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
Understanding the Proposed Gallonage Tax
Rep. Mike Turzai’s proposal to get state government out of the business of selling liquor (HB 11) would replace current alcohol taxes and fees with a “gallonage tax.” This…
Media
Read More: Understanding the Proposed Gallonage TaxRegulation
Conti Continues Canard Campaign
Roxbury News has posted a video of Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board CEO Joe Conti calling for “civility” from critics of the PLCB. Mr. Conti claims that without the…
Media
Read More: Conti Continues Canard CampaignRegulation
Conti Confused by Booze Bill Backing
In a furious flip-flop fiasco that might make John Kerry blush, beleaguered booze boss and former State Sen. Joe Conti contended cluelessness in how his name appeared as co-sponsor…
Media
Read More: Conti Confused by Booze Bill BackingRegulation
PLCB Kiosk Catastrophe Contains Cover Up
The Commonwealth Foundation strongly condemned the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today for failing to listen to advisors and covering up interagency memos recommending against a failed wine kiosk program…
Press Release
Read More: PLCB Kiosk Catastrophe Contains Cover UpRegulation
End of PLCB’s Wine Kiosk Perestroika
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s experiment with wine kiosks—dubbed by my colleague Jay Ostrich as the PLCB’s version of Perestroika—may be coming to an end. This comes on…
Media
Read More: End of PLCB’s Wine Kiosk PerestroikaRegulation
AG Audit Finds Rampant PLCB Waste and Mismanagement
The Commonwealth Foundation strongly condemned the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today for systematic waste and abuse of taxpayer money and assets following a scathing Pa. Auditor General audit report…
Press Release
Read More: AG Audit Finds Rampant PLCB Waste and MismanagementRegulation
Michigan Pension Reform Saves $4 Billion
Before 1997, Michigan state employees (like those in Pennsylvania) solely received defined-benefit pensions in which employees are assured an annual retirement income. However in 1997, Michigan shifted…
Media
Read More: Michigan Pension Reform Saves $4 BillionRegulation
Fact of the Day: PA Losing Liquor Sales to West Virginia
Pennsylvania is losing an estimated $3.5 million in revenue annually from state residents crossing into West Virginia to buy their alcohol. A report released earlier this year…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: PA Losing Liquor Sales to West VirginiaRegulation
Fact of the Day: Where do Underage Drinkers Get Alcohol?
One of the myths perpetrated about letting private, licensed stores sell wine or liquor, rather than maintain a government monopoly, is that there will be a huge increase in underage…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: Where do Underage Drinkers Get Alcohol?Regulation
Fact of the Day: Underage and Binge Drinking
As noted yesterday, Pennsylvania ranks middle of the pack or worse in terms of alcohol-related deaths and traffic accidents, despite…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: Underage and Binge DrinkingRegulation
Fact of the Day: Liquor Safety and Government Control
Much of the discussion about ending government-run liquor stores in Pennsylvania is about safety—particularly alcohol related deaths and traffic accidents. But despite being among the states with the…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: Liquor Safety and Government ControlRegulation
Fact of the Day: Liquor Store Density
Rep. Mike Turzai’s proposal (HB 11) to allow private retailers to sell wine and spirits would approximately double the number of liquor stores (not including wine kiosks and wineries)…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: Liquor Store DensityRegulation
Brief Summary of Liquor Freedom Bill
Today, Rep. Mike Turzai, along with a number of House Republicans, unveiled legislation to end the government monopoly on wine and liquor sales, and provide adult consumers liberty to…
Media
Read More: Brief Summary of Liquor Freedom BillRegulation
Commonwealth Foundation Toasts Turzai Liquor Freedom Bill
HARRISBURG, PA (07.13.11)-Commonwealth Foundation toasted House Majority Leader Mike Turzai today for unveiling House Bill 11, a law that would privatize the wholesale and retail sales operations of the Pennsylvania…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Toasts Turzai Liquor Freedom BillRegulation
Turnpike Tolls Totally to Transit?
Amid all the budget turmoil, PA Independent notes the Governor’s Transportation Funding Advisory Commission is looking to use tolls on Turnpike drivers—those going to the state as part of…
Media
Read More: Turnpike Tolls Totally to Transit?Regulation
CF Applauds Initial Liquor Liberty Law Proposal
HARRISBURG, Pa.,-Commonwealth Foundation wholeheartedly praised House Majority Leader Mike Turzai for filing a proposal today seeking co-sponsors for his bill that would end the state’s liquor monopoly. Turzai’s bill will…
Press Release
Read More: CF Applauds Initial Liquor Liberty Law ProposalPublic Union Democracy
Disappointing Results from State Union Contract Deals
So far, the Corbett administration has concluded new four-year contracts with Pennsylvania’s two largest state worker unions, which represent 55,000 government workers—and the taxpayers are the losers. The deals with…
Media
Read More: Disappointing Results from State Union Contract DealsRegulation
PLCB Pulls Puzzling Perestroika Presser
In a mystifying maneuver made by the mother of all monopolies, the puzzling purveyors of Pennsylvania Perestroika, the PLCB, pulled a press release from the wire and its Web site today that…
Media
Read More: PLCB Pulls Puzzling Perestroika PresserRegulation
CF Blasts Big Brother Booze Brag
Commonwealth Foundation denounced a Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board press release today for its failure to disclose all the fiscal facts and for boasting about a government-run monopoly on liquor…
Press Release
Read More: CF Blasts Big Brother Booze BragRegulation
Big Brother Buys Booze Brother
MOSCOW HARRISBURG (June 30) – If there’s something strange, in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? Apparently Dan Aykroyd, if you’re the buck burning booze brokers known…
Media
Read More: Big Brother Buys Booze BrotherRegulation
Chairman Wow Commends Kiosk Catastrophe
MOSCOW HARRISBURG – From the “They Just Don’t Get It” file comes confirmation from the commissar himself that Orwellian doublespeak is alive and well in Pennsylvania government. In…
Media
Read More: Chairman Wow Commends Kiosk Catastrophe