Education
Lawmakers can ease financial worries of Pennsylvanians
Originally published at LNP The struggle is real. When asked about their families’ financial situation, only 17% of Pennsylvanians see themselves as better off now than two years ago,…
Read More: Lawmakers can ease financial worries of PennsylvaniansHigh taxes make for a slow-growing economy. And communities feel the pinch of high taxes as more and more native Pennsylvanians leave the Keystone State to prosper elsewhere. To remain economically competitive, Pennsylvania must lower state taxes and ensure businesses have the opportunity to succeed. Lower taxes will incentivize more individuals to call Pennsylvania their home, ultimately spurring our statewide economy forward.
Regulation
Environmental Victories or Taxpayer Liabilities?
The left leaning group, PennFuture, recently celebrated a number “Environmental Victories,” though Pennsylvania taxpayers have little to celebrate from the new mandates and regulations. Here are some of the things…
Media
Read More: Environmental Victories or Taxpayer Liabilities?Regulation
Numbers Guy: Effects of Smokeless Tobacco Products Overblown
The Wall Street Journal’s “Numbers Guy” takes a look at the effects of smokeless tobacco. Many supporters of a tobacco tax use the argument that it would provide public…
Media
Read More: Numbers Guy: Effects of Smokeless Tobacco Products OverblownTaxes & Economy
Climate Debate Fact Check
During a climate change policy debate between CF’s Matt Brouillette and PennFuture’s Jan Jarrett, Jarrett gave the audience some misleading statements which I think should be addressed. First, Jarrett…
Media
Read More: Climate Debate Fact CheckTaxes & Economy
Re: Hide the Decline, Part Doh!
On Tuesday I posted about Minnesotans for Global Warming’s new parody video about Climategate hockey stick scientist Michael Mann, from Penn State. Yesterday YouTube removed the video allegedly because…
Media
Read More: Re: Hide the Decline, Part Doh!Taxes & Economy
Obstructionist PennFuture Rants Again
Yesterday PennFuture demonstrated in Pittsburgh in support of a moratorium on any new drilling on Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale natural gas formation, in an effort to “save the…
Media
Read More: Obstructionist PennFuture Rants AgainTaxes & Economy
Talking about PA Taxes
If you missed our Policies and Principles luncheon with Scott Hodge of the Tax Foundation, Eric Boehm of PA Independent has a write-up of the event, and also recorded…
Media
Read More: Talking about PA TaxesTaxes & Economy
Hide the Decline, Part Doh!
After receiving litigation threats from Climategate scientist Michael “Hockey Stick” Mann (of Penn State) over the use of his image in the enormously popular “Hide the Decline” video,…
Media
Read More: Hide the Decline, Part Doh!Regulation
Another Plan to Spend Our Way to Prosperity
The PA House Democrats unveiled their “jobs plan” yesterday. In short, it is more of the same failed policies of the past, i.e. those of Ridge-Rendell and…
Media
Read More: Another Plan to Spend Our Way to ProsperityTaxes & Economy
PA Losing Ground in Economic Rankings
This month, the American Legislative Exchange Council released their third annual ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitive Index. Unfortunately, in the last three years Pennsylvania’s economic rankings not only have been…
Media
Read More: PA Losing Ground in Economic RankingsTaxes & Economy
Tell ’em PLEASE NO MORE TAXES!
Federal, state, and local taxes consume about 28% of the income earned by Pennsylvania residents, in the aggregate. This represents 103 days – meaning…
Media
Read More: Tell ’em PLEASE NO MORE TAXES!Taxes & Economy
How Fast Is Harrisburg Spending Your Money?
Pennsylvania state government is spending $66 Billion of YOUR money this fiscal year at a clip of $180,000,000 per day. $7,500,000 per hour.
Press Release
Read More: How Fast Is Harrisburg Spending Your Money?Taxes & Economy
Transportation Funding Solutions Require Reforms and Reprioritization
Now that the federal government has rejected the ill-conceived plan to toll I-80 for a third, and supposedly final time, Gov. Rendell and the General Assembly must implement serious solutions…
Commentary
Read More: Transportation Funding Solutions Require Reforms and ReprioritizationTaxes & Economy
Turnpike Commission Gambles with Billions
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) has recently added to its long track record of inefficiency and corruption by using taxpayer funds to enter into 26 interest rate swaps tied…
Media
Read More: Turnpike Commission Gambles with BillionsTaxes & Economy
Happy Tax Freedom Day for Pennsylvania
Today is Tax Freedom Day for Pennsylvania. This day, calculated annually by the Tax Foundation, puts into easily understandable terms how much residents pay in taxes. Federal, state,…
Media
Read More: Happy Tax Freedom Day for PennsylvaniaHealth Care
Repeal It? Wouldn’t be the First Time
National Review has a good story of how Kentucky passed health care mandate like those contained in the new federal law, including guaranteed issue and community rating, in 1994.
Media
Read More: Repeal It? Wouldn’t be the First TimeHealth Care
Hate Mail on “Slacker Mandate”
A reader took exception for my use of the term “slacker mandate” to describe laws requiring insurance companies to cover young adults on their parents’ plans up to age 26…
Media
Read More: Hate Mail on “Slacker Mandate”Government Accountability
Pennsylvania Tax Day Tea Parties
We’ve been getting a lot of calls from folks who want to attend a tax day tea party. Tea Party Patriots has a good list of the events taking…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Tax Day Tea PartiesTaxes & Economy
Grading Wagner’s Infrastructure Agenda: Revise and Resubmit
PA Gubernatorial Candidate Jack Wagner put out an a proposal for infrastructure today. Not much in the way of specifics or substance contained within, or even much to write…
Media
Read More: Grading Wagner’s Infrastructure Agenda: Revise and ResubmitState Budget
Build America Bonds Encourage “Buy Now, Pay Later” Mentality
As part of the 2009 stimulus package, President Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner created a new program to subsidize municipal bonds. Unlike traditional municipal bonds, Build America Bonds are…
Media
Read More: Build America Bonds Encourage “Buy Now, Pay Later” MentalityRegulation
FCC’s Net Neutrality Gets Shot Down… For Now!
The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) effort to regulate companies that provide Internet access came to halt yesterday. In 2008 FCC sanctioned Comcast for slowing…
Media
Read More: FCC’s Net Neutrality Gets Shot Down… For Now!Government Accountability
Rendell: Everyone Supports Higher Taxes
At his press conference announcing that the lawyers at the Federal Highway Administration were all less intelligent that his staff, based on their decision to reject I-80 tolls, Gov. Rendell…
Media
Read More: Rendell: Everyone Supports Higher Taxes