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
Regulation
Tobacco Tax Fact Check (Part Two)
This is the second half of a two part blog, fact checking tmyths about tobacco taxes. This blog focuses on what the some call a good tax model –…
Media
Read More: Tobacco Tax Fact Check (Part Two)State Budget
Lay Off the Private Sector with Public Sector Layoffs
Gov. Rendell is threatening once again to lay off state government employees if the General Assembly refuses to go along with his spend-more, tax-more budget proposals. But should the public…
Commentary
Read More: Lay Off the Private Sector with Public Sector LayoffsRegulation
Why Taxing Natural Gas Won’t Solve PA Budget Woes
Here is a letter I sent in to the Scranton Times Tribune (a slightly edited version was printed today) on the proposed natural gas severance tax and the Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Why Taxing Natural Gas Won’t Solve PA Budget WoesRegulation
The $52 Billion Pension Deferral Plan
Legislation that would implement Gov. Rendell’s deferral of payment on state pension obligations is under debate in Pennsylvania House. HB 2497 would limit the annual increased in the…
Media
Read More: The $52 Billion Pension Deferral PlanTaxes & Economy
Leaky Reporting by the Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last week cast an uncritical eye — in fact, you could call it cheerleading — upon a project touted as part of Allegheny County’s…
Media
Read More: Leaky Reporting by the Post-GazetteTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania’s Natural Gas Boom
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. More than a mile…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Natural Gas BoomTaxes & Economy
The Overton Window
The Overton Window – the title of Glenn Beck’s new book, a work of fiction which borrows from the idea- is a concept that help drives the work of…
Media
Read More: The Overton WindowState Budget
Rendell Ends Taxpayer Funded Legacy Project
Reported here earlier, the Rendell administration had been paying a public relations guru to research the “successes” of Rendell’s policies, to be used to lobby for higher taxes. Today.
Media
Read More: Rendell Ends Taxpayer Funded Legacy ProjectState Budget
How Many State Workers Will Get Laid Off for the “Legacy Project”?
“We’ve cut state government to the bone” Gov. Rendell likes to claim, while demanding higher taxes, decrying cuts to key services, and threatening to lay off state workers. But…
Media
Read More: How Many State Workers Will Get Laid Off for the “Legacy Project”?Regulation
Video: Fiscal Lessons for Pennsylvania
In a new video, Maurice McTigue, Vice President at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and a former member of the New Zealand Parliament, speaks about how…
Media
Read More: Video: Fiscal Lessons for PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Obama: More Green for Green Energy
Recently when speaking about greening the nation’s energy supply in Pittsburgh, President Obama remarked: [A]nd it means rolling back billions of dollars in tax breaks to oil…
Media
Read More: Obama: More Green for Green EnergyState Budget
The State and Local Government Debt Mess
While investment guru Warren Buffett is pulling out of municipal bonds, Gov. Rendell says Buffett doesn’t know what he is talking about, and that there is no problem with…
Media
Read More: The State and Local Government Debt MessRegulation
Big Idea: Privatizing City Services
Sandy Springs, GA, is one of the most efficient cities in the country, as reported in the Tribune Review. Incorporated in 2005, it was the first fully privatized…
Media
Read More: Big Idea: Privatizing City ServicesRegulation
Why PA Corporations Don’t Pay Taxes
Gov. Rendell and his allies and shills that call on higher taxes for businesses like to claim that 70% of Pennsylvania corporations don’t pay…
Media
Read More: Why PA Corporations Don’t Pay TaxesTaxes & Economy
Presentation: Lessons of Fiscal Responsibility for Pennsylvania
Maurice McTigue, Vice President at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and a former member of the New Zealand Parliament, spoke at a Commonwealth Foundation breakfast yesterday.
Media
Read More: Presentation: Lessons of Fiscal Responsibility for PennsylvaniaRegulation
More Evidence on Privatizing Liquor
Don Boudreaux and Julia Williams have an op-ed arguing for privatization of Virginia’s state liquor stores, noting little difference between control and license state in alcohol-related deaths, binge drinking,…
Media
Read More: More Evidence on Privatizing LiquorTaxes & Economy
How Public-Private Toll Roads are Financed
Robert Poole clarifies a number of misconceptions about how toll roads are financed – particularly in the cases of public private partnerships for new projects. This is not a…
Media
Read More: How Public-Private Toll Roads are FinancedRegulation
Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Tobacco Taxes
Gov. Rendell proposed a tax of 30% on the retail price of cigars and smokeless tobacco products, in hopes of collecting $42 million in the upcoming fiscal year.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Tobacco TaxesState Budget
Pennsylvania State Budget Resources
Pennsylvania faces a projected General Fund tax revenue shortfall of at least $1 billion. Governor Rendell proposed a $29 billion General Fund budget for 2010-11 that increases businesses taxes, imposes…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania State Budget ResourcesState Budget
Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Unemployment Compensation
Pennsylvania has borrowed over $3 billion from the federal government to keep its unemployment compensation fund solvent. Only California, with three times the population and a much higher unemployment rate,…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Unemployment CompensationState Budget
Welfare Fraud and Abuse
Good afternoon, my name is Elizabeth Stelle, and I am a research associate with the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, a non-partisan educational institute based in Harrisburg. Thank you…
Testimony
Read More: Welfare Fraud and Abuse