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.
Taxes & Economy
Pennsylvania Sales Tax Expansions Set to Star Wars
Here is a video listing the 74 items currently exempt from the Pennsylvania sales tax that Gov. Rendell has proposed taxing – set to the introduction of Star Wars…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Sales Tax Expansions Set to Star WarsEducation
Climategate is an Embarassment
Penn State sophomore Samuel Settle pens a letter on why he is embarrassed of professor Michael Mann’s behavior, and his school’s white-washing of an investigation. Click here for our…
Media
Read More: Climategate is an EmbarassmentState Budget
The Merits of an Expanded Sales Tax
Josh Barro of the Manhattan Institute has a recent op-ed on the idea of states broadening their sales tax base, noting that several states are looking this direction.
Media
Read More: The Merits of an Expanded Sales TaxState Budget
Proposed Pennsylvania Sales Tax Expansion Categories
As part of his budget, Gov. Rendell has proposed lowering Pennsylvania’s sales tax from 6% to 4% (Philadelphia has an additional 2% and Allegheny County 1% on top of the…
Media
Read More: Proposed Pennsylvania Sales Tax Expansion CategoriesTaxes & Economy
Perpetuating Fraud And Mismanagement
The Department of Public Welfare will receive additional federal funding to support its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This amount will be used to increase grants by…
Media
Read More: Perpetuating Fraud And MismanagementTaxes & Economy
Will Mandates Create “Green Jobs”?
Yes, to answer the question posed by the title, the state can mandate the creation of “green jobs” via alternative energy mandates – just as it…
Media
Read More: Will Mandates Create “Green Jobs”?Taxes & Economy
Natural Gas Tax: One Thoughtful Editorial, One…Not So Much
In their editorial on a natural gas severance tax, likely to be part of Gov. Rendell’s budget proposal on Tuesday, the Patriot News highlights some facts that don’t ever…
Media
Read More: Natural Gas Tax: One Thoughtful Editorial, One…Not So MuchTaxes & Economy
Final Nail in I-80 Tolling’s Coffin?
The FHWA is expect to announce shortly that, once again, the have rejected the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s bid to toll I-80 across the state. Eric Boehm has the details…
Media
Read More: Final Nail in I-80 Tolling’s Coffin?Public Union Democracy
Dude, Where’s My Raise?
A struggling economy and high unemployment left many without their yearly raise or bonus in 2009. That is, of course, unless you were a government employee. As originally reported on…
Media
Read More: Dude, Where’s My Raise?Taxes & Economy
Free Money Or Greater Burden?
Pennsylvania has not known the meaning of fiscal responsibility for quite some time. Unfortunately, for working Pennsylvanians, that is not about to change. Pennsylvania’s General Fund revenues are already…
Media
Read More: Free Money Or Greater Burden?Education
Penn State Whitewashes Climategate Investigation
HARRISBURG, PA – The Commonwealth Foundation today released the following statement in response to Penn State’s internal investigation of alleged scientific misconduct by Michael Mann, a prominent global warming…
Press Release
Read More: Penn State Whitewashes Climategate InvestigationEducation
PSU Clears Mann on 3 of 4 Allegations
Penn State’s internal investigation into the scientific conduct of Michael Mann cleared him of three of the four allegations against him. The report states they could find “no credible…
Media
Read More: PSU Clears Mann on 3 of 4 AllegationsTaxes & Economy
Stimulus: Saving Jobs or Delaying Recovery?
President Obama’s hollow promises are so glaringly visible these days that he has to chalk every compounding problem to the previous administration. One of his promises, though, involved colossal levels…
Media
Read More: Stimulus: Saving Jobs or Delaying Recovery?Taxes & Economy
Electricity Competition: One Month Later . . .
With January electric bills in the hands of rate payers there is a host of discussion about the successes and short comings of electricity deregulation. Unlike Rep. George and…
Media
Read More: Electricity Competition: One Month Later . . .Taxes & Economy
Federal Aid to States Creates Pervese Incentives, Undermines Federalism
The Mercatus Center has a new policy report on the perverse incentives of the stimulus – i.e. that it drives state governments to spend more. Click here for…
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Read More: Federal Aid to States Creates Pervese Incentives, Undermines FederalismTaxes & Economy
Natural Gas Tax Just Another Slush Fund
Letter in the Scranton Times-Tribune Editor: Those calling for a state tax on natural gas extraction – including Gov. Ed Rendell and The Times-Tribune – use poor logic…
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Read More: Natural Gas Tax Just Another Slush FundTaxes & Economy
State of the Union Summaries
I missed the entire State of the Union Addresses, as I went to bed before it started (no, I’m not that old, but I had an early morning drive for…
Media
Read More: State of the Union SummariesTaxes & Economy
Five Alternatives to Tolling I-80
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) continues its push for federal approval to toll Interstate-80, claiming that without it bridges will collapse, highways will crumble, and dogs and cats will start…
Commentary
Read More: Five Alternatives to Tolling I-80Taxes & Economy
Stimulus: The Sequel
The Center for Freedom and Prosperity has a great new video, analyzing 1)Whether the 2009 stimulus created jobs, and 2) Why politicians are craving another stimulus. My only…
Media
Read More: Stimulus: The SequelRegulation
“Net Neutrality” Threatens Internet Innovation
Recently, The Commonwealth Foundation joined the Internet Freedom Coalition, a coalition of organizations standing against “network neutrality” initiatives. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a new plan that…
Media
Read More: “Net Neutrality” Threatens Internet InnovationGovernment Accountability
More on Corporations and Free Speech
Following the Supreme Court ruling that our First Amendment right to free speech applied to corporations’ speech regarding candidates for federal office – a ruling started when the FEC…
Media
Read More: More on Corporations and Free Speech