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.
Education
Adam Smith Courses
Our friends at the Wynnewood Institute are hosting a seminar series on the writings of Adam Smith, who is sometimes referred to as the “father of economics.” The series…
Media
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PA Business Groups Offer Budget Ideas
A coalition of business association and groups unveiled their recommendations for reforming Pennsylvania’s budget process and improving the business climate: Oppose increasing taxes on the job creators, including…
Media
Read More: PA Business Groups Offer Budget IdeasTaxes & Economy
Layoffs coming for Pennsylvania state workers?
Governor Rendell’s latest statements about the state budget are that 1,000 to 2,000 state workers could be laid off (or have unfilled positions eliminated). The head of the AFSCME…
Media
Read More: Layoffs coming for Pennsylvania state workers?Taxes & Economy
200 Economists Against a Stimulus
In defiance of President Obama’s proclamation that every agrees we need more government spending to “simulate” the economy, the Cato Institute has put together a list of 200 economists…
Media
Read More: 200 Economists Against a StimulusPublic Union Democracy
Putting Taxpayers First?
A group of Pennsylvania House Republicans today announced a series of proposals intended to reduce government spending and revitalize the Pennsylvania economy. Among the proposals: Implementing constitutional or statutory…
Media
Read More: Putting Taxpayers First?Taxes & Economy
Stimulus: Good For Government, Bad For the Economy
This video by Dan Mitchell on the stimulus offers a quick primer on the “stimulus” package, and why government spending will fail – and why previous expansions of government…
Media
Read More: Stimulus: Good For Government, Bad For the EconomyRegulation
Six Years of Rendells Stimulus is Enough
Gov. Ed Rendell is, as head of the National Governor’s Association as well as the chief of a state facing a major revenue shortfall, leading the push for a federal…
Commentary
Read More: Six Years of Rendells Stimulus is EnoughTaxes & Economy
A bailout of the states rewards fiscal recklessness
The Wall Street Journal has a great article and graph (to the right) on how states have overspent, and are certainly not in need of a bailout from…
Media
Read More: A bailout of the states rewards fiscal recklessnessTaxes & Economy
Ode to Taxpayers’ Cars
The Auditor General recently release a new report on state-owned cars. Unless you are enjoying a taxpayer-owned Mercedes, this report won’t make you happy. The report mentions early and…
Media
Read More: Ode to Taxpayers’ CarsTaxes & Economy
Royal Bank of Scotland to Sell Electricity in PA
The Tribune-Review reports The Royal Bank of Scotland is awaiting permission from the PUC to sell electricity to commercial and industrial customers across Pennsylvania. The change would give Pittsburgh…
Media
Read More: Royal Bank of Scotland to Sell Electricity in PARegulation
Those who do not learn from history …
Deb Erdley has an article in the Tribune Review about the increasing taxpayer cost for the Pittsburgh Penguins arena, as well as details on the $1.5 billion in borrowed…
Media
Read More: Those who do not learn from history …State Budget
Rendell to layoff workers, keep rewarding allies
Governor Rendell today announced that he projects Pennsylvania’s revenue shortfall to reach $2.3 billion, updated from $1.6 billion a month ago and $1.9 billion a week ago, suggesting their…
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Read More: Rendell to layoff workers, keep rewarding alliesTaxes & Economy
Read the Stimulus
ReadtheStimulus.org is a new website put together by the Heritage Foundation, NTU, CAGW, and more, which encourages members of Congress to read the bill before voting on it, and…
Media
Read More: Read the StimulusTaxes & Economy
Trucker’s Words of Wisdom on Taxes
A spokeswoman for House Democratic Appropriations Chairman Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia) said to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that a tax increase “is the last place we should go, but at this…
Media
Read More: Trucker’s Words of Wisdom on TaxesRegulation
Boscovs Bailout is Bad for Business
With bailout mania sweeping the nation, it is hardly a surprise to see the struggling Boscov’s department store with its hand out. But the current proposal to give Boscov's $35…
Commentary
Read More: Boscovs Bailout is Bad for BusinessTaxes & Economy
Some Stimulating Reading
Here are some quick reads about the proposed federal “Economic Stimulus” package Heritage has 10 Questions about the Economic Stimulus Bill Amanda Carpenter summarizes the 13-page official summary…
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Read More: Some Stimulating ReadingTaxes & Economy
Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?
Who is to blame for the current economic predicament? We answered this question many months ago, but a new poll highlighted on the New York Times Economix Blog…
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Read More: Who is to blame for “financial crisis”?Taxes & Economy
Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?
Free Market Politics with no words (or 6,000 if you think a picture is worth a thousand words) debunks the oft-stated rhetoric that we are facing the “worst economic…
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Read More: Worst Economy Since the Great Depression?Taxes & Economy
New $95,000 job created for ousted PA lawmaker – during hiring freeze
Despite a state hiring freeze, and an $814 million revenue shortfall, Governor Rendell has created a new position – paying $95,002 annually – for former state representative…
Media
Read More: New $95,000 job created for ousted PA lawmaker – during hiring freezeTaxes & Economy
Stimu-less
Lots of good explanation of why a federal “economic stimulus” is likely to fail. The Heritage Foundation has the “Do’s and Don’ts of an Economic Stimulus” – unfortunately all…
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Read More: Stimu-lessTaxes & Economy
We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?
Suppose you were faced with a major revenue shorfall and had to prioritize spending. Would you: 1) Give employees their promised raises or2) Produce a website/video…
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Read More: We spent taxpayer money on this #@!$?