State Budget
Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax Reform
Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Today is Tax Day. Each year, April 15th reminds us of the costliness of government spending – and why lawmakers must reduce this financial burden on…
Read More: Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax ReformHigh 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
New Study Highlights Flaws in I-80 Tolling Plan
A new study on the impact of tolling I-80 in Pennsylvania by Grove City College economist Tracy Miller highlights several flaws in the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s plan to toll…
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Read More: New Study Highlights Flaws in I-80 Tolling PlanHealth Care
CF Joins 32 State Think Tanks in Offering Alternative, Patient-Centered Reforms
The Commonwealth Foundation joined leaders from 32 other state think tanks in announcing a “patient-centered” plan for health care reform. In response to national calls for an alternative to Obamacare…
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Read More: CF Joins 32 State Think Tanks in Offering Alternative, Patient-Centered ReformsHealth Care
Competition in Health Care would Lower Costs
A report by Dr. Sven Larson from the Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation examines policies to remove government barriers and restore competition to the market for individual…
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Read More: Competition in Health Care would Lower CostsTaxes & Economy
Breakdown of State and Local Government Tax Revenues
The Tax Foundation has a new report profiling the percentage of state and local government tax revenues by source for each state. Here is how Pennsylvania compares (getting a…
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Read More: Breakdown of State and Local Government Tax RevenuesTaxes & Economy
Competition Emerges as PPL Completes Supply Auctions
Yesterday, PPL completed it’s last auction to for power to serve customers after rate caps expire on January 1st 2010. PPL has been procuring power in phases since 2007 in…
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Read More: Competition Emerges as PPL Completes Supply AuctionsHealth Care
My Message to Congress on Health Care Reform
I just uploaded my video message to Congress on health care reform. This is part of a project of the National Taxpayers Union, who is preparing DVDs…
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Read More: My Message to Congress on Health Care ReformState Budget
100 Days Without a Budget and We’re Still Alive!
The budget impasse has been analogized and analyzed to death in the past couple months. It’s rich fodder for politico pundits and reporters. Some have compared it to a…
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Read More: 100 Days Without a Budget and We’re Still Alive!State Budget
PA Budget Deal Means Pledge-Breaking
Today GrassrootsPA features the five Pennsylvania lawmakers who signed, then violated, Americans For Tax Reform’s pledge to “oppose and vote against any and all efforts to raise taxes“.
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Read More: PA Budget Deal Means Pledge-BreakingState Budget
PA House Votes to De-fund ACORN
In addition to concurring with the tax hikes previously approved by the Senate, the Pennsylvania House voted earlier today 157-42 in favor of an amendment to HB 1407…
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Read More: PA House Votes to De-fund ACORNTaxes & Economy
Dollar’s Dramatic Free Fall – Coming Soon!
The title might be too much to stomach for some, but such is the tone of Fred Kingery’s commentary, published by the Center for Vision and Values at Grove City…
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Read More: Dollar’s Dramatic Free Fall – Coming Soon!State Budget
Realities of Severance Tax
On Friday, the Pennsylvania House passed a tax bill with numerous tax hikes (and a few cuts).
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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,…
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Read More: An Honest Budget Debate