Regulation
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
Time to End Public Sector Indentured Servitude
Public service is one of the few places where one still can find a defined benefit pot of gold at the end of their employment. Although defined benefit pensions are…
Commentary
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Cities and their Bankrupt Pension Plans
A recent study, published by Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, found shocking statistics about the solvency of most city and state pension funds. The total unfunded pension liability for…
Media
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Not-so-Effective Tax Credit Programs
The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee issued a new report on the utilization and accountability of Pennsylvania’s tax credit programs. The report looks at everything from the Research and…
Media
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Harrisburg’s Woes: Coming to a City Near You
Gov. Rendell's recent state bailout of the city of Harrisburg has brought attention to the capital city's fiscal mismanagement. With millions in debt payments and an enormous pension obligation, Harrisburg's…
Commentary
Read More: Harrisburg’s Woes: Coming to a City Near YouRegulation
Federal Cash for State Budget Cuts?
In an Investors Business Daily piece this summer, Nicole Gelinas puts forward an interesting idea about how to stimulate the economy, and at the same time cut back on…
Media
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Recap of the Pennsylvania Senate’s Busy Week
The PA State Senate had a busy week, all leading up to some key votes that took place yesterday. We have been closely following several bills and unfortunately a…
Media
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RAMPing Up PA Liquor Control Board’s Monopoly Power
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, the largest supplier of alcohol in the world, recently enacted regulations to become the sole provider of its now-mandated educational program for Pennsylvania businesses, the…
Media
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Why Not A Defined Contribution Retirement Plan for Public Employees?
In a Capitolwire story about the Pennsylvania pension “reform” bill that would primarily defer costs to the future, Sen. Pat Browne says, We tried to go as…
Media
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How HB 2497 Costs Taxpayers $67 Billion
A supporter writes, saying he called his state Senator about HB 2497, and the lawmaker told him the bill would “save money.” As we’ve…
Media
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Commonwealth Foundation President Calls Pension Reform “Bailout for Union Bosses”
HARRISBURG, PA (10.12.10) – Commonwealth Foundation president and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette released the following statement regarding HB 2497 — the so-called SERS & PSERS pension reform legislation currently before…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation President Calls Pension Reform “Bailout for Union Bosses”Regulation
Unintended Consequences of the Bulb Ban
The national phase-out of incandescent light bulbs begins in 2012, and by 2014, incandescents will be history. The popular replacement is the compact-fluorescent light (CFL), but there are very…
Media
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Pennsylvania Needs True Pension Reform
The state pension time bomb is taking front stage again in the waning days of the 2009-2010 legislative session. The Senate is revisiting HB 2497—the $27 billion pension deferral…
Press Release
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Senate Must Insist on Real Pension Reform
The state pension time bomb is taking front stage again in the waning days of the 2009-2010 legislative session. The Senate is revisiting HB 2497—the $27 billion pension deferral…
Media
Read More: Senate Must Insist on Real Pension ReformRegulation
Hey Big Spender
Yesterday, Gov. Rendell held a press conference to make note that Tom Corbett was overstating the amount of Pennsylvania taxpayer money Rendell was wasting on pork-barrel projects. Examples cited…
Media
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The Only Way to Fix Public Pensions
The Baltimore Sun editorializes that the only way to fix the pension plan for state workers (in Maryland, though the same would hold true in Pennsylvania) is to move…
Media
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Could Legislation End Church Potlucks?
States are imposing professional licensing in more and more areas of our daily lives; restricting good intentions, individual entrepreneurship, and now threatening an essential part of church…
Media
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Grassroots Activists Battle Special Interest Agenda
Earlier this year, we blogged on HB 2246, which would have allowed trial lawyers in auto cases to suggest the amount of compensation their plaintiffs should receive for their…
Media
Read More: Grassroots Activists Battle Special Interest AgendaRegulation
Film Tax Credits are Bad Economics
Josh Barro of the Manhattan Institute hammers on film tax credits, which have been so popular among lawmakers in Pennsylvania and other states, who love when movie stars…
Media
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Privatizing Pittsburgh Parking
The Post-Gazette reports the highest bid for a lease of Pittsburgh’s public parking garages came in at $452 million, well above what was expected. While the city of Pittsburgh…
Media
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Marcellus Money Yields $88 Million Gift to Penn State
The Post-Gazette reports that Terry Pegula, who recently sold his company that was drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale, donated $88 million to Penn State University to…
Media
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Pa. Lawmakers Must Solve Pension Crisis Now
Here is a great video editorial on the need for Pennsylvania lawmakers to address the pension crisis now, from WGAL president Paul Quinn. …
Media
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