Pennsylvania’s notoriously high level of regulation is a burden on our state economy. To make the Keystone State a competitive place to live, work, or grow a business, reforms are needed to rein in the regulatory process. Taxpayers deserve a streamlined regulatory process that scrutinizes proposed regulations to ensure frivolous reforms do not overburden the state economy and do not prevent job-seekers from accessing employment.

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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Regulation

Liquor Privatization’s Dual Purpose

  • July 6, 2017

State lawmakers have yet to agree on a plan to balance last year’s budget (2016-17) or this year’s budget (2017-18), despite authorizing large spending increases both years. In…

Media

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Regulation

Policy Memo: Ideas to Balance the 2017-18 Budget

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 5, 2017

With a spending plan in place, lawmakers should focus their efforts on reinventing state government to balance the budget, including ending horse racing subsidies.

Memo

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Regulation

What to Know about the Senate Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 30, 2017

Late last night, the Senate unveiled its version of the spending side of a state budget. The Senate advanced the bill from the Appropriations Committee with a full floor vote…

Media

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Regulation

Op-Ed: Learn from Last Year’s Budget Mistakes

  • June 29, 2017

Before you dismiss the budget debate as political theater, consider this: The deals hashed out in Harrisburg could blow a hole in your own budget or even strip you of…

Commentary

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Regulation

Is a Budget Deja Vu in Pennsylvania’s Future?

  • June 26, 2017

The General Assembly is floating a plan to balance the state budget with higher taxes and more borrowing, according to Charles Thompson of PennLive. Sound familiar? Lawmakers adopted…

Media

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Regulation

A Visitor’s Guide to Buying Booze in PA

  • June 23, 2017

Planning a dinner? Picking up a hostess gift? Here’s our handy shopping guide to keep things E.A.S.Y.*  *Every Annoying Stop You have to make to get what you need.

Media

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Regulation

Growing PA’s Economy through Relief, not Mandates

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • June 22, 2017

Pennsylvania ranks among the worst states in terms of job growth (46th) and personal income growth (45th). Our unemployment rate remains well above the national average and our economy grew…

Media

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Education

Will Philly Union Contract Require State Bailout?

  • James Paul
  • June 20, 2017

Philadelphia’s new teacher contract could be so expensive as to require teacher layoffs to pay for it. But there’s another way the $395 million pact could be financed: with…

Media

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Regulation

Policy Points: Pennsylvania’s Debt Burden

  • June 15, 2017

State and local debt levels have exploded since 2002. When combined with the commonwealth’s unfunded liabilities, total state obligations exceed $17,600 for every Pennsylvania resident.

Fact Sheet

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Regulation

Pennsylvania Ranks Poorly…Again

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • June 14, 2017

Redesigning state government has never been more important. For evidence, check out Pennsylvania’s poor performance in U.S. News & World Report’s recent Best States Rankings. Overall, the study puts the…

Media

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Criminal Justice Reform

Policy Memo: Principles for State Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 14, 2017

With the 2017 budget, lawmakers have an opportunity to double down on the idea of reinventing government and adopt meaningful reforms that will save taxpayers money, stimulate economic growth, and improve services…

Memo

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Regulation

Making the Most of Philadelphia’s Upswing

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 13, 2017

Last week I blogged about Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s misplaced confidence in government energy mandates to grow the Steel City. On the other side of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney…

Media

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Regulation

Gov. Wolf Signs Historic Pension Reform

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 13, 2017

Yesterday Governor Wolf signed transformative pension reform. SB 1 will establish a side-by-side hybrid plan for new employees, greatly reducing taxpayer risk and laying the foundation for further reform.

Media

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Regulation

Historic Pension Reform: Thank You!

  • June 8, 2017

Today's pension reform passage—and Gov. Wolf's support—mark a historic moment for our state. Pennsylvania is about to enact the most significant pension reform in the nation. You can read much more…

Media

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