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
Cutting Governor’s Schools of Excellence is a “Washington Monument Ploy”
The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is an ongoing gag to connect any person to actor Kevin Bacon in under six moves. If news stories count, I am tied…
Media
Read More: Cutting Governor’s Schools of Excellence is a “Washington Monument Ploy”Taxes & Economy
Is tolling I-80 dead?
Some of the Turnpike Commissioners think that tolling I-80 across PA remains a strong possibility, and that the federal government did not “reject” the tolling plan. See the…
Media
Read More: Is tolling I-80 dead?Taxes & Economy
Rendell should reject the federal “stimulus” money
I know it will never happen — just like asking him to pass on a greasy cheese steak sub — but Gov. Rendell should reject the…
Media
Read More: Rendell should reject the federal “stimulus” moneyRegulation
Rendell administration: Commonwealth Foundation is right about government spending
A Capitolwire (subscription) headline reads “DCED acting secretary says little state can do to create jobs,” after a hearing in which Secretary Cornelius notes that “economic development” programs have…
Media
Read More: Rendell administration: Commonwealth Foundation is right about government spendingState Budget
What do Economists Agree On?
Greg Mankiw posts a selection from his textbook on what economists agree on, from a survey. I am not suprised to see economists overwhelmingly support free trade, as that…
Media
Read More: What do Economists Agree On?Regulation
Update on the Boscov’s Bailout
John Micek has a summary of the new PA DCED secretary’s explanation of the Boscov’s bailout, during a hearing today. Secretary Cornelius noted that bailouts encourage companies to start…
Media
Read More: Update on the Boscov’s BailoutGovernment Accountability
Pay to Play Culture in Harrisburg
ABC 27 has a story/video highlighting the “pay-to-play” cronyism in Harrisburg, specifically the $11 million in outside legal fees (despite hundreds of lawyers on staff) going to Ballard Spahr…
Media
Read More: Pay to Play Culture in HarrisburgTaxes & Economy
New Study of Business Tax Burdens
The Council on State Taxation has released a new study on state and local business taxes. It is a good primer on what taxes business pay (for instance, I…
Media
Read More: New Study of Business Tax BurdensTaxes & Economy
A tax code even a congressman can understand
Andrew Moylan editorializes that simplifying the federal tax code would provide an economic “stimulus.” Individual taxpayers spend more than 3.5 billion hours complying with the code. That …
Media
Read More: A tax code even a congressman can understandHealth Care
Health Care Policies and Small Business
The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council has a new report ranking states in terms of their health care policy, as it pertains to small business. Pennsylvania gets a fairly…
Media
Read More: Health Care Policies and Small BusinessHealth Care
Health Care Policies and Small Business
The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council has a new report ranking states in terms of their health care policy, as it pertains to small business. Pennsylvania gets a fairly…
Media
Read More: Health Care Policies and Small BusinessTaxes & Economy
Feulner blast stimulus process
Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner has a scathing open letter to Congress on the stimulus bill: In addition to being the single most expensive bill ever proposed,…
Media
Read More: Feulner blast stimulus processTaxes & Economy
The Burden of PA Business Taxes
The Tribune Review has a story featuring Tax Foundation president Scott Hodge discussing Pennsylvania’s business tax climate at an appearance in Pittsburgh: The state needs…
Media
Read More: The Burden of PA Business TaxesGovernment Accountability
Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009
Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009 identifies $5 billion in unhealthy state spending in FY 2008-09 and offers a series of recommendations to both resolve the current revenue shortfall…
Report
Read More: Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009Regulation
CF Report Finds $5 billion in Gov’t Waste
State gov’t overspending is impeding prosperity and burdening taxpayers HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today released Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009, a report that spotlights how the…
Press Release
Read More: CF Report Finds $5 billion in Gov’t WasteTaxes & Economy
State Budget Shortfalls: Opportunity for Reform
The Tax Foundation has a new report (released yesterday) on state budget shortfalls. Their report concludes that overspending is largely the explanation for state shortfalls today. (Full report…
Media
Read More: State Budget Shortfalls: Opportunity for ReformGovernment Accountability
An end to cronyism in state government?
The Pennsylvania House GOP has unveiled several proposals to end “pay to play” – including cracking down on the ability of the administration to award of no-bid contracts. In…
Media
Read More: An end to cronyism in state government?Taxes & Economy
CF Budget Forum on PCN
If you missed todays lunch discussion with Sens. Jake Corman and Jay Costa on the Pennsylvania budget, it is set to air tomorrow at 1 pm on PCN, with…
Media
Read More: CF Budget Forum on PCNTaxes & Economy
CF Budget Forum on PCN
If you missed todays lunch discussion with Sens. Jake Corman and Jay Costa on the Pennsylvania budget, it is set to air tomorrow at 1 pm on PCN, with…
Media
Read More: CF Budget Forum on PCNTaxes & Economy
Tax and Spend Polices are Recipe for Disaster
My letter to the editor in the Post-Gazette: The state’s tax-and-spend policies are a recipe for disasterSharon Ward’s Jan. 28 Perspectives piece (“Keep…
Media
Read More: Tax and Spend Polices are Recipe for DisasterTaxes & Economy
The need to “do something”
Matt Lewis has an entertaining post on the need to “do something” with regard to the federal “stimulus” – comparing it to a 19th century doctor pressed to “do…
Media
Read More: The need to “do something”