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.
Health Care
The Two Big Lies of Health Care “Reform”
Here are a couple of good readings on health care policy: The Hoover Institution has a “second opinion” with ten reasons why health care in the U.S. is…
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Read More: The Two Big Lies of Health Care “Reform”Taxes & Economy
Where Were These Guys a Few Months Ago?
At a recent town-hall meeting, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said he had to ‘hold my nose’ over bailouts. I wish he had expressed some of those misgivings when…
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Read More: Where Were These Guys a Few Months Ago?Taxes & Economy
Energy Conservation Myth is a Vicious Cycle
Studies from the McKinsey group and National Research Council released this week claim that we can substantially reduce the country’s energy usage (15-32% by 2020) by replacing inefficient appliances…
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Read More: Energy Conservation Myth is a Vicious CycleRegulation
Pennsylvania’s Flawed Film Tax Credit: What the ERA study won’t tell you
The Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee contracted with Economics Research Associates (ERA)1 to analyze Pennsylvania’s Film Tax Credit (FTC). In general, the ERA report, “Pennsylvania’s Film Production Tax Credit…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Flawed Film Tax Credit: What the ERA study won’t tell youHealth Care
Reasons ObamaCare Is Wrong for America
The Heritage Foundation has, on their new health care website, the Top 10 Reasons Obamacare Is Wrong for America, starting with the fact that individuals would lose their current…
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Read More: Reasons ObamaCare Is Wrong for AmericaTaxes & Economy
Federal Spending by the Numbers
The Heritage Foundation has a new report on federal spending. The short document includes lots of good tables and charts showing the effects of Bush-Obama spending increases.
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Read More: Federal Spending by the NumbersEnergy
Electricity Restructuring and Rate Caps
With electricity rate caps expiring, state lawmakers are concerned that Pennsylvanians will see steep increases in their utility bills. What will happen as the electricity deregulation, which is more accurately…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Electricity Restructuring and Rate CapsTaxes & Economy
Penn State Study Reveals Devastating Effects of Gas Severance Tax
A recent study conducted by researchers at Penn State revealed the negative effects of Gov. Rendell’s proposed severance tax on natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania. The northern tier of…
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Read More: Penn State Study Reveals Devastating Effects of Gas Severance TaxEducation
Who’s For the Children?
In the television comedy The Office, dim-witted boss Michael Scott remarks that he likes giving presents because they are “like this tangible thing that you can point to and say…
Commentary
Read More: Who’s For the Children?Taxes & Economy
Do Voters Want Higher Taxes?
On his blog with the Times Herald, state Senator Daylin Leach makes a couple of absurd claims. First he suggests that residents are more concerned about potholes than high…
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Read More: Do Voters Want Higher Taxes?Taxes & Economy
Pennsylvania Gets Another Poor Grade for Business Climate
CNBC has compiled a ranking of “America’s Best States for Business.” Pennsylvania ranks 33rd overall on their index, and gets very poor marks on categories “Cost of Business”, “Workforce”,…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Gets Another Poor Grade for Business ClimateHealth Care
Obama Surtax Effects in Pennsylvania
The Heritage Foundation has the breakdown of how many Pennsylvania residents and small businesses would be effected by the “surtax” to pay for nationalize health care (HT to…
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Read More: Obama Surtax Effects in PennsylvaniaHealth Care
Coalition of Groups Against Government-Run Health Care
The Commonwealth Foundation has joined a coalition of national organizations in sendinga letter to members of Congress opposing government-run health insurance, individual or employer mandates, and government rationing of…
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Read More: Coalition of Groups Against Government-Run Health CareHealth Care
ObamaCare vs. Free Market Solutions
The Heritage Foundation has a new analysis of the US House Democrats’ health care bill, showing that over 80 million people would lose their private insurance, and costs for…
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Read More: ObamaCare vs. Free Market SolutionsGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania, A Sinner In The Tort Liability Index
The Pacific Research Institute’s study of Tort Reform among states examines 25 reforms adopted by states in an effort to control tort law suit losses and tort insurance programs. According…
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Read More: Pennsylvania, A Sinner In The Tort Liability IndexTaxes & Economy
Why Pennsylvania Should Not Build High-Speed Rail
Last week, Gov. Rendell submitted an application to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a share of the $8 billion of stimulus money Congress allocated for high-speed rail. This raises…
Commentary
Read More: Why Pennsylvania Should Not Build High-Speed RailTaxes & Economy
Minimum wage up again
On Friday, Pennsylvania’s minimum wage will increase ten cents, to $7.25 an hour. During already troubling economic times, the increase in minimum wage will hurt business, and will not…
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Read More: Minimum wage up againState Budget
Pennsylvania Taxpayers Spend $1 Million to Entertain Lawmakers from Other States
This week, Philadelphia plays host to the National Conference of State Legislatures conference. No Pennsylvania legislators have been able to attend the gathering because they’re needed in Harrisburg for…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Taxpayers Spend $1 Million to Entertain Lawmakers from Other StatesState Budget
Best Budget Practices For Legislators
Scott Pattison, the executive director of National Association of Budget Officers, in an interview with the Mercatus Center brought to light the most important question he feels legislators…
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Read More: Best Budget Practices For LegislatorsState Budget
Tax Foundation Podcast: Pennsylvania Budget Battle
Matt Brouillette is interviewed in the latest Tax Policy Podcast from the Tax Foundation, giving an update of the Pennsylvania Budget Battle.
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Read More: Tax Foundation Podcast: Pennsylvania Budget BattleState Budget
“Blue Dog” Democrats Still Against Pennsylvania Tax Increase
State Rep. John Pallone, one of Pennsylvania’s “Blue Dog” Democrats, has penned a statewide letter to the editor noting that he, along with about 20 other unnamed House Democrats, should…
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Read More: “Blue Dog” Democrats Still Against Pennsylvania Tax Increase