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

Pennsylvania’s Business Climate is a Gamble for Entrepreneurs

  • Tirzah Duren
  • November 6, 2019

60, 61, 29, 45! While these might sound like Powerball numbers, they are actually state rankings that highlight just how lucky businesses in Pennsylvania aren’t. Across different measurements of the state’s business…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania’s Business Climate is a Gamble for Entrepreneurs

Health Care

The Administrative Cost of Community Engagement Requirements in Medicaid

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 30, 2019

This is the first in a series of policy briefs looking at the common objections to implementing community engagement requirements, or work expectations, for healthy adults receiving benefits under Medicaid…

Fact Sheet

Read More: The Administrative Cost of Community Engagement Requirements in Medicaid

Regulation

Sparks Fly Over Creating a Carbon Tax in Pa.

  • Tirzah Duren
  • October 29, 2019

Walk outs, tin foil hats, and shouts from the audience characterized a tense House Energy and Environmental Resources hearing on Governor Wolf’s executive order to join the Regional…

Media

Read More: Sparks Fly Over Creating a Carbon Tax in Pa.

Regulation

Wolf’s Wage Mandate will Harm Workers

  • October 28, 2019

Fewer jobs, reduced hours, cuts to take home pay. That’s what Pennsylvanians are facing now that Gov. Wolf’s overtime wage mandates are moving forward. Initially, Wolf wanted to increase the…

Media

Read More: Wolf’s Wage Mandate will Harm Workers

State Budget

Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 2

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • October 28, 2019

The state legislature controls less than half of all state revenue. The rest is on autopilot, flowing automatically through a maze of accounts and undermining the constituional plan for accountabilty…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 2

Regulation

Fleeing Philly

  • October 23, 2019

Roughly 60,000 people leave Philadelphia every year, significantly more than those who move in from other towns or cities according to a Pew Charitable Trusts survey.[1]…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Wolf Pollutes the Discussion on RGGI

  • Tirzah Duren
  • October 18, 2019

Power plants aren’t the only things blowing smoke in Pennsylvania. Governor Wolf’s executive order forcing the state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is based on deceptive “findings.” And…

Media

Read More: Wolf Pollutes the Discussion on RGGI

Taxes & Economy

State Treasury: Soak the Rich

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • October 14, 2019

Last week the Pennsylvania state treasury tweeted a link to a New York Times opinion piece headlined The Rich Really Do Pay Lower Taxes Than You. The piece…

Media

Read More: State Treasury: Soak the Rich

Taxes & Economy

The Not-So Secret Trick to Raise Kids out of Poverty

  • Andrew Cuff, Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 10, 2019

Innassa, a Pittsburgh native, was a stay-at-home mom for her two sons while her husband worked. Then, he got injured—and three surgeries later, still hasn’t recovered. “He’s talking and can…

Media

Read More: The Not-So Secret Trick to Raise Kids out of Poverty

Regulation

Good Returns Won’t Close the Gap

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • October 9, 2019

The state teachers’ pension fund, PSERS, just reported a 6.7% return over the past twelve months. That is a very good investment return. Sadly, when starting from a deep…

Media

Read More: Good Returns Won’t Close the Gap

Regulation

RGGI Would Hurt Pennsylvanians

  • Tirzah Duren
  • October 7, 2019

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a network of nine surrounding states that have imposed caps on CO2 emissions in a failed attempt to impact climate trends. Current member states have experienced increased…

Media

Read More: RGGI Would Hurt Pennsylvanians

Regulation

Pensions and Pa’s Poor Fiscal Health

  • October 4, 2019

Pennsylvania recently underwent a “fiscal physical’ and didn’t exactly come out with a clean bill of health. Truth in Accounting, an economic think tank, recently released its report on the…

Media

Read More: Pensions and Pa’s Poor Fiscal Health

State Budget

Soda Taxes Target the Poor

  • Tirzah Duren
  • October 4, 2019

Soda may not be on the list of Seven Deadly Sins but try telling that to lawmakers in Philadelphia. On January 1, 2017, the city instituted a tax of 1.5…

Media

Read More: Soda Taxes Target the Poor

Taxes & Economy

How to Increase Economic Growth

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • October 3, 2019

The following testimony was given at the Pennsylvania Fiscal and Economic Summit at York College on August 22.       Good afternoon.  Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you…

Testimony

Read More: How to Increase Economic Growth

Regulation

Mimosa Monopoly

  • Tirzah Duren
  • October 2, 2019

Pennsylvania is waging a secret war on millennials. Okay, maybe not on millennials, but definitely on brunch, and that’s pretty much the same thing. The deleterious effect of Pennsylvania’s sky-high…

Media

Read More: Mimosa Monopoly

State Budget

How to Improve State Budgeting Practices

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • October 1, 2019

The following testimony was given at the Pennsylvania Fiscal and Economic Summit at York College on August 22, 2019. Thank you for the opportunity to address you this morning on…

Testimony

Read More: How to Improve State Budgeting Practices

Regulation

The Liquor Control Board is a Jobs Program, Not a Business

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • September 30, 2019

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) recently announced “record sales and record net income” for the year ended June 30th. Such wording is the language of a business proudly…

Media

Read More: The Liquor Control Board is a Jobs Program, Not a Business

Regulation

The Broken Promise of Flexible Liquor Pricing

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • September 11, 2019

The Liquor Control Board told the public it would use its expanded pricing powers for consumer benefit.  Instead it has used them to benefit only itself.

Memo

Read More: The Broken Promise of Flexible Liquor Pricing

Health Care

Sen. Martin Introduces Bill to Protect Safety Net

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 5, 2019

Steve Blazer of Surge Staffing is taking an unusual approach to filling hundreds of open warehouse positions: attending job fairs at state prisons. Steve’s struggle to find workers is…

Media

Read More: Sen. Martin Introduces Bill to Protect Safety Net