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

Welfare Anti-Fraud Measures Earn Gold Medal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 1, 2012

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare received an award for its recent efforts to curb waste and fraud.  The Council of State Governments gave DPW a 2012 Innovations Award…

Media

Read More: Welfare Anti-Fraud Measures Earn Gold Medal

Regulation

Ready for Higher Liquor Prices?

  • July 31, 2012

The floodgates have opened on the Lords of Liquor’s most infamous (and erroneous) claim that government-run liquor stores bring in lots of cash for the state. In reality, the PLCB…

Media

Read More: Ready for Higher Liquor Prices?

Regulation

Calling Shenanigans on Liquor Union Bosses

  • July 30, 2012

Pennsylvania’s liquor store union bosses have been called out by Dr. Antony Davies, an associate professor at Duquesne University, and James Harrigan, a fellow of the Institute of…

Media

Read More: Calling Shenanigans on Liquor Union Bosses

Taxes & Economy

Olympic Lessons for Gold Medal Citizens

  • July 30, 2012

When you watch as much Olympics coverage as I do, you can learn a lot: like the size of swimming prodigy Missy Franklin’s feet (13), the weight of the tires…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

How Low Can Frackaphobes Go?

  • July 30, 2012

Winston Churchill once quipped that, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” If so, then natural gas drilling myths…

Media

Read More: How Low Can Frackaphobes Go?

State Budget

Pennsylvania Welfare Changes will Save an Estimated $173 Million

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 27, 2012

Act 80 of 2012 amends the Pennsylvania Welfare Code to include several reforms to Department of Public Welfare spending in the 2012-13 state budget. Act 80 will save state taxpayers…

Memo

Read More: Pennsylvania Welfare Changes will Save an Estimated $173 Million

Criminal Justice Reform

Don’t Fire Arrows without Arrowheads in Corrections Reform

  • July 24, 2012

Reforming our state corrections system is not being soft on crime—it is being smart on crime.  To achieve transformative corrections reform, lawmakers should finish this critical legislative package and build…

Commentary

Read More: Don’t Fire Arrows without Arrowheads in Corrections Reform

Government Accountability

‘Shocked and Appalled’ by PLCB

  • July 24, 2012

You’ve heard of shock and awe?  Well here is ‘shock and appalled,’ brought to you by the duplicitous, doublespeaking Deacons of Distilleries who are at it again, this time dumping…

Media

Read More: ‘Shocked and Appalled’ by PLCB

Health Care

Medicaid Big Threat to States

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 23, 2012

A new study by the State Budget Crisis Task Force found Medicaid is one of the six biggest threats facing states. That should be no surprise to our readers.

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Happy Cost of Government Day 2012

  • July 20, 2012

Today Pennsylvania reached its Cost of Government Day, according to Americans for Tax Reform’s annual report. In other words, it took the average Keystone worker until July 20, or…

Media

Read More: Happy Cost of Government Day 2012

Public Union Democracy

Unions Bankrupt Scranton, Who’s Next?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 19, 2012

The City of Scranton is broke. It can’t pay its employees and faces a budget deficit of about $16 million this year, thanks to a toxic combination of declining…

Media

Read More: Unions Bankrupt Scranton, Who’s Next?

Regulation

Moody’s Sounds the Four Alarms

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 17, 2012

Yesterday, Moody’s Investor Services downgraded Pennsylvania’s bond rating one level. The downgrade implies Pennsylvania bonds are riskier than previously assessed, and it could make it more expensive for the…

Media

Read More: Moody’s Sounds the Four Alarms

Regulation

Map of the Day: Alcohol-Related Traffic Fatalities

  • July 17, 2012

Pennsylvania’s government-run liquor monopoly doesn’t make citizens safer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data on alcohol-attributable deaths ranks Pennsylvania middle of the pack in terms of deaths per…

Media

Read More: Map of the Day: Alcohol-Related Traffic Fatalities

Regulation

Popping Popular Privatization Myths

  • July 16, 2012

When short on facts, blow a lot of hot air. That’s the strategy of liquor store union boss Wendell Young IV. Wendell and I were panelists on a recent Delaware County…

Media

Read More: Popping Popular Privatization Myths

Regulation

Liquor Privatization: Just the Facts

  • July 16, 2012

In a recent Delaware County Times webcast on Pennsylvania liquor store privatization, on which I was a panelist, there was a great deal of information thrown into the mix which may have…

Memo

Read More: Liquor Privatization: Just the Facts

Taxes & Economy

Welfare: Don’t Repudiate Resounding Results, Replicate Reform

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 16, 2012

A new move from the Obama administration would waive work requirements under TANF (cash assistance). Requiring recipients to work was a central provision of the highly successful 1996 welfare…

Media

Read More: Welfare: Don’t Repudiate Resounding Results, Replicate Reform

Health Care

ACA Encourages Young & Healthy to Stay Uninsured

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • July 12, 2012

An AP article claims the Affordable Care Act will lower the cost of insurance for young adults through a host of government interventions such as new mandates, Medicaid…

Media

Read More: ACA Encourages Young & Healthy to Stay Uninsured

Health Care

States Take a Stand Against Medicaid Expansion

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 10, 2012

The Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act would cost Pennsylvania an additional $2 billion through 2019, should the commonwealth participate.  That represents merely the state share, as taxes…

Media

Read More: States Take a Stand Against Medicaid Expansion

Health Care

What if Congress Passed the “TV Mandate”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 9, 2012

A friend of mine recently purchased a new flat screen TV, getting a no-interest loan for three years to finance it. He remarked in amazement at this wonder, noting he…

Media

Read More: What if Congress Passed the “TV Mandate”?

Taxes & Economy

EPA Wants to Scare Jobs Out of Pennsylvania

  • July 6, 2012

The Environmental Protection Agency’s derailing of American’s economy is frightening enough to scare even the Ghostbusters (and they ain’t afraid of no ghost). Pennsylvania will be the 7th hardest hit…

Media

Read More: EPA Wants to Scare Jobs Out of Pennsylvania

Taxes & Economy

This Independence Day, You and I Have No Right

  • Charles Mitchell
  • July 4, 2012

This morning, spurred by a blog post by Bill Kristol, I’ve been reading an Independence Day oration given by the famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass in 1852, during the run-up to…

Media

Read More: This Independence Day, You and I Have No Right