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
Government Authors More “Jobs Created” Fiction
The recovery.gov website lists a number of job creation success stories in congressional districts accross many states. For instance, in Arizona’s 15th congressional district 30 jobs were created…
Media
Read More: Government Authors More “Jobs Created” FictionTaxes & Economy
Increased Unemployment Benefits = Increased Unemployment
Alan Reynolds outlines a very basic economic concept: longer limits (and increased benefits) for taxpayer-funded unemployment compensation – as was mandated in the federal stimulus, and repeated by Congress…
Media
Read More: Increased Unemployment Benefits = Increased UnemploymentTaxes & Economy
Climate Change in Pennsylvania
A new report from the Science & Public Policy Institute (SPPI) focuses solely on climate trends in the Pennsylvania. The report highlights climate trends unique to the state…
Media
Read More: Climate Change in PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
PA Climate Change Action Plan Violates Legislative Directives
In 2008, the General Assembly passed the Pennsylvania Climate Change Act (Act 70). This act created the Climate Change Advisory Committee (CCAC), which was charged with implementing a study…
Media
Read More: PA Climate Change Action Plan Violates Legislative DirectivesHealth Care
Congressional Candidates, Pay Attention on Health Care Debate
WFMZ features a story on a health care protest outside Congressman Charlie Dent’s office, featuring Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan, who is also challenging Dent (HT Grassroots PA). Callahan…
Media
Read More: Congressional Candidates, Pay Attention on Health Care DebateCriminal Justice Reform
Prison Overcrowding Solutions
Testimony submitted to the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee We would like to thank the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee for giving us the opportunity to submit testimony on the…
Testimony
Read More: Prison Overcrowding SolutionsHealth Care
The Real Fiscal Cost of Health Care “Reform”
The Center for Freedom and Prosperity has a new video out on the red-ink train wreck of government-run healthcare.
Media
Read More: The Real Fiscal Cost of Health Care “Reform”Regulation
Corporate Welfare Goes Green
The solar industry, teamed with congress, is trying to get the Solar Manufacturing Jobs Creation Act passed. This act creates a 30% tax credit for solar manufactures and makes…
Media
Read More: Corporate Welfare Goes GreenHealth Care
Notes on Health Care Reform
Two slightly important questions are being neglected regarding the Health Care Reform bills in Congress: their constitutionality and their morality. Are the bill just passed in the House and that…
Commentary
Read More: Notes on Health Care ReformTaxes & Economy
The Economic Ignorance of “Fewer Jobs Lost”
Many pundits, members of the media, and elected officials (or their spokesman), cite employment data showing “fewer jobs lost” in October (or in the case of the state, September)…
Media
Read More: The Economic Ignorance of “Fewer Jobs Lost”Government Accountability
Tort Reform – Keep It a State Issue
The US House health care bill not only has little significant tort reform, it in fact limits states from enacting meaningful tort reform. This statement taken directly from the…
Media
Read More: Tort Reform – Keep It a State IssueTaxes & Economy
Philadelphia to Count Illegal Immigrants to Get More Taxpayer Funds
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has issued an executive order to stop city officials from asking immigration status for the express purpose of boosting the city’s population in the Census,…
Media
Read More: Philadelphia to Count Illegal Immigrants to Get More Taxpayer FundsRegulation
PA Should Heed Europe’s Experience with Renewables
Last month the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released Pennsylvania’s Climate Change Action plan. While touting the creation of “green jobs”, it did not advocate increasing PA’s…
Media
Read More: PA Should Heed Europe’s Experience with RenewablesGovernment Accountability
Break Up SEPTA
How can Pennsylvania lawmakers avoid this mess? The first step is to open mass transit in Philadelphia to competitive contracting, whereby private companies would compete to operate SEPTA's network.
Commentary
Read More: Break Up SEPTARegulation
Gambling – The Savior to PA’s Fiscal Problems?
Any prudent individual would not plan on gambling winnings to become prosperous or even to get out of debt. But the state of Pennsylvania, turns to gambling to resolve all…
Media
Read More: Gambling – The Savior to PA’s Fiscal Problems?Health Care
Why Health Care “Reform” Could Increase the Number Uninsured
Marty Feldstein has an editorial in the Washington Post detailing how the current health care reform proposals in Congress could actually increase the number of uninsured individuals. Namely, he…
Media
Read More: Why Health Care “Reform” Could Increase the Number UninsuredTaxes & Economy
More Proof that Government Spending Hurts the Economy
The Tax Foundation highlights a new NBER paper by Harvard economists, “Large Changes in Fiscal Policy: Taxes Versus Spending,” which analyzes the fiscal policies of OECD countries from…
Media
Read More: More Proof that Government Spending Hurts the EconomyTaxes & Economy
Alliance Still Fighting to Stop I-80 Tolling
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again – seems to be the motto of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission as they seek once again to Toll I-80. The…
Media
Read More: Alliance Still Fighting to Stop I-80 TollingEnergy
End Rate Caps to Create Electric Choice and Competition
Concern about potential price hikes in the midst of a recession may motivate some lawmakers to push for legislation to halt or delay that expiration under the guise of consumer…
Commentary
Read More: End Rate Caps to Create Electric Choice and CompetitionTaxes & Economy
A Brilliant Idea to Balance Cities’ Budget
The city of Harrisburg is hiring a consultant to give some tips to balance its budget, ABC 27 reports. Lancaster, PA hired the same firm a few years ago…
Media
Read More: A Brilliant Idea to Balance Cities’ BudgetGovernment Accountability
Big Government Leads to Big Lobbying
The Philadelphia Inquirer has a story today that Pennsylvania business groups – especially in natural gas, tobacco, and gambling industries – spent a lot of money lobbying during the…
Media
Read More: Big Government Leads to Big Lobbying