Prosperity
New Year, New Taxes in Pennsylvania
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania The new year is always a great opportunity to shed vices like smoking and binge eating. For state and local lawmakers, their guilty pleasure tends…
Read More: New Year, New Taxes in PennsylvaniaHigh 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.
Government Accountability
Kanjorski Gets Sweetheart Deal for Geisinger Health
Like previous deals given to Senator Ben Nelson (Nebraska) and Mary Landrieu (Louisiana), Speaker Pelosi and President Obama offered reluctant House Democrats more favors in exchange for their support…
Media
Read More: Kanjorski Gets Sweetheart Deal for Geisinger HealthEnergy
Natural Gas Severance Tax: Still A Bad Idea
In the coming months, debate on a proposed natural gas severance tax will heat up as legislators attempt to pass a balanced budget before June 30. Last year, lawmakers and…
Commentary
Read More: Natural Gas Severance Tax: Still A Bad IdeaTaxes & Economy
Environmental Protection Need Not Cause Economic Stagnation
As more natural gas wells are drilled, environmental groups, and now lawmakers, are decrying the technology as unsafe or responsible for contamination. Even the EPA announced it is conducting…
Media
Read More: Environmental Protection Need Not Cause Economic StagnationHealth Care
Will the Health Care Bill Hold Up?
Ronald Reagan once said, “Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.” Last night’s vote on health care reform was heralded by supporter as a “historic vote” which will…
Media
Read More: Will the Health Care Bill Hold Up?Health Care
Who Got Bribed on Health Care Vote?
Eric Telford (Twitter handle JoeTaxpayer) has started to round up Congressmen who change their health care vote after getting big grants for their districts: …
Media
Read More: Who Got Bribed on Health Care Vote?Taxes & Economy
Can Harrisburg Learn from Reason?
The Economist has a story on the city of Harrisburg’s fiscal mess, which has been years in the making. Thanks to an irresponsible city council, Harrisburg is still…
Media
Read More: Can Harrisburg Learn from Reason?Regulation
Maryland Smokers Border-Hopping to Avoid Cigarette Tax
According to a recent op-ed by Marc Kilmer of the Maryland Public Policy Institute, a 2007 cigarette tax is having an adverse effect on the Free State’s economy. While…
Media
Read More: Maryland Smokers Border-Hopping to Avoid Cigarette TaxHealth Care
Five Questions to Ask Your Congressman About Health Care Reform
The US House of Representatives is preparing to vote on health care legislation, or rather to vote to “deem” that the Senate health care bill, which has not passed the…
Media
Read More: Five Questions to Ask Your Congressman About Health Care ReformState Budget
More Opposition to Rendell’s Sales Tax Expansion
The Post-Gazette sums up additional opposition to Gov. Rendell’s proposed expansion of the sales tax – this time from the computer services industry. The article also notes how Gov.
Media
Read More: More Opposition to Rendell’s Sales Tax ExpansionTaxes & Economy
Gas Bags Scare Off Gas Investor
In an interview with CNBC, Larry Nichols, CEO of the highly-successful Devon Energy, claimed his company will not be seeking a share of the Marcellus Shale gas reserves anytime…
Media
Read More: Gas Bags Scare Off Gas InvestorEducation
The Green Schools Ruse
Yesterday the House passed Rep. Drucker’s bill to exclude any costs associated with making a school building LEED certified from a possible…
Media
Read More: The Green Schools RuseGovernment Accountability
When Will These Guys Learn?
Pennsylvania Independent reports on two PA House contracts for voter lists, costing taxpayers over $225,000. Readers will recognize that this sounds quite a bit like the actions of former…
Media
Read More: When Will These Guys Learn?Taxes & Economy
CF Podcast: Freedom in the 50 States
Listen to the latest CF podcast on Mercatus Center study, Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom. The report is the first comprehensive…
Media
Read More: CF Podcast: Freedom in the 50 StatesTaxes & Economy
Sam Rohrer’s Energy Proposal
Gubernatorial candidate Sam Rohrer laid out his Energy Independence plan for Pennsylvania. The plan includes: Oppose any effort to impose a natural gas severance tax in the absence of…
Media
Read More: Sam Rohrer’s Energy ProposalTaxes & Economy
SEPTA and I-80 Tolling
While the transportation industry is propping up the myth that I-80 tolls won’t be used for transit in Pennsylvania, SEPTA officials are busy lobbying for I-80 tolling in…
Media
Read More: SEPTA and I-80 TollingTaxes & Economy
More on the Unintended Consequences of the “Jobs Bill”
CS Monitor writes that the tax credits in the so-called “jobs bill” won’t encourage small businesses to hire. Worse yet, it might delay job creation: And as long…
Media
Read More: More on the Unintended Consequences of the “Jobs Bill”Regulation
Philadelphia Should Get out of the Garbage Business
Earlier this month, Philadelphia’s Mayor Nutter proposed increasing the city’s trash collection fee to $300 to deal with the city’s budget deficit. Instead of finding ways to be more…
Media
Read More: Philadelphia Should Get out of the Garbage BusinessHealth Care
Obama and the Slacker Mandate
In his health care rally in the Philadelphia area earlier this week, President Obama touted a proposed regulation that insurance companies would have to allow children up to age 26…
Media
Read More: Obama and the Slacker MandateTaxes & Economy
Could Municipalities Provide Cheaper Electricity?
Last week the State House Committee on Consumer Affairs held a hearing on legislation which would allow municipalities to act as electricity aggregators for residents, unless they opt-out for another…
Media
Read More: Could Municipalities Provide Cheaper Electricity?Regulation
State and Local Government Outpace Private Pay by 44%
A new survey from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics looks at the total employer costs for workers in both the private and public sector. While wages for…
Media
Read More: State and Local Government Outpace Private Pay by 44%State Budget
Reckless Driving With Taxpayer Dollars
Pennsylvania’s move towards big government is many ways mirrored by the fleet of cars it has amassed over the last three decades. The number of cars increased from 5,700…
Media
Read More: Reckless Driving With Taxpayer Dollars