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
Trade and National Defense
Don Boudreaux has an interesting discussion over at Cafe Hayek about the controversy over foreign companies contracting with the US Department of Defense (i.e. Airbus). His dismisses most of…
Media
Read More: Trade and National DefenseTaxes & Economy
Which states give retirees the best deal?
MSN Money quantifies which state is the best for retirees – in terms of taxes paid. Their assumption is a couple earning $60,000 – all from retirement income/pensions –…
Media
Read More: Which states give retirees the best deal?Health Care
State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance
The Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI) and American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have published a 2008 version of their guide to health insurance solutions, including recommendations and a…
Media
Read More: State Legislators’ Guide to Health InsuranceTaxes & Economy
Stimulating the Economy with Tax Cuts
Click here for a PDF version of Rep. Mike Turzai’s presentation at last week’s forum on “Stimulating the Economy: Tax Cuts vs ‘Rebates'” Here is video from the…
Media
Read More: Stimulating the Economy with Tax CutsTaxes & Economy
Dynamic Effects of Tax Policy
Part 3 in a series of videos on the Laffer Curve, from the Center for Freedom and Propserity, this one covering dynamic modeling of tax changes. (Click here for…
Media
Read More: Dynamic Effects of Tax PolicyTaxes & Economy
Neat Charts on Unemployment Claims
I read the latest coverage of the unemployment insurance claims and how this is the “worst report” since 2005 and the most payroll jobs lost since 2003. I noticed…
Media
Read More: Neat Charts on Unemployment ClaimsRegulation
Stimulating the Pennsylvania Economy
Here is video from yesterday’s luncheon on “Stimulating PA’s Economy: Tax Cuts v. ‘Rebates'”. Click here for more videos from the Commonwealth Foundation.
Media
Read More: Stimulating the Pennsylvania EconomyHealth Care
Are “Large Health Savings Accounts” the Answer?
Michael Cannon has a paper on “Large Health Savings Accounts” in the Forum for Health Economics & Policy (registration required). Also listen to his Cato Podcast on the…
Media
Read More: Are “Large Health Savings Accounts” the Answer?Taxes & Economy
Concerns About Turnpike Lease Misguided
Testimony before the PA House Transportation Committee Good morning. I am Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation. We are a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research…
Testimony
Read More: Concerns About Turnpike Lease MisguidedTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania has 2nd highest corporate tax – in the world
A new report from the The Tax Foundation finds that Pennsylvania’s combined federal and local corporate income tax rate is higher than any other industrialized nation, and trails only…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania has 2nd highest corporate tax – in the worldTaxes & Economy
John Baer: Nutter & Obama are awesome
When Saturday Night Live made a mockery of the media’s gushing over Barack Obama, I was surprised at how quickly media-types responded by leveling some criticism and by starting some…
Media
Read More: John Baer: Nutter & Obama are awesomeHealth Care
Competition Solves Health Care
Tom Coburn op-ed in The New York Sun on why free markets are the solution to health care, and government programs are the problem. While government’s role in…
Media
Read More: Competition Solves Health CareHealth Care
Stateline: Socialized Medicine = Fiscally Conservative
Stateline.org has an interesting article on health care funding in the states. The headline reads “On health care, govs are tightening belts.” Here are some examples of “belt-tightening”:…
Media
Read More: Stateline: Socialized Medicine = Fiscally ConservativeTaxes & Economy
PA Ranks 45th in Tort Liability
Pacific Research Institute has published their State Tort Liability Rankings for 2008. Pennsylvania ranks a lowly 45th, but is very close to 44th – we have your number, Rhode…
Media
Read More: PA Ranks 45th in Tort LiabilityTaxes & Economy
Defending Free Trade
The Economist has an editorial defending NAFTA – and the need for the US (and presidential candidates) to drop NAFTA bashing. (HT: The Foundry). On a related front,…
Media
Read More: Defending Free TradeHealth Care
Why aren’t you dead?
John Goodman’s Health Policy Blog wonders why more people are being poisoned by restaurants – noting how inept public health inspectors are: What keeps you alive is the…
Media
Read More: Why aren’t you dead?Taxes & Economy
Litigating for Liberty
Reason Magazine has a great interview with Chip Mellor, co-founder of the Institute for Justice, on why he believes is “litigating for liberty” – defending parents’ rights to…
Media
Read More: Litigating for LibertyRegulation
Economic Impacts of the Climate Change Bill
A new study by the Science Applications International Corporation and sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers and the American Council for Capital Formation looks at the economic impacts…
Media
Read More: Economic Impacts of the Climate Change BillGovernment Accountability
A Conservative Approach To Universal Health Care
Forbes article on the NFIB’s proposed health care agenda which includes allowing individuals to purchase health insurance coverage over state lines, tax deductions for individually purchased insurance, tort…
Media
Read More: A Conservative Approach To Universal Health CareHealth Care
PA House Rejects Real Health Care Reform
The Pennsylvania House passed an amendment (and is expected to pass the bill) that would enact the House Democrats’ “Pennsylvania ABC,” or as I call it, RendellCare 2.0,…
Media
Read More: PA House Rejects Real Health Care ReformHealth Care
A Short Course in Brain Surgery
Video from FreeMarketCure on how government run health care, like that in Canada, is hazardous to your health.
Media
Read More: A Short Course in Brain Surgery