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.

Education

Climategate & Penn State

  • January 12, 2010

Just days after news broke about what has been dubbed "Climategate," Penn State University (PSU) announced that it would investigate the conduct of Michael Mann, a professor in PSU's Department…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Climategate & Penn State

Taxes & Economy

Government Spending on Transportation Not Creating Jobs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 11, 2010

The AP has a new story out today on how “stimulus” road spending has had little effect on unemployment. Spend a lot or spend nothing at all, it…

Media

Read More: Government Spending on Transportation Not Creating Jobs

Regulation

Pennsylvania’s Gold Rush

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 6, 2010

In economically depressed Northeast Pennsylvania shale drilling has reinvigorated local economies creating thousands of jobs (29,000) last year. Yesterday, Fox News featured the region and the Marcellus Shale “gold rush”.

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania’s Gold Rush

Taxes & Economy

Still Movin’ Out

  • January 6, 2010

The Billy Joel song Movin’ Out sounds more eerie and more depressing every year that Pennsylvania continues to lose people. Allied Van Lines has released its 42nd Annual Magnet…

Media

Read More: Still Movin’ Out

State Budget

Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: January 2010

  • January 5, 2010

Six months through the 2009-10 fiscal year, state revenues are $254 million below budget expenditures, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Tax collections have been below estimate in…

Press Release

Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: January 2010

Energy

Citizen’s Guide to Electric Choice & Competition

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 5, 2010

In the late 1990s, Pennsylvania's electricity rates were 15% above the national average, despite the abundance of low-cost coal generation in the Commonwealth. At that time, electricity was sold by…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Citizen’s Guide to Electric Choice & Competition

Regulation

Deal on Pennsylvania Table Games Appears Done

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2010

After Gov. Rendell threatened to lay off 1,000 state workers if he didn’t sign legislation to establish table games (and the licensing fee and tax) at Pennsylvania casinos by…

Media

Read More: Deal on Pennsylvania Table Games Appears Done

Taxes & Economy

Financial Crisis: What Went Wrong

  • January 5, 2010

In December, Big Think, an online global forum released its series ‘What Went Wrong’, an eight week web-based series examining the causes of the financial crisis. This series brings…

Media

Read More: Financial Crisis: What Went Wrong

State Budget

The Stimulus and State Budgets

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 4, 2010

The Wall Street Journal had a recent editorial on the impact of the stimulus on state budgets – noting that while the legislation create a one-time bailout to states,…

Media

Read More: The Stimulus and State Budgets

Taxes & Economy

Climategate Investigator Seeks Whistleblowers at Penn State

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 4, 2010

An investigator into the “climategate” controversy has emailed all of Penn State professor Michael Mann’s colleagues, highlighting the reward for those who blow the whistle on misuse of federal…

Media

Read More: Climategate Investigator Seeks Whistleblowers at Penn State

Government Accountability

Capitol Cafeteria Another Rendell Sweetheart Contract

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 31, 2009

While some have pointed to the rodent-poo filled cafeteria at the Pennsylvania state capitol as a failure of the free market (as a private firm…

Media

Read More: Capitol Cafeteria Another Rendell Sweetheart Contract

Taxes & Economy

The Success of Electricity Deregulation in Texas

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • December 30, 2009

Here are some recent numbers, from our friends at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, illustrating the success of electricity deregulation. Since 2007 Texas’ electricity market has been fully deregulated…

Media

Read More: The Success of Electricity Deregulation in Texas

Health Care

Cynics on Why to Support the Health Care Bill

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 30, 2009

Quiet Declarations has a good blog post on why to support the Senate health care bill, basically outlining three rationales. One, if you want to pass any bill to…

Media

Read More: Cynics on Why to Support the Health Care Bill

Taxes & Economy

Major Victory for Electricity Generators on Mercury Rule

  • December 29, 2009

Last Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld a decision made earlier this year by a Pennsylvania Court Judge who decided the Department of Environmental Protection’s attempt to regulate statewide…

Media

Read More: Major Victory for Electricity Generators on Mercury Rule

Taxes & Economy

A Road to Savings: Abolish the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

  • December 29, 2009

The top-heavy PTC, with more than 2,000 employees, is responsible for overseeing an exponentially smaller infrastructure than PennDOT. The PTC manages 537 miles of turnpike highways; PennDOT manages nearly 40,000…

Commentary

Read More: A Road to Savings: Abolish the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

Health Care

Challenging the Constitutionality of Health Care Legislation

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 29, 2009

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett is joining with a number of other state AG‘s (latest count is 10 attorneys general) to challenge the “Nebraska Compromise” in the latest…

Media

Read More: Challenging the Constitutionality of Health Care Legislation

Regulation

Of Mice And G-Men

  • December 28, 2009

An inspection by the Pennsylvania Agriculture Department found rodent droppings “just about everywhere” in the cafeteria at the Pennsylvania state capitol. The cafeteria, reportedly, also has a severe rodent…

Media

Read More: Of Mice And G-Men

Regulation

Private Funding for Historical Sites

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 28, 2009

The historical site of Washington’s Crossing saw a cut in taxpayer subsidies this year, and some forecast doom and gloom for history. Instead, Lockheed Martin and other private donors…

Media

Read More: Private Funding for Historical Sites

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Legislative Audit Says Little

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 28, 2009

A new audit of the Pennsylvania Legislature’s accounts was released earlier this month, and is available via state Rep. Josh Shapiro. The big news on the audit is that…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Legislative Audit Says Little