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
State sues over HIA attempt to seize land
The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has filed suit to stop the Harrisburg Airport from using eminent domain to take Cramer Airport Parking, reports the Patriot News. Cramer Airport Parking…
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Health Care for All?
A Pennsylvania House committee will be holding hearings on universal health care (patterned after the Massachusetts plan passed earlier this year), reports the Patriot News. Read why…
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Health Care Mandates No Silver Bullet
In April 2006, Massachusetts enacted a dramatic health care reform package. Dubbed “Romneycare” after Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, this plan calls for reforms in the health insurance market, a mandate…
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Rendell Doing It For The ‘Kids’ – And His Image
Jim Panyard’s editorial in The Evening Bulletin on the forthcoming “Cover All Kids” taxpayer-funded health care plan.
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Mythology Of The Minimum Wage
CBS News article on how raising the federal minimum wage increases poverty and unemployment…
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Pennsylvania 41st “Best State for Business”
Pennsylvania ranks 41st among the 50 states in Forbes Magazine’s ranking of the the “Best States for Business.” While PA ranks high on “Quality of Life” (12th) it…
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State Tax Trends
Americans for Tax Reform report on state tax trends over the past 25 years. They find that (1) income tax increases have been less steep more recently, (2) increase…
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If you’re angry now …
Check out where your city ranks on the “100 Angriest Cities,”from Men’s Health. Philadelphia ranks #27, while Pittsburgh sits (relatively happily) at #90. Number 1? Home of the…
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Tax Policy Under President Bush
An overview of recent tax policy (and unresolved issues) from Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute. He makes the keen observation that the reason the tax cuts have yet…
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Boom time for state finances
Stateline.org article on the surge in state tax revenues. However the NCSL’s “budget experts expect state spending to surpass money coming in to state coffers this fiscal year. State…
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“Back-End Referendum”: No Taxpayer Protection
The recent enactment of Special Session Act 1 of 2006, the so-called “Pennsylvania Taxpayer Relief Act”, came as a disappointment to taxpayers throughout the Commonwealth who are fed up with…
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The next step to socialized health care
Philadelphia Inquirer coverage of the forthcoming “Cover All Kids” program.
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Read More: The next step to socialized health careGovernment Accountability
The Fumo Legal Defense Fund
State Sen. Vince Fumo, under federal investigation for corruption, used $900,000 of taxpayer’s dollars for his legal defense (in addition to $300,000 of campaign contributions) the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
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Principles Worth Fighting For
Though I have watched Braveheart several dozen times, last weekend was the first time that the blood, violence, and men in kilts reminded me of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Unfortunately,…
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Sowell on the Minimum Wage
Thomas Sowell on minimum wage laws, from Real Clear Politics: “Minimum wage laws play Russian roulette with people who need jobs and the work experience that will enable them…
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Minimum wage reality check
Walter Williams in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on why he’s a “decent person” who wants to “help low-skilled workers” and yet opposes a minimum wage increase.
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New Hampshire’s 365-Day Sales Tax Holiday
While some states with surplus tax revenue are offering gimmicky “sales tax holidays,” New Hampshire has chosen the all-too-infrequenty policy of keeping taxes low. From The Tax Foundation.
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Cooling Off About Keeping Up
Robert Samuelson editorial in the Washington Post on how the US will not be able to continue to be as dominant in the global economy in every sector as…
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GIving Taxpayers a Voice?
With the new property tax “relief” law (Act 1 of the Special Session) each school district must have a “tax commission” examine any proposed tax increase, as reported in the…
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The 1% Solution
In the daily travails of state government, it appears the Senate is prepared to take action best described as “self-reform.” According to reports, beginning as early as September, employees of…
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Jesus and Taxes
Dimitri Vassilaros questions, in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, whether Jesus really endorsed the estate tax, higher income taxes, and raising the federal minimum wage.
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