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.
Taxes & Economy
How to Increase Economic Growth
The following testimony was given at the Pennsylvania Fiscal and Economic Summit at York College on August 22. Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you…
Testimony
Read More: How to Increase Economic GrowthRegulation
Mimosa Monopoly
Pennsylvania is waging a secret war on millennials. Okay, maybe not on millennials, but definitely on brunch, and that’s pretty much the same thing. The deleterious effect of Pennsylvania’s sky-high…
Media
Read More: Mimosa MonopolyState Budget
How to Improve State Budgeting Practices
The following testimony was given at the Pennsylvania Fiscal and Economic Summit at York College on August 22, 2019. Thank you for the opportunity to address you this morning on…
Testimony
Read More: How to Improve State Budgeting PracticesRegulation
Employment for Disabled Workers is Up, but Regulations are Holding Them Back
Lyft, a major ride sharing company, rolled out a feature to make it easier for those who are deaf or hard of hearing to be employed as a driver. The labor…
Media
Read More: Employment for Disabled Workers is Up, but Regulations are Holding Them BackHealth Care
Sen. Martin Introduces Bill to Protect Safety Net
Steve Blazer of Surge Staffing is taking an unusual approach to filling hundreds of open warehouse positions: attending job fairs at state prisons. Steve’s struggle to find workers is…
Media
Read More: Sen. Martin Introduces Bill to Protect Safety NetRegulation
Black Market Lemonade
Lemonade stands are about as American as apple pie and baseball. Kids all over the country set up their stands hoping to earn a little spending money. Often, this is…
Media
Read More: Black Market LemonadeTaxes & Economy
Restore PA Doubles Down on Taxes
Pennsylvania native and founding father Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “The problem with common sense is, it isn’t.” As with so very many things in the political sphere, in Governor Wolf’s…
Media
Read More: Restore PA Doubles Down on TaxesTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania’s Economy Is Not Indicative of Its Business Climate
Pennsylvania’s economy is the most diverse in America. With the release of the latest Bloomberg Economic Diversity Index, Pennsylvania surpassed both Colorado and Texas to claim the top spot. The benefit…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Economy Is Not Indicative of Its Business ClimateState Budget
The Taxpayer Protection Act Is Commonsense
For over a decade, various lawmakers have introduced Taxpayer Protection Act (TPA) legislation to get a handle on Pennsylvania’s out of control budget. This overspending hurts our economy, drives away…
Media
Read More: The Taxpayer Protection Act Is CommonsenseState Budget
Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 1
Pennsylvania's largest budget items are growing unsustainably fast. The budget can only be brought under control only if these cost drivers are addressed.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 1Regulation
Cigarette Taxes Target the Poor
The founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn, believed strong liberty of conscience was essential to a flourishing society. But Pennsylvania’s current slough of sin taxes shrug off Penn’s warning. Pennsylvania’s sin…
Media
Read More: Cigarette Taxes Target the PoorRegulation
Corporate Welfare Is the Gift That Just Keeps Taking
Less than a year ago Pennsylvania’s state government offered Amazon billions in tax incentives to bring its HQ-2 location here. Amazon said no. But, when the commerce giant decided to open…
Media
Read More: Corporate Welfare Is the Gift That Just Keeps TakingPublic Union Democracy
Government Unions One Year after Janus v. AFSCME
One year after Janus unions lost significant fee-based revenue, fee-payers largely remain non-union, and existing members—frequently unaware of the ruling or restricted from resigning—often maintain membership…
Memo
Read More: Government Unions One Year after Janus v. AFSCMETaxes & Economy
The Battle Over General Assistance and Our Poverty Problem
In 2012, lawmakers ended a small cash welfare program called General Assistance. Despite all the recent Democratic hubbub, none of the members actually tried to restart the program through the…
Media
Read More: The Battle Over General Assistance and Our Poverty ProblemRegulation
No More Food Stamps for Millionaires
Leroy Fick won $2 million playing the Michigan lottery. He bought a new home and a costly car, all while collecting taxpayer-funded food stamps. Fick and stories like his…
Media
Read More: No More Food Stamps for MillionairesState Budget
Pennsylvania is NOT Taking Care of Business
Pennsylvania is the 5th worst state to start a business, according to a new study by Wallethub. Only Connecticut, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Rhode Island fare worse. Then,…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania is NOT Taking Care of BusinessTaxes & Economy
Tax Data Agrees, Everyone Wins from Tax Reform
Who benefits from tax reform? That question has been a hot topic since the 2017 passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), and the answer is everyone. However,…
Media
Read More: Tax Data Agrees, Everyone Wins from Tax ReformGovernment Accountability
Budget Earmarks: Sneaky and Unconstitutional
A wise buyer should always read the fine print, but it isn’t easy. Documents like cell phone contracts and software user agreements can be hard to read, often by design. The dense language…
Media
Read More: Budget Earmarks: Sneaky and UnconstitutionalTaxes & Economy
Heavy Tax Burdens Weigh Down Job Growth
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is expected to create 1.2 million jobs across the country in its first decade. I recently wrote about the ongoing benefits Pennsylvania is reaping thanks…
Media
Read More: Heavy Tax Burdens Weigh Down Job GrowthTaxes & Economy
Those are Drilling Rigs, Not Money Trees
“Money doesn’t grow on trees,” my mother regularly declaimed in her impromptu lessons on financial literacy. Too bad she’s not with us to explain this to Governor Wolf: neither the Marcellus…
Media
Read More: Those are Drilling Rigs, Not Money TreesCriminal Justice Reform
Does Justice Reinvestment Work?
One of the foremost, data-driven efforts in the nation to make criminal justice truly fair and effective is under consideration in the Pennsylvania House after a unanimous vote in the…
Media
Read More: Does Justice Reinvestment Work?