Education
Governor Shapiro’s Massive Budget Brings Excessive Spending, New Taxes, and Future Tax Hikes
Video statements for broadcast media are available here. Harrisburg, Pa., February 4, 2025 — Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his 2025 Pennsylvania budget address, proposing a $3.9 billion spending increase.
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Massive Budget Brings Excessive Spending, New Taxes, and Future Tax HikesPennsylvania’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.
Regulation
Should Pennsylvania Subsidize Horse Racing?
Last month the House passed a General Fund budget that included more than $56 million in corporate welfare reductions. At the time, we indicated even more reductions were possible given…
Media
Read More: Should Pennsylvania Subsidize Horse Racing?Regulation
The Keystone State of Corporate Welfare
Pennsylvania’s corporate welfare culture is pervasive. The state has the dubious distinction of leading the nation in subsidy payments since 2007—without getting much in return. This large transfer of wealth…
Media
Read More: The Keystone State of Corporate WelfareState Budget
Adventures in State Budget Wonderland
In Lewis Carroll’s classic wonderland tale, Alice famously asks the Cheshire Cat, “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” the…
Media
Read More: Adventures in State Budget WonderlandState Budget
Pa.’s Economic Outlook is Poor but Not Permanent
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released its annual Rich States, Poor States’ report, which includes economic rankings for each state. Unfortunately, the news isn’t good for Pennsylvania. The state…
Media
Read More: Pa.’s Economic Outlook is Poor but Not PermanentState Budget
News Release: Pa. Spends Nearly One-Third of Year Working to Pay Taxes
April 18 was this year’s tax return filing deadline, but how long do Pennsylvanians work to earn enough to pay their total tax bill? In 2017, that date—dubbed Tax Freedom…
Press Release
Read More: News Release: Pa. Spends Nearly One-Third of Year Working to Pay TaxesState Budget
Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: April 2017
Revenue collections fell below expectations for the fifth consecutive month. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue reported collections of approximately $4.4 billion last week, which was $229.6 million less than…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: April 2017Regulation
House Budget Represents a Step Towards Fiscal Stewardship
House Republicans committed to changing Pennsylvania yesterday. The caucus released its proposed 2017-18 budget, which stands in stark contrast to Gov. Wolf’s tax-and-spend proposals. The House Appropriations Committee has…
Media
Read More: House Budget Represents a Step Towards Fiscal StewardshipState Budget
Should Pennsylvania Strive to Become #51?
Political realities forced Gov. Wolf to scale back his record tax-and-spend proposals from the past two years. Still, he didn’t completely abandon his government-centric approach, opting to include $1…
Media
Read More: Should Pennsylvania Strive to Become #51?Regulation
Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: March 2017
February proved to be another poor month for revenue collections. For the fourth straight month—and now seven of the last eight—collections fell short of official estimates from the the Pennsylvania Department of…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: March 2017Health Care
Double-Down on Reinventing Government
Imagine if Stephen King had written Green Eggs and Ham. What if Dr. Seuss had penned The Shining? Gov. Wolf’s third budget address was an equally disorienting shift in tone…
Media
Read More: Double-Down on Reinventing GovernmentRegulation
Employee Compensation Drives Spending Growth
PennLive released a list of state government employees earning more than $100,000 in salary today. While the list should open some eyes, it doesn’t capture the full cost of…
Media
Read More: Employee Compensation Drives Spending GrowthState Budget
News Release: Wolf Pivots on Massive Tax Hikes, Offers Limited Structural Reforms
Budget Includes Belt-Tightening But Relies on $1 Billion in New Taxes February 7, 2017, Harrisburg, Pa.—Pivoting from the past two years, Governor Tom Wolf today proposed a state budget that…
Press Release
Read More: News Release: Wolf Pivots on Massive Tax Hikes, Offers Limited Structural ReformsState Budget
Five Takeaways From the Governors Budget Proposal
This morning Governor Wolf laid out his plan for the 2017-18 state budget. Here are the five things you need to know: 1. Shift to redesigning government. This is a…
Media
Read More: Five Takeaways From the Governors Budget ProposalPublic Union Democracy
Budget Solution: Stop Paying Extra for Construction Projects
'Prevailing Wage' Costs Pennsylvanians Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Yearly February 6, 2017, Harrisburg, Pa.—Can you imagine taking your car to the shop for a major repair, learning…
Media
Read More: Budget Solution: Stop Paying Extra for Construction ProjectsState Budget
Budget Solution of the Week: Welfare Reform
No series on budget solutions would be complete without a taking a look at the fastest growing state department, the Department of Human Services (DHS). The Independent Fiscal Office projects…
Media
Read More: Budget Solution of the Week: Welfare ReformState Budget
State Budget Solution #5: Tackle the Shadow Budget
General Fund Budget Is Just 40 Percent of State Government’s True Cost February 3, 2017, Harrisburg, Pa.—With budget season launching, most public discussion will focus on the General Fund…
Press Release
Read More: State Budget Solution #5: Tackle the Shadow BudgetState Budget
Fixing the Spending Problem: Cutting Corporate Welfare and Privatizing Liquor
Recently, CF’s Elizabeth Stelle appeared on WNPV Radio’s “Regarding Your Money” with host George Toth to discuss Pennsylvania’s growing deficit. Our budget deficit this year is projected to pass…
Media
Read More: Fixing the Spending Problem: Cutting Corporate Welfare and Privatizing LiquorState Budget
Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: February 2017
Revenue collections underperformed again in January, according to the Department of Revenue. This is the third straight month—and the sixth of the last seven—in which revenue collections fell short of official…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: February 2017State Budget
Opportunity Knocks for State Budget Innovation
“Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.” Pennsylvanians should heed these words from author H. Jackson Brown, Jr. in the upcoming budget season. Governor Wolf and key legislative…
Media
Read More: Opportunity Knocks for State Budget InnovationState Budget
State Budget Solution #4: Cut Corporate Welfare
Pa. Leads Nation in Wasteful Corporate Subsidies at $6 Billion Since 2007 February 1, 2017, Harrisburg, Pa.—This year state government will transfer more than $800 million from Pennsylvanians…
Press Release
Read More: State Budget Solution #4: Cut Corporate WelfareHealth Care
The Case for Block Granting Medicaid
Governor Wolf is decrying efforts in Washington to give states more control over Medicaid through a block grant. This will have a devastating impact for many Pennsylvanians, and…
Media
Read More: The Case for Block Granting Medicaid