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.

State Budget

State Borrowing the Result of Overspending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 4, 2017

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania State Treasurer and Auditor General approved a short term “STIP” loan to cover cash flow. For reference, you can see the GF balance on the…

Media

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Health Care

Higher Liquor Prices Just the Latest Hit to Pennsylvania Families

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 4, 2017

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced it would be arbitrarily raising prices on 422 wine and liquor products. This increase is a result of the “liquor modernization” efforts—which have…

Media

Read More: Higher Liquor Prices Just the Latest Hit to Pennsylvania Families

State Budget

Is State Spending “Cut to the Bone”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 3, 2017

One of the justifications Gov. Wolf uses to raise taxes—for the fifth time in nine years—is that state government spending has been relatively restrained. This argument suggests that other…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

SNAP Reform Shows Promising Results

  • Jessica Barnett
  • August 3, 2017

Innovative work requirements have the potential to transform the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from a program perpetuating poverty, to one fostering prosperity. Now, data released by the…

Media

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State Budget

Cost of Proposed Tax Hikes: 3,600 Jobs Lost

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 2, 2017

The tax hikes included in the revenue plan passed by the Senate (26-24) and supported by Gov. Wolf amount to nearly $600 million in total new taxes for next…

Testimony

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State Budget

Doubling Down on Tax Increases

  • July 27, 2017

Bucking calls to responsibly balance the budget, the state Senate passed a plan to borrow more than $1.2 billion and raise taxes by more than $570 million. The total tax…

Media

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State Budget

More Bad Budget Ideas: Resurrecting the Home Heating Tax

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 26, 2017

With no clear path to a balanced budget, lawmakers have suggested resurrecting the long-dead natural gas receipts tax in order to pay for this year's $32 billion budget. Sound familiar?…

Media

Read More: More Bad Budget Ideas: Resurrecting the Home Heating Tax

Health Care

Obamacare Continues to Destabilize Health Insurance

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 25, 2017

Obamacare repeal efforts have included transformative Medicaid reform, but retained many of the regulations responsible for collapsing individual markets. On Friday, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department released shocking individual insurance rate requests…

Media

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State Budget

Op-Ed: Should Pennsylvanians Pay More for The Walking Dead?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 24, 2017

Thanks to last year’s state budget, you’re paying more to watch House of Cards. This year, The Walking Dead—and a host of other cable TV shows—could cost you more, too. …

Commentary

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State Budget

The Tax Hike Non-Solution

  • July 20, 2017

Contrary to the prevailing media narrative, it appears budget negotiations have taken a positive turn. According to Jason Gottesman of The PLS Reporter (paywall), House Republicans—led by Speaker Mike Turzai—have offered…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania’s Poor Showings Aren’t Permanent

  • July 20, 2017

The commonwealth continues to score poorly in 24/7 Wall St.’s list of the nation’s best-and worst-run states, ranking 42nd right between neighbors West Virginia and New Jersey. Put differently, Pennsylvania is…

Media

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Regulation

Rescuing Pennsylvania from Fiscal Shipwreck

  • July 18, 2017

The state’s shaky fiscal position is no secret. Lawmakers continue to negotiate behind closed doors to eliminate the current deficit and pay for new spending in the $32…

Media

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Regulation

Wolf Targets Job Creators for Tax Hikes

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 17, 2017

At the top of Governor Wolf’s revenue wish list sits an even higher severance tax on natural gas. Yet, this tax would fail to balance the budget and cause further economic stagnation by suppressing existing revenue streams…

Media

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Regulation

Economy Stalls While Government Grows

  • July 13, 2017

This week, lawmakers and the Wolf Administration were unable to agree on a revenue package to pay for a $32 billion budget proposal. Once again, state government is…

Media

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Regulation

A Double Whammy for PA Job Creators

  • Gordon Tomb
  • July 12, 2017

The governor continues to insist on hiking natural gas taxes to balance the budget, while bureaucrats are heaping regulatory burdens on Pennsylvania’s most dynamic industry of the past decade.

Media

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Health Care

Four Game Changing Welfare Reforms

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 11, 2017

The 2017-18 spending plan is now law, but officials still must find a way to pay for it. The latest version of the human services code bill includes a host…

Media

Read More: Four Game Changing Welfare Reforms