Prosperity
Deficit Watch: January 2025
Background Pennsylvania faces serious fiscal challenges. The enacted 2024–25 General Fund budget created a $3.6 billion structural deficit, with $47.6 billion in spending and only $43.9 billion in net…
Read More: Deficit Watch: January 2025Pennsylvania’s complex state budget has enabled policymakers to keep taxpayers in the dark when it comes to state spending. Year after year, some elected officials use budget gimmicks to both make the budget appear balanced and to secure their own agendas. Pennsylvanians deserve reforms that bring true transparency to the budgeting process. We must limit spending growth to a sustainable rate, ensuring the state government—like hardworking taxpayers—live within its means.
2025 state budget resources
State Budget
5 Reasons We Need the Taxpayer Protection Act Now
Gov. Wolf has been pretty optimistic about Pennsylvania’s finances going into budget negotiations for fiscal year 2018-19. Although it’s true the state is not staring down a $2 billion…
Media
Read More: 5 Reasons We Need the Taxpayer Protection Act NowState Budget
Securing Pa.’s Fiscal Future
Balancing a budget may come naturally to many Pennsylvania families, but in Harrisburg, it’s an idea that has been recently overlooked. And given the latest federal court decision prohibiting…
Media
Read More: Securing Pa.’s Fiscal FutureState Budget
Tax Reform’s Benefits Should Be Embraced, Not Erased
Tax reform will save Pennsylvania's consumers an estimated $324 million. This according to the Public Utility Commission, which approved rate cuts for 17 utility companies last week. The lower utitlity bills will kick in July 1…
Media
Read More: Tax Reform’s Benefits Should Be Embraced, Not ErasedState Budget
2018 State Budget Trends
On February 6, Governor Wolf laid out his plan for the 2018-19 state budget. His proposal includes a $250 million energy tax and nearly $1 billion in new General Fund…
Fact Sheet
Read More: 2018 State Budget TrendsEducation
Election Results Shouldn’t Detract Attention From Real Reforms
Pennsylvania’s primary election results are sure to command a lot of attention this week, as analysts attempt to explain what the outcomes mean for November. One thing is certain: Many new…
Media
Read More: Election Results Shouldn’t Detract Attention From Real ReformsGovernment Accountability
Transparency is Fundamental to Good Govt
Government transparency is a driving issue for Rep. Seth Grove. Without it, citizens can’t determine if state government is spending tax dollars efficiently. And hiding government operations from the public…
Media
Read More: Transparency is Fundamental to Good GovtState Budget
Why the Taxpayer Protection Act Matters to You
Pennsylvania could end the fiscal year with a budget deficit…again. If the latest Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) projections prove accurate, the commonwealth would need to fill a $195 million…
Media
Read More: Why the Taxpayer Protection Act Matters to YouGovernment Accountability
Government that Works?in the Shadows
Legislation introduced by Rep. Seth Grove—House Bill 1843—injects a much-needed dose of transparency into the state budget. The proposal would give taxpayers access to critical budget documents and financial…
Media
Read More: Government that Works?in the ShadowsState Budget
The Taxpayer Protection Act: A Legislator’s Guide
Pennsylvania’s high state and local tax burden is the consequence of a decades-long spending binge. Pennsylvanians currently pay $4,589 per person in state and local taxes, which equals 10.2 percent…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Taxpayer Protection Act: A Legislator’s GuideState Budget
Pa.’s Economy Continues to Underwhelm
Just how burdensome have Pennsylvania taxes and regulations become? According to the latest edition of Rich States, Poor States (RSPS), the commonwealth ranks 35th in the nation for economic performance…
Media
Read More: Pa.’s Economy Continues to UnderwhelmRegulation
Seize Opportunities to Transform Pennsylvania
Maximizing our state’s potential requires a willingness to break from the status quo and find better ways to govern. Several improvements indicate Pennsylvania is moving in this direction, such…
Media
Read More: Seize Opportunities to Transform PennsylvaniaRegulation
Solving Pa.’s Corporate Welfare Problem is Key to Tax Reform
Gov. Wolf’s budget proposal projects a small reduction in corporate welfare spending. When compared to the current budget, spending would decline by more than $26 million. However,…
Media
Read More: Solving Pa.’s Corporate Welfare Problem is Key to Tax ReformRegulation
Pull the Reins on Horse Racing Subsidies
A horse is a horse, of course, of course, unless it's a Pennsylvania racehorse—then it's the symbol of government waste and an industry in decline. (Is that how this…
Media
Read More: Pull the Reins on Horse Racing SubsidiesState Budget
People Everywhere Just Want to Be Free (Of Taxes)
Pennsylvanians work nearly four months a year just to pay the taxes imposed at the various levels of government. This is just one of the many findings in the Tax…
Media
Read More: People Everywhere Just Want to Be Free (Of Taxes)State Budget
How to Craft a Responsible Budget
Under Gov. Wolf, total state spending has risen by nearly $5.3 billion. This includes more than $2.9 billion in new General Fund spending—a sum exceeding the combined spending increases of…
Media
Read More: How to Craft a Responsible BudgetState Budget
Exposing the Shadow Budget
The state budget process needs an overhaul. Over the last two years, Pennsylvanians have witnessed unbalanced budgets, unsustainable spending increases, and harmful tax hikes. Additionally, a gross lack of financial…
Memo
Read More: Exposing the Shadow BudgetRegulation
House Committee Embraces Pro-Growth Reforms
On Tuesday the House State Government Committee voted to advance regulatory reforms that could restart Pennsylvania’s stagnant economy. Legislators advanced three bills included in a regulatory reform…
Media
Read More: House Committee Embraces Pro-Growth ReformsHealth Care
Pressure Mounts to Create a Pathway to Prosperity in Medicaid
During state budget hearings this week, Pennsylvanians learned some unwelcome news about healthy adults added to Medicaid under the Obamacare expansion: less than half are working. The Department of Human Services (DHS)…
Media
Read More: Pressure Mounts to Create a Pathway to Prosperity in MedicaidCriminal Justice Reform
Pennsylvania’s Overspending Problem Still Proving Costly
To balance last year’s budget, Gov. Wolf and lawmakers agreed to dedicate a portion of Tobacco Settlement Fund payments to cover a $1.5 billion bond issuance. This decision to…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Overspending Problem Still Proving CostlyState Budget
Gov. Wolf’s Budget Proposals vs. Reality
Last week, Gov. Wolf unveiled a budget that includes another energy tax and approximately $1 billion in new General Fund spending. (This doesn't include large spending increases in the shadow budget.) While the plan would take…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf’s Budget Proposals vs. RealityRegulation
The PLCB’s Relentlessly Unimpressive Business Model
If you enjoyed a glass of wine or shot of liquor during Sunday’s thrilling Super Bowl, chances are your beverage of choice passed through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB).
Media
Read More: The PLCB’s Relentlessly Unimpressive Business Model