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.

Regulation

F&M Poll Shows Voters Support Liquor Store Privatization

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 14, 2010

The latest Franklin & Marshall College poll spends, not surprising, a good deal of time on election-related questions, but has a few related to current policy proposals in Harrisburg. …

Media

Read More: F&M Poll Shows Voters Support Liquor Store Privatization

Taxes & Economy

The Price of Wind

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 13, 2010

The Wall Street Journal has a good article about how wind generation drives up electric rates in Massachusettes, and will continue to do so as alternative energy mandates are…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Bad Pennsylvania Policy Spreads to DC

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 12, 2010

In the past couple of weeks, debate in Washington has ramped up over implementing national alternative energy mandates. Senator Jeff Bingaman has included the standards in his American Clean…

Media

Read More: Bad Pennsylvania Policy Spreads to DC

Energy

Green Jobs Destroy Good Jobs

  • May 12, 2010

With Pennsylvania's unemployment rate at a 25-year high, Gov. Rendell is pushing "green jobs" at every turn. He has doled out nearly $1 billion to renewable energy projects and wants…

Commentary

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Government Accountability

Fact Checking Special Interests’ Attack on Natural Gas

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 11, 2010

Misinformation spewed continually at Common Cause’s press conference on natural gas campaign contributions (see CF News Release) held today at the Capital. Here are…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Re: What About Jobs of Other Colors?

  • May 11, 2010

Katrina’s post on Friday that highlighted Energy Ventures Analysis’s job destruction realism about Pennsylvania’s proposed alternative energy mandates is buttressed by similar research elsewhere, including …

Media

Read More: Re: What About Jobs of Other Colors?

Health Care

Obama Concedes CF was Right About Slacker Mandate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 11, 2010

I hate to toot my own horn (wink wink), but a few months ago, I wrote that a “slacker mandate” included in the federal health care bill would fail…

Media

Read More: Obama Concedes CF was Right About Slacker Mandate

State Budget

Pennsylvania State & Local Taxpayer Debt

  • May 11, 2010

Gov. Ed Rendell frequently argues that Pennsylvania taxpayers can afford to incur more state debt.  However, in order to justify the borrowing of billions of dollars, the governor conveniently ignores…

Fact Sheet

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Public Union Democracy

Public vs. Private Employment & Pay

  • May 11, 2010

Pennsylvania's private sector lost 113,600 jobs while state and local governments added 40,200 positions between 2000 and 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At the same time, public-sector…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Public vs. Private Employment & Pay

Public Union Democracy

Special Interests Denounce “Special Interests”

  • May 11, 2010

HARRISBURG, PA (05.11.10) — The Commonwealth Foundation expressed disappointment today that special interest groups which demand taxpayer subsidies for certain energy companies are attacking Pennsylvania’s natural gas companies for simply…

Press Release

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Education

PA School Districts Have $2.5 Billion in Reserves

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 10, 2010

PA Independent highlights the $2.5 billion school districts have in reserve accounts – $1.8 billion in “undesignated reserves.” To put that it lay terms – it’s a lot of…

Media

Read More: PA School Districts Have $2.5 Billion in Reserves

Taxes & Economy

Appraising the Candidates on Energy: Mandates Over Markets

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 10, 2010

PA gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett recently put out a policy paper on energy praising markets:  “a properly structured market place can effectively incentivize alternative energy investments – perhaps even…

Media

Read More: Appraising the Candidates on Energy: Mandates Over Markets

Taxes & Economy

Talking Transportation Funding

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 10, 2010

PA Independent’s Eric Boehm talks with State Rep. Rick Geist about Pennsylvania transportation funding in their latest podcast. For more info on transportation funding, check out our…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

What about Jobs of Other Colors?

  • May 7, 2010

A report by Energy Ventures Analysis set straight erroneous claims made by Black and Veatch’s assessment of HB 80 and its sister bill in the PA Senate, SB92.

Media

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Taxes & Economy

An Arizona-like Immigration Law for PA?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 6, 2010

Following Arizona’s recent enactment of a law intended to enforce federal illegal immigration laws, Pennsylvania State Representative Daryl Metcalfe has introduced similar legislation. The law would force employers…

Media

Read More: An Arizona-like Immigration Law for PA?

Public Union Democracy

State & Local Fiscal Reforms

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 6, 2010

Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute recently presented a paper to the Federal Reserve of St. Louis on state and local government fiscal reforms. Edward’s four main themes were:…

Media

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State Budget

Help Stop a Tax Increase in Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 6, 2010

Citizens Against Government Waste has a new action alert about proposed tax hikes in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania already has the highest Corporate Net Income Tax rate in the world,…

Media

Read More: Help Stop a Tax Increase in Pennsylvania

Health Care

PA Senate Passes High Risk Pool Legislation

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 6, 2010

The Pennsylvania Senate on Monday passed Sen. Mike Folmer’s high risk pool legislation.  The bill, SB 507, would create a pool for insurance companies to provide coverage to…

Media

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Regulation

Taxing Wind?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 5, 2010

Here is one tax proposal I am stunned Gov. Rendell has yet to copy – Wyoming Governor Freudenthal has proposed a tax on wind power. Of course, it would…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

More Grief for Mann

  • May 4, 2010

Virginia attorney general Kenneth Cuccinelli II has filed an exhaustive investigative request with the University of Virginia, seeking records pertaining to research grants obtained by Climategate scientist Michael Mann.

Media

Read More: More Grief for Mann