Prosperity
Shapiro’s “Fast-Track” program is great for his allies, but bad for Pennsylvania
Originally published at The Patriot-News Is Josh Shapiro the future of the Democratic Party? He certainly wants to be, but he just failed an early test. This…
Read More: Shapiro’s “Fast-Track” program is great for his allies, but bad for PennsylvaniaPennsylvania’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
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 AgainCriminal 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 ToolkitRegulation
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 ProblemRegulation
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 EntrepreneursRegulation
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 TaxingRegulation
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 CostEducation
Super Six: Important ‘Wins’ for Taxpayers, Kids this Year
Policymakers made significant strides over the past legislative session to increase school choice, save taxpayers from waste and abuse in unemployment compensation, and protect students. While critical reforms remain, it’s…
Media
Read More: Super Six: Important ‘Wins’ for Taxpayers, Kids this YearRegulation
Government Falls Short in Subsidizing Job Creation
“Incomplete, misleading, and unreliable”—that is how an Auditor General report described Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of your…
Media
Read More: Government Falls Short in Subsidizing Job CreationRegulation
EPA Rule Would Increase PA Energy Bills by $1,000
The war on coal will be a catastrophe for consumers, according to a new analysis of energy prices under new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. According to…
Media
Read More: EPA Rule Would Increase PA Energy Bills by $1,000Health Care
New Wave of Obamacare Price Hikes Arrives
Regina Weinhardt handles benefits for her family’s plumbing business in Delaware County. In business since 1962, providing health care to their employees has always been a priority, “My father started…
Media
Read More: New Wave of Obamacare Price Hikes ArrivesEnergy
Green Jobs Threatened by EPA Regs
John Oelbracht has managed the Westwood Generation power plant in Schuylkill County for 10 years. It’s more than a job to him—it’s an undertaking to clean up the environment while…
Commentary
Read More: Green Jobs Threatened by EPA RegsRegulation
PLCB Annual Report: Future of Government Booze Bleak
Last year, my colleague Dawn did us all a favor by providing a summary of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s (PLCB) annual report. This year, I drew the short…
Media
Read More: PLCB Annual Report: Future of Government Booze BleakRegulation
PLCB Ethics Scandal (Again)
Pop quiz! What year is this headline from? A. 2014 B. 2013 C. 2012 D. 2011 E. All of the above. If you answered E., you…
Media
Read More: PLCB Ethics Scandal (Again)Regulation
How Much are Pension Costs Affecting Schools?
My colleague Katrina has an op-ed in The Patriot-News today explaining the gravity of the state pension crisis and why action needs to happen now. As Katrina points out,…
Media
Read More: How Much are Pension Costs Affecting Schools?Regulation
Unpopular Attempt to Undo Uber
Last week two Pennsylvania Utility Commission (PUC) administrative law judges recommended against legalizing the popular transportation service Uber in Allegheny County. The reason? The company, “is not committed to…
Media
Read More: Unpopular Attempt to Undo UberRegulation
Audio: Is There Really a Public Pension Crisis?
Short answer: Yes! But some—like government union leaders—deny that anything needs to be done or that there’s a crisis at all. The truth is, the consequences of inaction…
Media
Read More: Audio: Is There Really a Public Pension Crisis?Public Union Democracy
Employees Lose Under PA’s Public Pension Systems
Most workers are shortchanged by Pennsylvania’s public employee pension programs, according to two recent studies. The Urban Institute gives Pennsylvania’s State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS) an “F”…
Media
Read More: Employees Lose Under PA’s Public Pension SystemsEducation
Rendell’s Legacy Handcuffs Schools
Former Governor Ed Rendell wrote to the Philadelphia Inquirer and took issue with our policy points on Philadelphia school trends. The Inquirer…
Media
Read More: Rendell’s Legacy Handcuffs SchoolsRegulation
Audio: Is Selling Liquor a Core Function of Government?
Is it government’s job to monopolize a service that private enterprise can easily provide? Matt Brouillette says no—and Pennsylvania’s state-run liquor monopoly is a prime example of why government should…
Media
Read More: Audio: Is Selling Liquor a Core Function of Government?Regulation
Monopolizing Success
Is it time to wave the white flag on liquor privatization? After all, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) reported record revenue and transfers to the state’s General Fund…
Media
Read More: Monopolizing Success