Energy
Fracking could decide the election in Pennsylvania — and nationwide
Originally published at the New York Post Pennsylvania may be the deciding state in the 2024 election. And new polling from my organization makes clear energy may be the deciding…
Read More: Fracking could decide the election in Pennsylvania — and nationwideEvery 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
Education
Student Funding Reform
Pennsylvania ranks among the nation’s leaders in education spending per student. Although spending levels are high, the system for distributing state funding is outdated. Weighted student funding (WSF) is a…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Student Funding ReformGovernment Accountability
Audio: Stepping Towards a Balanced Budget
This year, Pennsylvania lawmakers have the formidable task of eliminating a projected $1.7 billion budget deficit. Bob Dick, a CF policy analyst, spoke with Gary Sutton about what can be…
Media
Read More: Audio: Stepping Towards a Balanced BudgetRegulation
Long Term Problems are Big Opportunities for Change
Pennsylvania added nearly two dozen new lawmakers in November, and there’s a new face in the Governor’s Mansion. Indeed, that face will look very new, as Tom Wolf is the…
Commentary
Read More: Long Term Problems are Big Opportunities for ChangeEducation
Wolf’s Gas Tax Won’t Help Students, but Will Kill Their Job Opportunities
Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Wolf’s Gas Tax Won’t Help Students, but Will Kill Their Job Opportunities Natural Gas Industry Already Pays Billions to Fund Government Good morning,…
Press Release
Read More: Wolf’s Gas Tax Won’t Help Students, but Will Kill Their Job OpportunitiesRegulation
Liquor Liberty On Tap Again
Pennsylvania voters have consistently said they want more convenience and choice by privatizing liquor sales. Not only would privatizing the state-run liquor store monopoly grant voters their wish, but it…
Media
Read More: Liquor Liberty On Tap AgainHealth Care
Beyond Medicaid Expansion: Helping the Poor
Yesterday’s announcement that Healthy PA will be rolled back in favor of full-scale Medicaid expansion misses the point. Instead of unraveling the few positive reforms incoporated in the original Medicaid waiver,…
Media
Read More: Beyond Medicaid Expansion: Helping the PoorTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Shale Successes Continue
The stories continue: more jobs, increased tax revenue and cheap energy, all from the free-market production of Marcellus Shale gas. Take last week’s report from the Central Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Marcellus Shale Successes ContinueCriminal Justice Reform
Pennsylvania State Budget Toolkit
The enacted $29 billion General Fund budget (a 1.88 percent increase over 2013-2014) and $71.4 billion total operating budget represent Pennsylvania’s highest spending levels ever—exceeding years when federal stimulus dollars…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania State Budget ToolkitState Budget
Pennsylvania State Budget Trends, 2015
The enacted $29 billion General Fund budget (a 1.88 percent increase over 2013-2014) and $71.4 billion total operating budget represent Pennsylvania’s highest spending levels ever—exceeding years when federal stimulus dollars…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania State Budget Trends, 2015Regulation
Five Steps Toward a Balanced Budget
The consequences of overspending have plagued Pennsylvania for years. This year is no different. Lawmakers are tasked with eliminating a projected budget deficit of nearly $1.7 billion, according to forecasts…
Memo
Read More: Five Steps Toward a Balanced BudgetRegulation
Crisis Management: PA’s Public Pension Problem
Crisis management can be broken down into three general phases: identifying the problem, developing the best plan to fix it, and executing that plan while adjusting as needed. It’s a…
Commentary
Read More: Crisis Management: PA’s Public Pension ProblemTaxes & Economy
PA tax law wallops man who bought truck before moving
Media Hit
Read More: PA tax law wallops man who bought truck before movingTaxes & Economy
Audio: Wolf’s Campaign Rhetoric Meets Governing Reality
Governor Wolf has made some bold promises on his campaign trail, but very soon the campaign rhetoric will meet governing reality. CF’s President and CEO Matt Brouillette recently discussed…
Media
Read More: Audio: Wolf’s Campaign Rhetoric Meets Governing RealityHealth Care
Breaking Out of the Fortress & Into the Frontier
What is the ultimate goal of health care reform? Is it to provide all Americans with insurance cards? Or is it to enhance access to quality care at more affordable…
Media
Read More: Breaking Out of the Fortress & Into the FrontierEnergy
Shale Gas Fuels Pennsylvania Job Growth
It’s indisputable that where there is Marcellus shale drilling there has been robust economic growth. Over the past six years, Pennsylvania counties with Marcellus shale drilling led the state in…
Commentary
Read More: Shale Gas Fuels Pennsylvania Job GrowthRegulation
PLCB Limitations Shackle Entrepreneurs
“I’ve got products in the pipeline that I can’t sell, because they didn’t get approved,” said Mike Gonze, president of Dreadnought Wines in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article that perfectly…
Media
Read More: PLCB Limitations Shackle EntrepreneursCriminal Justice Reform
Corrections Reform Proves a Win-Win
Unprecedented reductions in the prison population, $69.9 million in taxpayer savings, and lower recidivism rates all indicate that the 2012 corrections reforms are working. Earlier this month Don Gilliland over…
Media
Read More: Corrections Reform Proves a Win-WinTaxes & Economy
How to Help the Poor Leave Poverty Behind
Making “the rich” pay higher taxes will miraculously help the poor. This antiquated idea is the conclusion of a recent paper released by the…
Media
Read More: How to Help the Poor Leave Poverty BehindRegulation
Doing Business in Pennsylvania Can Be Taxing
This post was updated to reflect the most recent data available. Tax policy may not be as exciting as discussing Golden Globe winners, but few topics rise to the level…
Media
Read More: Doing Business in Pennsylvania Can Be TaxingPublic Union Democracy
Disappointed and Determined
Today, I am both disappointed and determined. I am disappointed that it is now a mathematical impossibility for any of the reforms you and countless other Pennsylvanians have demanded to…
Media
Read More: Disappointed and DeterminedRegulation
Liquor Privatization Reduces Operating Cost
Union leaders, copying from the same talking point memo, have repeated an identical falsehood about liquor store privatization. In two recent letters to the editor, I correct the record of…
Media
Read More: Liquor Privatization Reduces Operating Cost