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
Taxes & Economy
The Environment Impact of Natural Gas Drilling
Concerns about the environment impact of natural gas drilling are well-founded, but often overstated. A common misconception is that the hydraulic fracturing process has contaminated many wells and groundwater.
Media
Read More: The Environment Impact of Natural Gas DrillingState Budget
RE: Balancing the PA Budget with Gimmicks
Lawmakers have found new opposition to their plan to taked money from other funds to balance the budget. The Executive Director of Renew Growing Greener, Andrew Heath, encouraged…
Media
Read More: RE: Balancing the PA Budget with GimmicksRegulation
McDonalds Needs ‘Sad Meals’ to Help Powerless Parents
McDonald’s Happy Meals are under attack. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has threatened to sue the restaurant chain if they continue to include…
Media
Read More: McDonalds Needs ‘Sad Meals’ to Help Powerless ParentsRegulation
The Terror of Unlicensed Interior Designers
The Patriot News has a short article about Pennsylvania lawmakers consider legislation to require interior designers to get a license with the state. To get a license, an interior…
Media
Read More: The Terror of Unlicensed Interior DesignersState Budget
Balancing the PA Budget with Gimmicks
The temperature is in the 90s in Harrisburg this week, and most folks are wearing short sleeves. One exception is budget negotiators, who are still keeping plenty of tricks up…
Media
Read More: Balancing the PA Budget with GimmicksTaxes & Economy
Video: How Minimum Wage Laws Kill Jobs
The Center for Freedom and Prosperity has a new video out explaining how minimum wage laws kill jobs. From 2006 to 2009 the…
Media
Read More: Video: How Minimum Wage Laws Kill JobsGovernment Accountability
How to Discourage Accounting Gimmicks in the Budget
The Rendell administration celebrated the end of the tax amnesty program bringing in $261 million, well above projected revenues. But Capitolwire (subscription only) reminds us the Governor was originally…
Media
Read More: How to Discourage Accounting Gimmicks in the BudgetTaxes & Economy
Re: Hypocrisy of ‘Conservation Voters’
Offering more evidence that CVPA’s call for Tom Corbett to return campaign contributions was a partisan stunt, Anadarko also gave Sen. Arlen Specter…
Media
Read More: Re: Hypocrisy of ‘Conservation Voters’State Budget
Time for A Taxpayer’s Budget
HARRISBURG, PA —The Commonwealth Foundation today released A Taxpayer’s Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania, a report identifying $4 billion in…
Press Release
Read More: Time for A Taxpayer’s BudgetTaxes & Economy
More Reforms Before More Revenue in Transportation
Good morning and thank you Chairman Rafferty for the invitation to testify before your committee and for your consideration of our policy solutions to help address Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure funding…
Testimony
Read More: More Reforms Before More Revenue in TransportationEducation
A Taxpayer’s Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania
A Taxpayer's Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania identifies opportunities to cut over $4 billion in wasteful state spending in Gov. Rendell's proposed FY 2010-11 budget. The report also offers…
Report
Read More: A Taxpayer’s Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for PennsylvaniaRegulation
Knee-Jerk Reaction on Liquor Store Privatization
Following yesterday’s post of Rep. Mike Turzai talking about liquor store privatization, I got a couple of replies via Twitter from “Swanny88,” which makes…
Media
Read More: Knee-Jerk Reaction on Liquor Store PrivatizationTaxes & Economy
Hypocrisy of “Conservation Voters”
I sent the letter below to the group “Conservation Voters of PA“: I saw your press release demanding Tom Corbett return the $6,000 campaign contribution he…
Media
Read More: Hypocrisy of “Conservation Voters”Regulation
Video: Privatizing PA Liquor Stores
State Rep. Mike Turzai stops by to talk about his proposal to privatize Pennsylvania’s wine and spirit sales in a new video: Click the links in this…
Media
Read More: Video: Privatizing PA Liquor StoresEnergy
The Marcellus Shale: A Real Stimulus
The Marcellus Shale formation is believed to be the largest unconventional natural gas reservoir in America, and its exploration has been coined a modern-day gold rush. A Penn State study…
Commentary
Read More: The Marcellus Shale: A Real StimulusTaxes & Economy
Government Spending and Economic Growth
The Mercatus Center has a new brief policy analysis reviewing the economic literature on the role of government spending and economic growth. Their conclusion would (but should not)…
Media
Read More: Government Spending and Economic GrowthTaxes & Economy
Gasland Debunked
Tonight, HBO premiered the documentary Gasland – a film about the impacts of natural gas drilling across the United States. Director/producer and Pennsylvania native Josh Fox has been touring the…
Media
Read More: Gasland DebunkedTaxes & Economy
Baptists and Bootleggers
ReasonTV has a new video up on “Bootleggers and Baptists.” This is a concept that relates to virtually everything we do here at the Commonwealth Foundation. The…
Media
Read More: Baptists and BootleggersEducation
The True Beneficiaries of Education Subsidies
Gov. Rendell's budget once again demands significant increases in public school spending. Ostensibly, these increases are "for the children," but a close examination of education spending and policy proposals reveals…
Commentary
Read More: The True Beneficiaries of Education SubsidiesRegulation
$27 Billion Pension “Reform”: Still Doubling Down on Generational Theft
On June 16, the PA House passed pension "non-reform" by further deferring the scheduled taxpayers' contributions to the state's largest government pension plans - the Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS)…
Commentary
Read More: $27 Billion Pension “Reform”: Still Doubling Down on Generational TheftTaxes & Economy
New Data on Pennsylvania’s Economy Still Grim
Contrary to Gov. Rendell’s seemingly rosy interpretation of Pennsylvania latest job numbers, the BLS data hardly inspires confidence. In May (seasonally adjusted data): Pennsylvania added 19,000 payroll jobs…
Media
Read More: New Data on Pennsylvania’s Economy Still Grim