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.

Public Union Democracy

Pension Crisis Facts: Are 401(k)s Enough?

  • May 24, 2013

Pennsylvania needs pension reform that provides state workers with a sustainable retirement system that’s fair to new workers, existing employees and taxpayers. What are our options? The current system is…

Media

Read More: Pension Crisis Facts: Are 401(k)s Enough?

Regulation

Diddy & PLCB: It’s All about the Benjamins

  • May 23, 2013

On Wednesday, Harrisburg was graced with a visit from Hip Hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, hawking premium Cîroc vodka to Pennsylvania entrepreneurs business owners…

Media

Read More: Diddy & PLCB: It’s All about the Benjamins

Regulation

Privatization Opponents: Distorting or Ill-Informed?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 22, 2013

Critics of liquor store privatization claim that a CDC study suggests liquor privatization would result in greater social harms.  The problem: The flawed study doesn’t support that claim, and…

Media

Read More: Privatization Opponents: Distorting or Ill-Informed?

Regulation

Pension Crisis Facts: What Are Our Options?

  • May 22, 2013

Pennsylvania needs pension reform that provides state workers with a sustainable retirement system that’s fair to new workers, existing employees and taxpayers.  What are our options? The current system is…

Media

Read More: Pension Crisis Facts: What Are Our Options?

Regulation

Facts Contradict Claims of Liquor Monopoly Supporters

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 16, 2013

I’ve received some email responses critical of my recent commentary on liquor privatization. These responses, unfortunately, echo many of faulty claims served up by supporters of the…

Media

Read More: Facts Contradict Claims of Liquor Monopoly Supporters

Regulation

Liquor Privatization Done Right

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 15, 2013

It's decades past time to get government out of our Prohibition-era liquor system. Pennsylvanians have suffered from the PLCB's conflicts of interest and taxpayer-funded boondoggles for far too long.  Until…

Commentary

Read More: Liquor Privatization Done Right

Regulation

Perpetual Problems Plague PLCB

  • May 15, 2013

As Yogi Berra once quipped, “It’s déjà vu all over again.” Another year and another audit of the PLCB released by the Auditor General’s Office found mismanagement at the state…

Media

Read More: Perpetual Problems Plague PLCB

Regulation

Anti-Privatization Study Dismantled

  • May 15, 2013

A study frequently cited by liquor privatization opponents is soundly debunked in an article by Trevor Butterworth, a statistics guru at Forbes.com. Butterworth dismantles the methodology of the…

Media

Read More: Anti-Privatization Study Dismantled

Regulation

Pension Crisis Facts: Are Pension Obligation Bonds Risk Free?

  • May 15, 2013

This is the third in a series of blog posts debunking the myths surrounding Pennsylvania’s pension crisis. Pennsylvania’s two main government worker pension systems, the Public School Employee Retirement System…

Media

Read More: Pension Crisis Facts: Are Pension Obligation Bonds Risk Free?

Regulation

Privatization Great for Washington State

  • May 14, 2013

A year ago this June, the government liquor monopoly ended in Washington state.  Critics of Pennsylvania’s plan to privatize state wine and spirits stores have pointed to Washington as an…

Media

Read More: Privatization Great for Washington State

Public Union Democracy

Reckless Scheme or Reckless Ad?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 13, 2013

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) is spending a million in order to save a million—every year! The UFCW announced a $1 million statewide television ad buy attacking…

Media

Read More: Reckless Scheme or Reckless Ad?

Regulation

Why Privatizing Liquor Wholesale Matters to You

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 10, 2013

As liquor privatization discussions are occurring in the Senate, some have suggested maintaining the PLCB’s wholesale monopoly while simply turning state retail stores over to private sellers. After all, Pennsylvania…

Media

Read More: Why Privatizing Liquor Wholesale Matters to You

Regulation

Pension Crisis Facts: Is the Stock Market to Blame?

  • May 9, 2013

Pennsylvania’s two main pension systems, the Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) and the State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS), are dramatically underfunded. Together these plans have more…

Media

Read More: Pension Crisis Facts: Is the Stock Market to Blame?

Regulation

New Life for Landmark Pension Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 7, 2013

Landmark pension reform legislation was unveiled today, as the Commonwealth Foundation stood with Gov. Tom Corbett, state lawmakers, business leaders, school board members and other groups.  The new bills, introduced…

Media

Read More: New Life for Landmark Pension Reform

Regulation

Public Pensions: Past, Present, and Future

  • May 6, 2013

Pennsylvania needs pension reform that provides state workers with a sustainable retirement system that’s fair to new workers, existing employees and taxpayers.  This publication addresses the common myths and benefits…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Public Pensions: Past, Present, and Future

Regulation

Why We Can’t Just “Let Act 120 Work”

  • May 6, 2013

In a guest post, State Rep. Glen Grell addresses the pension reform myth that Act 120 has fixed the pension crisis.  For more facts & myths, click here. The…

Media

Read More: Why We Can’t Just “Let Act 120 Work”

Health Care

Reality Check: We’re Overspending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 2, 2013

Bad revenue collections and updated projections highlight a big problem in the state budget: We are spending more than we are collecting. The problem is much worse than a recent…

Media

Read More: Reality Check: We’re Overspending

Regulation

Social Impacts of Liquor Privatization

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 30, 2013

Submitted Testimony of the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives to the Senate Law & Justice Committee, April 30, 2013 The Commonwealth Foundation would like to thank…

Testimony

Read More: Social Impacts of Liquor Privatization