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
Another Bad Pension Proposal
The Post-Gazette has a story of another reform to municipal pension plans. The plan would be to put all new municipal employees into a statewide, defined benefit pension system.
Media
Read More: Another Bad Pension ProposalRegulation
Will Tourism Collapse Without Taxpayer Subsidies?
Letter sent from the Commonwealth Foundation to Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Tourism Mickey Rowley Dear Mr. Rowley: I am writing to respond to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office's recent…
Media
Read More: Will Tourism Collapse Without Taxpayer Subsidies?Regulation
Now is the Time to Practice Fiscal Restraint
Testimony of Mathew J. Brouillette President & CEO, Commonwealth Foundation, to the PA House Appropriations Committee Thank you for the invitation to share the Commonwealth Foundation’s analysis and perspective on…
Testimony
Read More: Now is the Time to Practice Fiscal RestraintRegulation
The Horrors of Private Sponsorship?
NBC Philadelphia reported that due to proposed budget cuts, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission may be forced to turn to private sponsorship in order to maintain such historic…
Media
Read More: The Horrors of Private Sponsorship?Regulation
The Case for Privatizing State Parks
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced they would have to close at least 35 state-controlled parks due under the proposed Senate budget plan. According…
Media
Read More: The Case for Privatizing State ParksRegulation
Harley Davidson and the Problem with Corporate Welfare
Harley Davidson’s announcement that they may shut down their plant in York illustrates the problem with taxpayer funded corporate welfare. For starters, Harley Davidson has received $4.3 million…
Media
Read More: Harley Davidson and the Problem with Corporate WelfareGovernment Accountability
Paying for Criminals’ Pensions
Yesterday, the PA House passed an amendment making it illegal for public employees to request lump-sum pension payments after they have been convicted of a crime related to their…
Media
Read More: Paying for Criminals’ PensionsRegulation
Trying to Fight Unfunded Mandates? Go Directly to Jail.
Township Supervisors in Cromwell Township (Huntington County) are fighting a mandate from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to install a public sewer system. The supervisors claim such a system…
Media
Read More: Trying to Fight Unfunded Mandates? Go Directly to Jail.Regulation
What Cap and Trade Will Cost
A Heritage Foundation analysis finds that proposed “Cap and Trade” legislation will cost the average American family $3,900 per year. The chart to the left compares the cost…
Media
Read More: What Cap and Trade Will CostRegulation
Will Pennsylvanians Starve Without Farm Subsidies?
Some early criticism coming from the Rendell administration about the Senate budget is that cuts to the Department of Agriculture will result in less farming and possibly event mass…
Media
Read More: Will Pennsylvanians Starve Without Farm Subsidies?Regulation
Pennsylvania’s Path to Prosperity
In any economic crisis, politicians scramble to “do something” to show voters they’re “on the job.” Ironically, the greatest threat to our recovery is not government’s inaction, but rather its…
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Path to ProsperityRegulation
Allegheny Power Looks to Keep Prices Down
Pittsburgh Tribune Review has a story on Allegheny Power buying additional electric power cheaply on the wholesale market, while…
Media
Read More: Allegheny Power Looks to Keep Prices DownRegulation
Stimulus Money to Help Deal with Pension Crisis?
A number of Pennsylvania House Republicans are proposing using a portion of the federal stimulus money to pay into PSERS, the retirement fund for school employees. The $435 million…
Media
Read More: Stimulus Money to Help Deal with Pension Crisis?Regulation
Public Television Subsidies
Testimony from the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives to the Pennsylvania House State Government CommitteeApril 28, 2008 We would like to thank the members of the House State…
Testimony
Read More: Public Television SubsidiesRegulation
PA Liquor Stores Want a Better Monopoly
Brian O’Neill with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported yesterday that the PA Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has spent $3.7 million to develop a new name for their stores in an…
Media
Read More: PA Liquor Stores Want a Better MonopolyGovernment Accountability
Big Government, Big Corruption
Dan Mitchell from the Center for Freedom and Prosperity links the connection between government growth and corruption in this clip. He notes that rather than promoting honest dealings,…
Media
Read More: Big Government, Big CorruptionRegulation
Privatizing PA’s Liquor Stores
State Sen. Rob Wonderling is starting again to push for the privatization of Pennsylvania’s state-owned liquor stores. Here is Sen. Wonderling’s commentary on privatizing the state stores from…
Media
Read More: Privatizing PA’s Liquor StoresRegulation
Jobs and the Economy
Testimony of Mathew J. Brouillette, President & CEO, Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives to the Pennsylvania House Majority Policy CommitteeApril 14, 2009 Thank you Chairman Sturla for the…
Testimony
Read More: Jobs and the EconomyRegulation
Pennsylvania Pie Fight
Wall Street Journal picks up on the fight over government regulation of homemade pies at church bake sales in Pennsylvania. My favorite part of the story is this:…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Pie FightRegulation
Federal Cigarette Tax Increase will Reduce PA Tax Collections by $140 Million
A new report from the Tax Foundation looks at the cost of the recent federal tax hike on cigarettes, an increase of 39 cents to $1.01 per pack, state…
Media
Read More: Federal Cigarette Tax Increase will Reduce PA Tax Collections by $140 MillionRegulation
A Tale of Three Cities: Pennsylvania’s Retiree and Medical Liability Challenges
Pennsylvania maintains over 3,000 public pension plans at the state, city and municipal levels, the most of any state and approximately 25% of all such plans in America. Over 2,200…
Fact Sheet
Read More: A Tale of Three Cities: Pennsylvania’s Retiree and Medical Liability Challenges