read More: CF Blasts Big Brother Booze Brag

Education

Cut Waste at This Temple, and I Will Praise It in Three Days

  • Charles Mitchell
  • July 1, 2011

Temple University just announced that it is raising tuition by ten percent, blaming the new state budget.  Temple is an outstanding example of an institution that should have spent…

Media

Read More: Cut Waste at This Temple, and I Will Praise It in Three Days

State Budget

Pennsylvania’s $1.9 Billion Budget Shortfall

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 1, 2011

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released preliminary FY 2010-11 revenue collection. Their statement says: Fiscal year 2010-11 General Fund collections totaled $27.5 billion, which is $785.5 million,…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania’s $1.9 Billion Budget Shortfall

State Budget

The Good, The Bad and The Undone

  • July 1, 2011

The Commonwealth Foundation praised Gov. Tom Corbett and the General Assembly for closing Pennsylvania’s $4.2 billion budget gap without raising taxes on working Pennsylvanians, but a thorough review of the…

Press Release

Read More: The Good, The Bad and The Undone

State Budget

Pennsylvania Budget for Smarties

  • June 30, 2011

The total state operating budget is $64 billion...and will be reduced for the first time in at least 40 years. While adults employed in public schools complain education is being…

Poll

Read More: Pennsylvania Budget for Smarties

Regulation

Big Brother Buys Booze Brother

  • June 30, 2011

MOSCOW HARRISBURG (June 30) – If there’s something strange, in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? Apparently Dan Aykroyd, if you’re the buck burning booze brokers known…

Media

Read More: Big Brother Buys Booze Brother

State Budget

General Fund Spending in Budget Deal

  • June 30, 2011

The FY 2011-12 budget deal includes $27.1 billion in General Fund spending, as part of the state's approximately $64 billion total operating budget. The deal represents a reduction of $3…

Fact Sheet

Read More: General Fund Spending in Budget Deal

Education

More Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying from School Districts

  • Priya Brannick
  • June 28, 2011

Public schools complain of underfunding, yet they are spending your tax dollars to lobby for more funding and against school choice, as property taxes skyrocket. The latest salvo comes from…

Media

Read More: More Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying from School Districts

Education

University Subsidy Bills Nixed, What Now?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 28, 2011

Last night, Pennsylvania House Democrats voted to defeat legislation on state subsidies for Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Temple University, as well as for…

Media

Read More: University Subsidy Bills Nixed, What Now?

Education

Don’t Fall for the False Choice on Tuition and Taxpayers

  • Charles Mitchell
  • June 27, 2011

I see that right now, our legislators are once again debating cuts to the generous subsidies our public universities receive from taxpayers.  Some are claiming that if the cuts pass,…

Media

Read More: Don’t Fall for the False Choice on Tuition and Taxpayers

Regulation

Chairman Wow Commends Kiosk Catastrophe

  • June 27, 2011

MOSCOW HARRISBURG – From the “They Just Don’t Get It” file comes confirmation from the commissar himself that Orwellian doublespeak is alive and well in Pennsylvania government. In…

Media

Read More: Chairman Wow Commends Kiosk Catastrophe

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Job Growth Continues to Drag

  • June 24, 2011

Today, President Obama will visit Carnegie Mellon University to talk about technology and manufacturing jobs. A important topic, considering Pennsylvania continues to fall behind other states when it comes…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Job Growth Continues to Drag

Regulation

Growing Greener is Corporate Welfare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 22, 2011

The Patriot News editorial board has yet another editorial arguing for a new tax on natural gas, on top of the taxes they already pay. While the board’s passion…

Media

Read More: Growing Greener is Corporate Welfare

Taxes & Economy

Nine of 11 Fastest Growing Jobs Drilling Related

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 22, 2011

Nationwide workforce data shows oil and gas extraction jobs growing at rates far above any other sector of the American economy. According to EMSI’s latest quarterly employment data,…

Media

Read More: Nine of 11 Fastest Growing Jobs Drilling Related

Education

Philadelphia Public Schools Among Worst in Nation

  • June 22, 2011

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which compares educational performance across all 50 states and major cities, Philadelphia public schools compare poorly, even to other large urban…

Media

Read More: Philadelphia Public Schools Among Worst in Nation

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania State Government Union Contracts

  • June 21, 2011

On June 30, 15 of the state's 19 government union contracts expire, with two more expiring in August.  These 19 public sector unions represent 62,271 state employees, whose compensation from…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Pennsylvania State Government Union Contracts

Regulation

PA Ranks 27th on Economic Freedom Index

  • June 21, 2011

The Mercatus Center’s annual report of the Freedom in the 50 States ranked the Keystone State 27th in economic freedom. Pennsylvania’s overall freedom ranking has declined three places since 2007.

Media

Read More: PA Ranks 27th on Economic Freedom Index

Regulation

Not Paying Pension Bills Hurts our Grandkids

  • Richard Dreyfuss
  • June 15, 2011

Politicians last year passed their version of pension reform by deferring existing unfunded liabilities, making them even more unaffordable. The situation was so severe that they felt compelled to include…

Commentary

Read More: Not Paying Pension Bills Hurts our Grandkids