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.
Regulation
Occupational Licensing Reform Passes Unanimously, Goes to Wolf
June 25, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Pa. General Assembly unanimously passed SB 637 (Sens. DiSanto and Schwank), a bill that will remove professional licensing employment barriers for roughly 3 million…
Press Release
Read More: Occupational Licensing Reform Passes Unanimously, Goes to WolfCriminal Justice Reform
Lawmakers Move Two Key Criminal Justice Reforms
Pennsylvania General lawmakers moved two key criminal justice reform bills aimed at improving Pennsylvania’s onerous probation system and limiting the excessive burdens of a criminal record.
Memo
Read More: Lawmakers Move Two Key Criminal Justice ReformsGovernment Accountability
Pa?s unemployment rate down in May, but still at near-record levels
More than 13% of Pennsylvania workers were officially unemployed in May, according to U.S. Department of Labor data released Friday. That’s an improvement from April’s record-setting 15.1% unemployment rate, but still the second highest rate…
Media
Read More: Pa?s unemployment rate down in May, but still at near-record levelsCriminal Justice Reform
Legislation Moves to Reform Licensing Laws for Citizens with Criminal Records
With a unanimous committee vote, the state House has opened the door to prosperity for 3 million Pennsylvanians. This week, the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee passed legislation helping incarcerated citizens…
Media
Read More: Legislation Moves to Reform Licensing Laws for Citizens with Criminal RecordsGovernment Accountability
Fed Data Shows Wolf’s Shutdown Caused Unemployment Spike
June 5, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s shutdown was done earlier, was more expansive, and had fewer exemptions than most other states, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of…
Media
Read More: Fed Data Shows Wolf’s Shutdown Caused Unemployment SpikeRegulation
PLCB is Bad for Business
The PLCB harms Pa. businesses in an industry that has been decimated by COVID-19.
Fact Sheet
Read More: PLCB is Bad for BusinessRegulation
PLCB’s Mishandling of COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic has shown the state liquor control board's inability to provide Pennsylvanian's the service the deserve.
Fact Sheet
Read More: PLCB’s Mishandling of COVID-19Regulation
Economic Aspects of Liquor Privatization
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) is a highly unprofitable monopoly with extraordinary powers that have recently been used to increase prices and harm businesses.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Economic Aspects of Liquor PrivatizationGovernment Accountability
Solutions to Preventing Tax Increases in 2021
Lawmakers can respect the Pennsylvania constitution’s balanced budget amendment and act to prevent tax increases that will drive more families and businesses out of the state, further shrinking the revenue…
Memo
Read More: Solutions to Preventing Tax Increases in 2021Regulation
A Pa Supreme Court Victory for Licensing Relief
After years of litigation, Sally Ladd is finally free to build her rental business without expensive and time-consuming licensing regulations.
Commentary
Read More: A Pa Supreme Court Victory for Licensing ReliefHealth Care
How Bad are April’s Unemployment Numbers for Pa?
More than 15% of Pennsylvania workers were unemployed—the highest level on record—according to U.S. Department of Labor data released today. More than 1.1 million payroll jobs were lost since February,…
Media
Read More: How Bad are April’s Unemployment Numbers for Pa?Taxes & Economy
Wolf Does What Lawmakers Want Him to Do, Just Slower
The reality is this: when Wolf vetoes a bill, he often follows his veto with similar executive action later, taking credit for the changes. This has been true since he…
Commentary
Read More: Wolf Does What Lawmakers Want Him to Do, Just SlowerHealth Care
Best Ways to Spend Federal Virus Relief Money
Relief measures should help people and not the government. They should be temporary, clear, and direct.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Best Ways to Spend Federal Virus Relief MoneyTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania Turnpike Blues
A sudden drop in traffic has exposed the toll road's reckless debt load.
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvania Turnpike BluesGovernment Accountability
Op-ed: Pennsylvania construction shutdown puts the elderly at risk
Industry leaders who are directly affected by the governor’s orders do not dispute that Wolf has authority to take action aimed at halting the spread of COVID-19. But it’s that…
Commentary
Read More: Op-ed: Pennsylvania construction shutdown puts the elderly at riskHealth Care
Breaking Down Barriers Following COVID-19
COVID-19 has kept many Pennsylvanians from frequenting the neighborhood coffee shops, nail salons, or retailers they once took for granted. But that’s not the real tragedy—even after stay at home…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Breaking Down Barriers Following COVID-19Health Care
Top 10 Corona Virus FAQ’s for Pennsylvanians
Since the COVID-19 pandemic spread to Pennsylvania, we’ve been deluged with questions about what state government is doing. Below are the top 10 questions we’ve been asked with our quick…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Top 10 Corona Virus FAQ’s for PennsylvaniansTaxes & Economy
Aid Pays More Than Work, Predictable Results Ensue
This is not how a safety net is supposed to work.
Commentary
Read More: Aid Pays More Than Work, Predictable Results EnsueGovernment Accountability
Persistent Leadership will Safely Reopen Pa.
Governor Wolf continues to take positive steps toward a safe and gradual opening of the Pennsylvania economy because lawmakers continue to advance good policy that protects lives and livelihoods.
Memo
Read More: Persistent Leadership will Safely Reopen Pa.Government Accountability
Wolf Makes Reopening Concessions, but Stops Short of Transparency
April 20, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, Governor Wolf vetoed a bill, SB 613, that would have brought clarity to Pennsylvania’s controversial business shutdown and provided hope for the future. But…
Press Release
Read More: Wolf Makes Reopening Concessions, but Stops Short of TransparencyCriminal Justice Reform
How Pa. Can Keep Prisons and Communities Safe During Coronavirus
Pennsylvania’s prisons and jails are particularly vulnerable to the quick spread of COVID-19. Here are several recommendations for mitigating the risk in our corrections system while protecting public safety. …
Fact Sheet
Read More: How Pa. Can Keep Prisons and Communities Safe During Coronavirus