pennsylaniva red tape

Regulation

Cutting Red Tape in Pennsylvania

  • James Broughel

This report presents findings from Mercatus Center’s State RegData database, analyzing regulations in the Pennsylvania Code as of 2022. The report provides an overview of state regulations, how Pennsylvania’s regulatory…

Read More: Cutting Red Tape in Pennsylvania

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.

Regulation

Spending Restraint Needed

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 14, 2007

Good afternoon. My name is Nathan Benefield, I am the Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation. I would like to thank Chairman Armstrong and the members of the…

Testimony

Read More: Spending Restraint Needed

Regulation

What Happened to Yesterday’s Hometown Heroes?

  • February 6, 2007

Each morning my local county newspaper shows up late. Speaking with the delivery man and calling the office hasn’t changed things. So, rather than canceling the 20,089 daily circulation paper…

Commentary

Read More: What Happened to Yesterday’s Hometown Heroes?

Regulation

The Pension and Healthcare Non-Crisis

  • Richard Dreyfuss
  • January 29, 2007

Despite the well-documented unfunded liabilities in Pennsylvania’s largest public employee pension plans (PSERS and SERS), the response from Harrisburg to the coming fiscal crisis ranges from denial to paralysis. Following…

Commentary

Read More: The Pension and Healthcare Non-Crisis

Regulation

Ed Rendell brings hope to seniors

  • October 24, 2006

John Baer of the Philadelphia Daily News quotes Gov. Rendell on why slot machines are so important to Pennsylvania. “These are people who lead very gray lives,” he said.

Media

Read More: Ed Rendell brings hope to seniors

Regulation

Why make state beholden to California?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 23, 2006

Sam Smith (House Majority Leader) Op-Ed in the Patriot News on the battle over using federal EPA or California standards for vehicle emissions. Also check out the memo…

Media

Read More: Why make state beholden to California?

Regulation

Action on State Regulations

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 18, 2006

The state Environmental Quality Board has pushed through a stricter mercury emissions rule for power plants that would likely increase the cost of electricity, jeopardize jobs, and has little…

Media

Read More: Action on State Regulations

Regulation

Legislator maps bill for privatization

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 18, 2006

State Rep. Geist is set to introduce a bill which would allow for public-private partnerships in transportation, including the Pennsylvania Turnpike, see this Patriot News article. This bill would…

Media

Read More: Legislator maps bill for privatization

Regulation

A $2-Trillion Fiscal Hole

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 12, 2006

Wall Street Journal article estimates the unfunded liabilities of state and local government’s retiree health care plans to be $1.4 trillion, about double the unfunded pension liabilities of $700…

Media

Read More: A $2-Trillion Fiscal Hole

Regulation

Hershey changes pensions to cut costs

  • October 10, 2006

While the Hershey Company continues to make defined-benefit pension reforms to remain competitive, we’ve got a union-backed group in Harrisburg lobbying for HIGHER defined-benefit pension costs on taxapyers.

Media

Read More: Hershey changes pensions to cut costs

Regulation

EDITORIAL | Taxpayers lose in Pa. pension gamble

  • October 10, 2006

We hate to have to say “We told you so.” So we won’t. But we’ll let the Chambersburg Public Opinion do it. 🙂 “The stock market was strong back…

Media

Read More: EDITORIAL | Taxpayers lose in Pa. pension gamble

Regulation

Getting mileage out of perks

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 10, 2006

Brad Bumsted and Debra Erdley in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on the excesses in PA House perks. Turns out that Mike Veon, Democratic Whip from Beaver Falls, collects more in…

Media

Read More: Getting mileage out of perks

Regulation

Pension Reform

  • October 6, 2006

Taxpayer contributions to Pennsylvania state and school employee’s retirement plans are expected to escalate dramatically beginning in 2011-12. Retiree healthcare will also place enormous burdens on future taxpayers. Specific actions…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Pension Reform

Regulation

Getting Out of the Pension Dilemma

  • Richard Dreyfuss
  • October 4, 2006

(Editors Note: This Commentary was originally published on March 8, 2006) Pennsylvania’s public employee pension plans are facing a looming financial crisis. Regardless of how one looks at the current…

Commentary

Read More: Getting Out of the Pension Dilemma

Regulation

A roll of the dice

  • October 3, 2006

Northeast PA Business Journal looks at the potential impact of slot machines in PA. “The only real economic impact is if you draw people from outside your region,” says…

Media

Read More: A roll of the dice

Regulation

For Sale: Harrisburg Senators (No, Not Those Senators)

  • October 1, 2006

In Pennsylvania and across the United States, taxpayers don't need to look very hard to find examples of wasteful, unconstitutional, or just plain wrongheaded government spending decisions. One of the…

Commentary

Read More: For Sale: Harrisburg Senators (No, Not Those Senators)

Regulation

Big business loves government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 27, 2006

John Stossel column on Townhall.com about the all-too-frequent collusion between big business and big government – from corporate welfare handouts to regulation of competition.

Media

Read More: Big business loves government