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
Cut taxes to attract jobs
Commonwealth Foundation’s Nate Benefield in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer.
Media
Read More: Cut taxes to attract jobsTaxes & Economy
The Property Tax Relief Scholarship Act
It is “like throwing gasoline on a fire,” said G. Terry Madonna, a political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Reivew. The idea is “definitely…
Media
Read More: The Property Tax Relief Scholarship ActTaxes & Economy
New, Better Property Tax Relief Proposal – Media Coverage
Patriot News “Breaking News” coverage of our Property Tax Relief Scholarship proposal. Get our press release, or download our Policy Brief for more details and district-specific property…
Media
Read More: New, Better Property Tax Relief Proposal – Media CoverageHealth Care
Health care for everyone?
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney writes in today’s Wall Street Journal that he believes he’s found a way to provide health care for everyone, with “no new taxes, no employer…
Media
Read More: Health care for everyone?Taxes & Economy
Governor Rendell: The Era of Big Government is Just Beginning
Two Gems from Governor Rendell in The Scranton Times-Tribune: “Rendell says voters have a clear choice between a candidate who talks of cutting taxes and limiting spending – Swann…
Media
Read More: Governor Rendell: The Era of Big Government is Just BeginningTaxes & Economy
Renouce the “Faith”
NOTE: This commentary was originally published on June 15, 2004. Politicians are fond of saying, "Government doesn't create jobs, the private sector does." Yet the machinations of state and federal…
Commentary
Read More: Renouce the “Faith”Taxes & Economy
“Populism in pursuit of power preservation”
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Colin McNickle has a few thoughts on the House’s passage of the minimum wage bill last week. Here’s an excerpt from today’s commentary, “Stop supporting fake…
Media
Read More: “Populism in pursuit of power preservation”Taxes & Economy
China’s Economic Development Lessons for Pennsylvania
NOTE: This commentary was originally published on April 19, 2004. Tax Day 2004 has come and gone, and as Pennsylvanians wrote their annual big checks to big government, they should…
Commentary
Read More: China’s Economic Development Lessons for PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
PA Personal Income Growth Still Lagging Behind
Release from the BEA this morning on State Personal Income 2005. Pennsylvania ranked 37th in personal income growth in 2005, not as low as past years, but below the…
Media
Read More: PA Personal Income Growth Still Lagging BehindTaxes & Economy
Wages of Politics
Wall Street Journal on the minimum wage.
Media
Read More: Wages of PoliticsRegulation
War on Wal-Mart coming to PA
From the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Best quote: “Wal-Mart is trying to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.” Those heathens, trying to compete against unionized stores.
Media
Read More: War on Wal-Mart coming to PATaxes & Economy
Where does the state rank?
Philadelphia Daily News edits down our commentary.
Media
Read More: Where does the state rank?Regulation
Ballooning Pa. pension costs could increase taxes substantially
Excellent story on the looming pension crisis by Alison Hawkes in The Herald-Standard. But Rep. Mark Mustio points out the bigger problem: “It’s not like the system’s going to…
Media
Read More: Ballooning Pa. pension costs could increase taxes substantiallyTaxes & Economy
Classy Economist
The Wall Street Journal on Dr. Thomas Sowell.
Media
Read More: Classy EconomistTaxes & Economy
Abuse of Eminent Domain
Harrisburg Airport continues its quest to use eminent domain to take over a nearby competitor, according to the Patriot News. The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) is trying…
Media
Read More: Abuse of Eminent DomainTaxes & Economy
Earned Income Tax Credit, Not Minimum Wage Increase, Is Better Way
Employment Policies Institute testifies in Harrisburg in support of Earned Income Tax Credit…
Media
Read More: Earned Income Tax Credit, Not Minimum Wage Increase, Is Better WayHealth Care
Health benefit costs
Th Bucks County Courier Times looks at the healthcare benefits crisis… Good health comes at hefty cost to taxpayers “Biting the bullet’ at public systems Public…
Media
Read More: Health benefit costsTaxes & Economy
Gov. Rendell and PA’s Business Climate: Rhetoric Doesnt Match Reality
As election time draws nearer, Gov. Ed Rendell is issuing a flurry of press releases to convince voters that his administration has improved Pennsylvania’s competitiveness and economic growth. To that…
Commentary
Read More: Gov. Rendell and PA’s Business Climate: Rhetoric Doesnt Match RealityTaxes & Economy
Minimum wage push continues
From The Morning Call Online: “Kate Philips, Rendell’s spokeswoman, said the administration is grateful the bill emerged from the committee, but that $6.25 ”barely keeps us competitive” with…
Media
Read More: Minimum wage push continuesTaxes & Economy
Who Pays for the Minimum Wage?
From Michigan’s Mackinac Center…. “When a business experiences increasing inventories, raising prices is the last thing it should do to resolve the problem. The same principle applies to labor.
Media
Read More: Who Pays for the Minimum Wage?Taxes & Economy
Hey, Big Spender
Peggy Noonan in today’s Wall Street Journal on President Bush’s bankrupt fiscal policies and his notion of “compassionate conservatism” Noonan: “That’s not what I understood him to mean. If…
Media
Read More: Hey, Big Spender