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.

Taxes & Economy

Rendell Retreats from Natural Gas Tax

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 1, 2009

Yesterday, Governor Rendell took another of his proposed taxes off the negotiating table. His announcement perfectly demonstrates the points made in my new commentary on…

Media

Read More: Rendell Retreats from Natural Gas Tax

Health Care

Is Individual Mandate Worse than “Public Option”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 1, 2009

Cato’s Michael Cannon has a commentary on the effects of an individual mandate to buy health insurance. His poster child is chief spokesman critic of Obama’s health care proposals,…

Media

Read More: Is Individual Mandate Worse than “Public Option”?

State Budget

Pennsylvania State Debt

  • August 31, 2009

In addition to the state operating budget, Pennsylvania lawmakers each year pass a capital budget, outlining how much the state can borrow, and detailing projects which may be funded through…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Pennsylvania State Debt

State Budget

Call to Action: Budget Must Keep PA Competitive

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 31, 2009

The Pennsylvania Prosperity Project has a new action alert on the Pennsylvania budget, with a form to contact your legislators and ask lawmakers to “focus on making Pennsylvania competitive…

Media

Read More: Call to Action: Budget Must Keep PA Competitive

Health Care

What’s Wrong with Medicare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 31, 2009

Defenders of national health care proposals try to make the claim – in response to critics – that government-run health care is pretty good, citing Medicare (and Medicaid).  So what’s…

Media

Read More: What’s Wrong with Medicare

Education

School District Makes Due Without Tax Hike

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 27, 2009

ABC 27 has a story about East Pennsboro School District – the first stop on Gov. Rendell’s bus tour – using fiscal restraint, not higher taxes, to deal…

Media

Read More: School District Makes Due Without Tax Hike

Regulation

Pennsylvania Municipal Pension Reform in a Nutshell

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 27, 2009

Yesterday the Senate approved HB 1828, a long and complicated bill full of so-called pension reforms and potential local tax increases. Here’s a basic summary of the provisions following…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Municipal Pension Reform in a Nutshell

Health Care

Medicare’s Administrative Costs vs. Private Insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 27, 2009

One of the myths is that Medicare has lower administrative costs than private insurance, and thus is the model for efficient health coverage. (This was an argument made by a…

Media

Read More: Medicare’s Administrative Costs vs. Private Insurance

Health Care

The Success of Consumer-Driven Health Care

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 26, 2009

In the midst of debates over the right kind of health care reform, consumer-driven plans continue to attract consumers while keeping costs in check. Greg Scandlen of Consumers of…

Media

Read More: The Success of Consumer-Driven Health Care

Taxes & Economy

Should Existing Interstate Highways Be Tolled?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 26, 2009

Interesting question posed by National Journal on tolling of existing freeways, with particular focus on tolling I-80 in Pennsylvania, offering several experts the opportunity to respond.  Pennsylvania Congressman Glenn…

Media

Read More: Should Existing Interstate Highways Be Tolled?

Regulation

Keep on Truckin’

  • August 26, 2009

With Harrisburg gridlocked by the state budget impasse and Washington battling over national health care, an issue vital to Pennsylvania lurks below the radar.  The debate is over…

Commentary

Read More: Keep on Truckin’

Regulation

Lack of Subsidy Spooks Movie Director

  • August 26, 2009

The remorse is almost audible in when people talk about the loss of filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie Devil to Canada, ostensibly because of the budget impasse. What…

Media

Read More: Lack of Subsidy Spooks Movie Director

Regulation

The Pennsylvania Pension Bailout

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 25, 2009

Pennsylvania legislators are drawing nearer to implementing a bailout bill for Philadelphia and a state takeover for insolvent municipal pension funds in cities like Pittsburgh. While pension reforms are…

Media

Read More: The Pennsylvania Pension Bailout

Health Care

ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 25, 2009

America faces divergent prescriptions for health care reform—one calling for more government control, the other for patient empowerment.   Unfortunately President Obama, Governor Rendell, and Democrats in Congress and…

Commentary

Read More: ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for Pennsylvania

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Sales Tax Exemptions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 25, 2009

There has been some discussion lately about filling the Pennsylvania budget hole with additional revenue by expanding the state sales tax to include currently exempt goods, services, or categories.

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Sales Tax Exemptions

Regulation

Problem of PA Prison Population and Price

  • August 25, 2009

Last week Bill Cosby declared that it only costs taxpayers $4,000 a year to educate a child, but $33,000 a year to incarcerate someone (this statement is inaccurate, unless…

Media

Read More: Problem of PA Prison Population and Price

Regulation

What Happens When There is No Funding for Corporate Welfare?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 24, 2009

Gov. Rendell has noted on many occasions that without large state “economic development” grant programs, Pennsylvania’s economy would tank.  He has argued that the Senate budget, which would eliminate many…

Media

Read More: What Happens When There is No Funding for Corporate Welfare?

Health Care

Explaining the Town-Hall Protests

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 24, 2009

John Goodman – the health care policy guru, not the star of Arachnophobia – has an editorial in Friday’s Wall Street Journal on those protesting Obama’s version of health…

Media

Read More: Explaining the Town-Hall Protests