Regulation
Harris’s Price Controls Ignore Basic Economics
Originally published at Delaware Valley Journal Vice President Kamala Harris wants to make groceries cheaper. However, her vague proposal to ban “price gouging” will have the opposite effect. Economists,…
Read More: Harris’s Price Controls Ignore Basic EconomicsEvery 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
Build America Bonds Encourage “Buy Now, Pay Later” Mentality
As part of the 2009 stimulus package, President Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner created a new program to subsidize municipal bonds. Unlike traditional municipal bonds, Build America Bonds are…
Media
Read More: Build America Bonds Encourage “Buy Now, Pay Later” MentalityEducation
Ten Tips to Balance the Budget
Contrary to Gov. Rendell's rhetoric, there are a plethora of reforms and cuts that can balance the budget without taking more from the pockets of Pennsylvania taxpayers. Here are ten…
Commentary
Read More: Ten Tips to Balance the BudgetRegulation
FCC’s Net Neutrality Gets Shot Down… For Now!
The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) effort to regulate companies that provide Internet access came to halt yesterday. In 2008 FCC sanctioned Comcast for slowing…
Media
Read More: FCC’s Net Neutrality Gets Shot Down… For Now!Government Accountability
Rendell: Everyone Supports Higher Taxes
At his press conference announcing that the lawyers at the Federal Highway Administration were all less intelligent that his staff, based on their decision to reject I-80 tolls, Gov. Rendell…
Media
Read More: Rendell: Everyone Supports Higher TaxesState Budget
PA Budget Facts 2010: Pennsylvania Sales Tax Expansion
Gov. Rendell has proposed lowering Pennsylvania's Sales & Use Tax from 6% to 4% and expanding the tax to 74 goods and services currently not taxed. This is the fourth…
Fact Sheet
Read More: PA Budget Facts 2010: Pennsylvania Sales Tax ExpansionHealth Care
Mass: What PA has to Look Forward to on Health Insurance
Massachusetts – with an individual mandate, an insurance exchange, taxpayer subsidies for insurance, and a regulatory board overseeing all health insurance – was seen as the model for health care…
Media
Read More: Mass: What PA has to Look Forward to on Health InsuranceEnergy
Budget Facts 2010: Natural Gas Severance Tax
Gov. Rendell has proposed a tax of 5% on the value of extracted natural gas, plus $.047 per thousand cubic feet of extracted gas. There is an exemption for marginal…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2010: Natural Gas Severance TaxTaxes & Economy
Alternative Energy Should Be the People’s Choice
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry has recent white paper about House Bill 80; a bill that seeks to increase Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard. The Chamber…
Media
Read More: Alternative Energy Should Be the People’s ChoiceState Budget
Rendell’s Higher Taxes Equals Fewer Jobs
Pennsylvania's latest budget shortfall is the result of a pattern in which state legislators abandon fiscal prudence in "good years" and face spending cuts or tax hikes in down times.
Commentary
Read More: Rendell’s Higher Taxes Equals Fewer JobsHealth Care
State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance Solution
Council for Affordable Health Insurance and ALEC have released their 2010 State Legislators Guide to Health Insurance Solutions. Here is a PDF version of the full report…
Media
Read More: State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance SolutionState Budget
Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: April 2010
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue reports that through the end of March, state General Fund revenues are $719 million below estimate for the 2009-10 fiscal year. Tax collections have…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: April 2010Health Care
Repeal Obamacare Ad in Erie Times-News
The Manufacturer and Business Assocation, along with a whole slew of businesses in the Erie area, ran a full page add in the Erie Times-News calling for lawmakers to…
Media
Read More: Repeal Obamacare Ad in Erie Times-NewsPublic Union Democracy
You’ve Been Duped
Apparently our April Fools Day news release hit a little too close to home for some. We announced that under new…
Media
Read More: You’ve Been DupedTaxes & Economy
Facts and Myths About a Natural Gas Tax
Gov. Rendell has labeled himself as the “best ally” of the natural gas industry, an odd statement for someone who frequently gets the facts wrong. Here are some corrections…
Media
Read More: Facts and Myths About a Natural Gas TaxHealth Care
How the Health Care Law is Financed
The Tax Foundation has a useful chart showing how the health care law is financed over the next 10 years (keep in mind most of the taxes don’t kick…
Media
Read More: How the Health Care Law is FinancedGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Candidate Survey
The Commonwealth Foundation asked each of the candidates in the May primary for Pennsylvania Governor to answer a series of 20 questions about state economic and fiscal policy. Answers…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Candidate SurveyRegulation
PA Gives Shyamalan $35 Million Tax Break
Despite the reduction in the Film Tax Credit (which does little to generate economic growth) M. Night Shyamalan’s latest production, The Last Airbender received over $35 million (over multiple…
Media
Read More: PA Gives Shyamalan $35 Million Tax BreakState Budget
Debating Taxes on Services
The New York Times has a piece on expanding state sales taxes to cover many services, with a specific focus on Pennsylvania. The articles focus primarily on the “modernization”…
Media
Read More: Debating Taxes on ServicesHealth Care
Who the Health Cares About the Constitution?
Constitutional questions have dogged the health care bill since its introduction. But rather than address these issues head on, supporters of the legislation have shrugged them off. Speaker Nancy Pelosi,…
Commentary
Read More: Who the Health Cares About the Constitution?Taxes & Economy
Which Sectors are Adding Jobs in Pennsylvania?
As reported earlier, Pennsylvania lost an estimated 16,000 jobs in February. Over the past year, the total jobs lost in the state adds to up about 141,000 (272,000 over…
Media
Read More: Which Sectors are Adding Jobs in Pennsylvania?Regulation
Still Not Easy Being Green for PA Taxpayers
In 2005, CF advised against passing Gov. Rendell’s Growing Greener II initiative because far better alternatives than increasing Pennsylvania’s debt load could have been used to save farmlands and…
Media
Read More: Still Not Easy Being Green for PA Taxpayers