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
Commonwealth Foundation Announces Winners of Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest
HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced the winners of the Please, No More Taxes! video contest: First Prize ($2,500): Colin Jones of Bethel ParkSecond Prize: ($1,000): Robert…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Announces Winners of Please, No More Taxes! Video ContestGovernment Accountability
State Spending Transparency
Testimony of Elizabeth Bryan to the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee, June 18, 2009 Good morning, I am Elizabeth Bryan, a research associate with the Commonwealth Foundation, a free-market public…
Testimony
Read More: State Spending TransparencyState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Income Tax Competitiveness
The New York Times covered Gov. Rendell’s proposed 16% increase in the Personal Income Tax. Immediately before citing the Commonwealth Foundation, the article states that “Pennsylvania currently has the…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Income Tax CompetitivenessTaxes & Economy
Why 16% Tax Increase Would Cost Pennsylvania 24,000 Jobs
I’ve gotten a couple of question on the “how” and “why” we estimate that Rendell’s personal income tax increase will cost 24,000 Pennsylvania jobs. The estimate of 24,000 jobs…
Media
Read More: Why 16% Tax Increase Would Cost Pennsylvania 24,000 JobsTaxes & Economy
Commonwealth Foundation Joins Farmers in Fight Against Higher Taxes
Harrisburg, PA — Straight from the fields of their small, family farms, a contingent of Pennsylvania farmers today traveled to the state Capitol to join the Commonwealth Foundation in speaking…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Joins Farmers in Fight Against Higher TaxesTaxes & Economy
Gov. Rendell Proposes Firing 24,000 Pennsylvania Workers
Governor Rendell announced today that to satisfy his appetite for more spending, he would like to increase Pennsylvania’s Personal Income Tax (PIT) by 0.5 percentage points – to…
Media
Read More: Gov. Rendell Proposes Firing 24,000 Pennsylvania WorkersHealth Care
What not to like about ObamaCare
The Cato Institute has a recent publication out highlighting “Seven Bad Ideas” of President Obama’s health care plan. Here are some more on two of those bad ideas: Paying…
Media
Read More: What not to like about ObamaCareRegulation
Growing Pennsylvania’s Economy
A coalition of business groups released their proposals aimed at improving Pennsylvania’s economic climate. Among the top of their list were state spending limits, lower business taxes, health care reform,…
Media
Read More: Growing Pennsylvania’s EconomyTaxes & Economy
“Stimulus” Kills Pennsylvania Steel Jobs
Redstate notes how the “buy American” provision of the so-called stimulus bill is already putting some Pennsylvania’s out of of work. See the original Canadian Press article here.
Media
Read More: “Stimulus” Kills Pennsylvania Steel JobsEducation
“Is public education socialism?”
In defense of a single-payer health care system, possible U.S. Senate candidate and state Rep. Bill Kortz (D-Dravosburg) asked, “Is public education socialism? No. This is the same thing.”…
Media
Read More: “Is public education socialism?”Taxes & Economy
How Much Would Cap and Trade Cost Your Family?
The Tax Foundation today released a calculator for families to estimate the annual household cost of a cap and trade system. It’s based on their recent study, “Who…
Media
Read More: How Much Would Cap and Trade Cost Your Family?Health Care
Warmed-Over RendellCare Includes a New Tax on Health Insurance
The Pennsylvania State House has been debating HB 1, which would expand the state’s Adult Basic program, to make more individuals eligible for government health care. The Commonwealth Foundation…
Media
Read More: Warmed-Over RendellCare Includes a New Tax on Health InsuranceState Budget
Do PA Democrats Really Want Higher Taxes? Probably Not.
While Gov. Rendell and House Appropriations Chair Dwight Evans are talking up a potential increase in Pennsylvania’s Personal Income Tax, some of the rank and file Democrats are…
Media
Read More: Do PA Democrats Really Want Higher Taxes? Probably Not.Taxes & Economy
Cap and Trade: An Energy Tax
Pretty good video from American Solutions on Cap and Trade. They also have a place on their site to take action.
Media
Read More: Cap and Trade: An Energy TaxEducation
Bob Casey Still Needs to Read the Stimulus Bill
Sen. Bob Casey – in remarks designed to counter the facts laid out by the Commonwealth Foundation, namely that Pennsylvania school districts will get a dramatic increase in…
Media
Read More: Bob Casey Still Needs to Read the Stimulus BillTaxes & Economy
Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Reading Eagle writer Mary Young opines that, in the state budget debate, both sides should simply get along. She advocates basically splitting the difference between the Senate’s $27.3…
Media
Read More: Can’t We All Just Get Along?Taxes & Economy
Good Thing We Got That Stimulus!
Gov. Rendell claimed Arlen Specter “saved the county” with his vote on the “stimulus” legislation. Here is a chart to turn your laughter into tears, courtesy of…
Media
Read More: Good Thing We Got That Stimulus!State Budget
“Cuts First, Taxes Last”
The Philadelphia Inquirer comes out with an editorial calling for cutting wasteful spending in the state budget before talking about a tax increase. Here are some of the points…
Media
Read More: “Cuts First, Taxes Last”Education
Budget Facts 2009: Spending Increases by Department
Pennsylvania faces a $3 billion tax revenue shortfall in the state’s General Fund Budget. Competing proposals from Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican-led Senate differ on raising taxes and reducing/reprioritizing…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2009: Spending Increases by DepartmentTaxes & Economy
Are Higher Taxes a “Centrist” Position?
Sharon Ward of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (PBPC) writes to the Tribune Review complaining about being a labeled “liberal” or “far left”. To be fair to Ward,…
Media
Read More: Are Higher Taxes a “Centrist” Position?Government Accountability
More Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying for Higher Taxes
The Rendell administration is going on another taxpayer funded bus trip across the state for higher spending (and the higher taxes need to pay for them). The target this…
Media
Read More: More Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying for Higher Taxes