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.
State Budget
Realities of Severance Tax
On Friday, the Pennsylvania House passed a tax bill with numerous tax hikes (and a few cuts).
Media
Read More: Realities of Severance TaxRegulation
Arnold Kling’s Diagnosis of the Financial Crisis
In his paper titled NOT WHAT THEY HAD IN MIND: A History of Policies that Produced the Financial Crisis of 2008, Arnold Kling provides historical context and analysis to…
Media
Read More: Arnold Kling’s Diagnosis of the Financial CrisisState Budget
The Best And Worst Ways To Eliminate A Budget Deficit
John Nothdurft of The Heartland Institute wrote this last February… Anybody listening in Harrisburg? Legislatures in at least 39 states will have to take steps by the end of…
Media
Read More: The Best And Worst Ways To Eliminate A Budget DeficitHealth Care
NTU Launches “Special Delivery” Video Project
The National Taxpayers Union has recently announced a new video project aimed at letting the American taxpayer have their say in the healthcare debate. Entitled the “Special Delivery Project”, NTU is encouraging Americans…
Media
Read More: NTU Launches “Special Delivery” Video ProjectState Budget
“Big Helicopter” and Big Hollywood
While debating their myriad of tax increases (which was eventually approved by the chamber), Pennsylvania House Democrats continued to demonize “Big…
Media
Read More: “Big Helicopter” and Big HollywoodState Budget
What’s in the PA House Democrats Tax Bill?
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House Rules Committee approved a “gut-and-replace” amendment to HB 1531 – which had previously been a bill to extend tax relief for military families – which…
Media
Read More: What’s in the PA House Democrats Tax Bill?State Budget
October Surprise: Rush to Vote on Tax Hikes
I’ve just received word that Democrats are planning to rush a tax increase vote in the state House of Representatives tomorrow! Specifically, House Democrats are going to hold a vote on legislation…
Media
Read More: October Surprise: Rush to Vote on Tax HikesTaxes & Economy
Tax Cuts, Not Government Spending, Good for Economic Growth
There is a good piece in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal on the effect of government spending on economic growth. The conclusion is that government spending does not “stimulate” the…
Media
Read More: Tax Cuts, Not Government Spending, Good for Economic GrowthRegulation
Why State Government Shouldn’t “Invest” Taxpayer Money
There have been countless examples of failed corporate welfare under Governor Rendell, and Governor Ridge before him. The latest example coming from Lebanon, PA: Lebanon Daily News, August 14,…
Media
Read More: Why State Government Shouldn’t “Invest” Taxpayer MoneyTaxes & Economy
Cap-and-Trade Threatens Pennsylvania Agriculture
The PA Farm Bureau recently released an article in the September edition of Country Focus illustrating the stifling effects Waxman-Markey legislation will have on rural farming communities across Pennsylvania.
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Read More: Cap-and-Trade Threatens Pennsylvania AgricultureState Budget
An Honest Budget Debate
Gov. Rendell and many lawmakers continue to push higher taxes in Pennsylvania, using the rhetoric that if we don’t, students won’t learn,…
Media
Read More: An Honest Budget DebateHealth Care
States to Challenge Individual Mandate
The New York Times has a story on state legislators pushing back against the individual mandate that could be a part of health care reform. Health Care Horse…
Media
Read More: States to Challenge Individual MandateRegulation
Hanger’s Flawed Defense of HB 80
Pennsylvania DEP Secretary John Hanger has an absurd editorial defending House Bill 80. His op-ed blatantly ignores the cost that the regulations in House Bill 80 would place…
Media
Read More: Hanger’s Flawed Defense of HB 80Regulation
Torts, Taxes Hinder Pennsylvania’s Prosperity
Wrongheaded economic development policies and one of the nation's worst labor climates are serious impediments to Pennsylvania's prosperity. As if those obstacles were not enough, the commonwealth also has saddled…
Commentary
Read More: Torts, Taxes Hinder Pennsylvania’s ProsperityTaxes & Economy
New Resources on National Energy Proposals
Earlier this month, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) released an updated version of their booklet, Energy Tax Analysis. The report includes seven new areas of interest and…
Media
Read More: New Resources on National Energy ProposalsTaxes & Economy
Two New State Business Climate Rankings
The Tax Foundation released their updated State Business Tax Climate Index for FY 2010. In the latest rendition, Pennsylvania ranks 27th overall. Broken down by category the Keystone State…
Media
Read More: Two New State Business Climate RankingsHealth Care
More Health Care Lessons from Massachusetts
My colleague Joe Sterns sent me an article, in which Mitt Romney again declares Massachusetts health care reform a success, claiming the increase in taxpayer spending was “only” $700…
Media
Read More: More Health Care Lessons from MassachusettsState Budget
Understanding the Single Sales Factor
Philly.com Blogger Ben Waxman has a post about moving Pennsylvania to a single-sales factor on corporate income taxes, calling it a “big tax break for corporations”, based on…
Media
Read More: Understanding the Single Sales FactorState Budget
Stupid Quote of the Day
Sen. Jake Corman tells the Associated Press that a proposal to charge the sales tax to performing arts and museums is a “user fee”: A plan to extend…
Media
Read More: Stupid Quote of the DayState Budget
Historical Follies Set the Stage for Out-of-Control Debt
A new commentary in American Enterprise Institute’s journal, The American, highlights a seemingly “perfect storm” of historical events that have facilitated the out-of-control spending of…
Media
Read More: Historical Follies Set the Stage for Out-of-Control DebtHealth Care
Not-True Statements about Health Insurers
I’ve already picked on the left-wing Keystone Progress this week for absurd statements, but I got another missive from them on…
Media
Read More: Not-True Statements about Health Insurers