Prosperity
Reforms would reduce poverty, increase prosperity
Originally published on LNP On Tuesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro will deliver his first annual state budget address to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. While he hasn’t unveiled the details of…
Read More: Reforms would reduce poverty, increase prosperityEvery 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
Regulation
Audio: The ‘Same Old’ Pension System Isn’t Good Enough
During his budget address, Gov. Wolf stated, “It’s not good enough to just say no and continue with the same old same old.” Why, then, does he continue to sidestep…
Media
Read More: Audio: The ‘Same Old’ Pension System Isn’t Good EnoughState Budget
Welfare, not Education, is Wolf’s Biggest Budget Buster
Commonwealth Foundation Contact: John Bouder | 717-671-1901 Welfare, not Education, is Wolf’sBiggest Budget Buster Study: Slowing Welfare Spending Growth Will Ease Budget Pressure May 27, 2015, HARRISBURG,…
Press Release
Read More: Welfare, not Education, is Wolf’s Biggest Budget BusterHealth Care
Out of Control
Governor Wolf is facing a budget situation more serious than any of his predecessors. His proposal includes an additional $691 million in the General Fund for DHS, bringing the department’s…
Report
Read More: Out of ControlRegulation
Audio: Fixing the State’s Broken Pension System
Public pensions have created one of the worst financial crises in Pennsylvania’s history—a monstrous, $50 billion debt that Gov. Wolf can no longer ignore. To prevent the crisis from…
Media
Read More: Audio: Fixing the State’s Broken Pension SystemHealth Care
State-Run Health Exchanges: A Terrible Track Record
Governor Wolf is taking a big risk. His administration is preparing a Pennsylvania-operated Obamacare exchange if exchange subsidies from the federal exchange, or healthcare.gov, are ruled illegal by the…
Media
Read More: State-Run Health Exchanges: A Terrible Track RecordTaxes & Economy
Reforming the Welfare Benefits Cliff
Imagine you’re a single mom earning $47,000 a year (or $22.59 an hour) working full-time as an assistant manager at large department store. Your boss pulls you aside with great…
Media
Read More: Reforming the Welfare Benefits CliffState Budget
134 Billion Reasons to Embrace Debt Reform
Every Pennsylvanian’s share of state and local debt increased by 20 percent over the last twelve years. In 2002, per capita debt totaled $8,693. Today, the total is a shade…
Media
Read More: 134 Billion Reasons to Embrace Debt ReformRegulation
The Monster at the end of this Blog Post
One of my favorite children’s books is titled “The Monster at the end of this Book.” In it, Grover (of Sesame Street fame) pleads with the reader not…
Media
Read More: The Monster at the end of this Blog PostRegulation
Senate Pension Reform: Sustainable for Taxpayers, Fair to Public Employees
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Senate Pension Reform: Sustainable for Taxpayers, Fair to Public Employees Critical Retirement Bill Heads to the House, Positioned for…
Press Release
Read More: Senate Pension Reform: Sustainable for Taxpayers, Fair to Public EmployeesGovernment Accountability
Audio: Bills Shine Light On Union Contract Negotiations
Public sector union contracts are a huge cost for the state government, and they have also become a conflict of interest for Gov. Wolf. He will be negotiating contract deals with…
Media
Read More: Audio: Bills Shine Light On Union Contract NegotiationsPublic Union Democracy
Pension Reform Toolkit
Pension costs are ballooning so quickly, they threaten to consume funds for education, public safety and welfare. Without reform, Pennsylvanians face cuts to services, teacher layoffs, higher property taxes, and…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pension Reform ToolkitRegulation
Senate Tackles Growing Crisis, Advances Responsible Pension Reform
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Senate Tackles Growing Crisis, Advances Responsible Pension Reform Bill Stops Sending More Public Employees Into Broken Retirement System May…
Press Release
Read More: Senate Tackles Growing Crisis, Advances Responsible Pension ReformRegulation
It’s Not Enough Just to Say No…
“It’s not good enough to just say no and continue with the same old same old.” So said Gov. Tom Wolf during his budget address, making clear his administration is…
Media
Read More: It’s Not Enough Just to Say No…Health Care
State Health Care Exchange: A Dangerous Contingency Plan
A week ago Governor Wolf announced his plan to create a state-based health care exchange if the U.S. Supreme Court nixes taxpayer subsidies to insurance companies through the federal…
Media
Read More: State Health Care Exchange: A Dangerous Contingency PlanCriminal Justice Reform
The Jury is In: Corrections Reform is Working
Remember the time lawmakers from both parties came together in Harrisburg and unanimously passed important, groundbreaking reform legislation? It’s not a joke. It happened in 2012. As a result of…
Media
Read More: The Jury is In: Corrections Reform is WorkingState Budget
Audio: The Need for the Taxpayer Protection Act
The Taxpayer Protection Act is a simple idea that achieves four goals: limiting the future growth of state government spending, forcing the state government to prioritize future spending, helping to balance…
Media
Read More: Audio: The Need for the Taxpayer Protection ActState Budget
Natural Gas Severance Tax: An Economy Killer
From labor unions to local chambers of commerce, community leaders are expressing a lot of anxiety over Governor Wolf’s natural gas severance tax proposal. The proposed tax “is a Wyoming…
Media
Read More: Natural Gas Severance Tax: An Economy KillerState Budget
30,000 Jobs that Won’t Pay
Gov. Wolf’s tax plan would result in 30,000 jobs not created next year, according to a new analysis we released yesterday. Using the STAMP model, developed by…
Media
Read More: 30,000 Jobs that Won’t PayTaxes & Economy
Study: 30,000 Jobs That Won’t Pay Under Wolf’s Budget
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Study: 30,000 Jobs That Won’t Pay Under Wolf’s Budget Job-Seekers Better Off If Wolf Did Nothing May 4, 2015, HARRISBURG,…
Press Release
Read More: Study: 30,000 Jobs That Won’t Pay Under Wolf’s BudgetTaxes & Economy
The Impact of Gov. Wolf’s Tax Proposals on Job Creation
The Commonwealth Foundation worked with the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University to apply an economic modeling program to analyze the overall impact of Gov. Wolf’s proposals. Economists at Beacon Hill developed…
Memo
Read More: The Impact of Gov. Wolf’s Tax Proposals on Job CreationState Budget
The Next 1,360 Days
Governor Wolf marked his 100th day in office by providing a list of accomplishments. In reality, the memo is more of a status update since many of his initiatives, including…
Media
Read More: The Next 1,360 Days