Energy
Fracking could decide the election in Pennsylvania — and nationwide
Originally published at the New York Post Pennsylvania may be the deciding state in the 2024 election. And new polling from my organization makes clear energy may be the deciding…
Read More: Fracking could decide the election in Pennsylvania — and nationwideEvery 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.
Related Issues
State Budget
PA House GOP Outlines Budget Proposal
The House Republicans unveiled their Pennsylvania State Budget Proposal yesterday, HB 1485. The bill is set for an Appropriations Committee vote this week, and a full House vote…
Media
Read More: PA House GOP Outlines Budget ProposalRegulation
A Penny Saved or a Penny Burned?
For any family, saving a few dollars for the future and paying off credit card bills would be the fiscally prudent path. Likewise, state lawmakers should resist the temptation to…
Commentary
Read More: A Penny Saved or a Penny Burned?Education
Bad Economists and Good Budget Cuts
Yesterday in the Patriot-News, yet another Penn State administrator campaigned against Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed cuts to the generous subsidies our public universities receive from taxpayers (many of which…
Media
Read More: Bad Economists and Good Budget CutsRegulation
Should States Stop Regulating Telephones?
Land line use in the United States continues to decline as more households are going “wireless” and relying exclusively on their cell phones. About 17 percent of Pennsylvania households…
Media
Read More: Should States Stop Regulating Telephones?Energy
Economic Pitfalls of Taxing Marcellus Shale
The facts are that in Pennsylvania, Marcellus drillers contributed more than $15 billion in capital investment and have paid in excess of $5 billion in royalties to landowners not including…
Commentary
Read More: Economic Pitfalls of Taxing Marcellus ShaleEducation
On School Spending “Cuts”
A reader writes in, noting that a school board member is pushing the “stop the billion dollar cut” campaign, and asking for some info. Here are some quick facts.
Media
Read More: On School Spending “Cuts”Taxes & Economy
What Does “Fair Share” Mean?
The debate over adding an additional tax (or an impact fee) on top of the…
Media
Read More: What Does “Fair Share” Mean?Energy
Natural Gas Taxes and Fees
The Marcellus Shale is a large and difficult-to-drill geological formation roughly a mile or more underground throughout more than two-thirds of Pennsylvania that contains natural gas.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Natural Gas Taxes and FeesGovernment Accountability
Reining in Spending with Performance-Based Budgeting
The House State Government Committee held a hearing today on reforming the budgeting process. HB 726, sponsored by Rep. Stan Saylor, would institute performance based-budgeting. Today, most of the…
Media
Read More: Reining in Spending with Performance-Based BudgetingRegulation
A Half-Billion Saved is a Half-Billion Earned
After April’s General Fund tax collections came in at 9 percent above forecasts, some lawmakers are clamoring to spend any surplus Pennsylvania has at the end of the…
Media
Read More: A Half-Billion Saved is a Half-Billion EarnedTaxes & Economy
Natural Gas Industry Paid Over $1 Billion in Taxes
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released detailed numbers, showing oil and gas producers paid over $1.1 billion in state taxes since 2006. This includes $234 million paid this…
Media
Read More: Natural Gas Industry Paid Over $1 Billion in TaxesRegulation
Public Pensions & Politics
Here’s a presentation on government pensions from our senior fellow Rick Dreyfuss. PA Pension Reform Presentation …
Media
Read More: Public Pensions & PoliticsRegulation
PLCB’s Consumer Ca$htastrophe Continues
In another blinding flash of the obvious, the PLCB, Pennsylvania’s purveyors of perestroika, revealed in a Harrisburg Patriot News article today what we already knew: The supermarket wine kiosks…
Media
Read More: PLCB’s Consumer Ca$htastrophe ContinuesEducation
Property Taxpayer Referendum
Good afternoon. I am Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation. We are a nonprofit, independent public policy research and educational institute based in Harrisburg. I would…
Testimony
Read More: Property Taxpayer ReferendumEducation
PSU: Progress Seems Underway
On March 8, Gov. Tom Corbett started a statewide conversation about higher education through his budget address, in which he proposed significant cuts in the subsidies Pennsylvania public universities receive…
Media
Read More: PSU: Progress Seems UnderwayTaxes & Economy
Orwellian Tax Speak: Call It a “Fee”
Call it a “fee” or call it “knockwurst” if you like, but the latest proposal for a “local impact fee” on natural gas drillers is not only still a…
Media
Read More: Orwellian Tax Speak: Call It a “Fee”Education
When Bell Bottoms Were Cool…And PSU Charged $675
I just sent the following to a student at Penn State who is writing a paper on Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed cuts to the subsidies our public universities receive from…
Media
Read More: When Bell Bottoms Were Cool…And PSU Charged $675Taxes & Economy
The Natural Gas Not-A-Tax
Yesterday, the Republican Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati released his much anticipated Marcellus shale Not-A-Tax “local impact fee.” The proposal would require drillers to pay a “Base Fee”…
Media
Read More: The Natural Gas Not-A-TaxTaxes & Economy
Fact-Checking on Natural Gas Taxes in PA
Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center’s new report alleging the natural gas industry doesn’t pay taxes goes beyond misleading readers to using inaccurate information in order to jeer support for a…
Media
Read More: Fact-Checking on Natural Gas Taxes in PAEducation
A Pitt Student’s Take on Corbett’s Budget Proposal
As a Pitt student, I will not be joining in those manufactured protests, nor will I be participating in lobbying activities like Pitt's yearly "Harrisburg Day" when the University spends…
Commentary
Read More: A Pitt Student’s Take on Corbett’s Budget ProposalTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Shale 101 Presentation
Last week, I presented the case against a natural gas severance tax to a Penn State journalism class. Below is my presentation providing an overview of Marcellus Shale development…
Media
Read More: Marcellus Shale 101 Presentation