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.
Health Care
Medicaid is Broken, Work Requirements Can Help
Pennsylvanians deserve every opportunity to live fulfilling, prosperous lives. But too often, government programs end up holding back our friends and neighbors by discouraging them from pursuing independence.
Commentary
Read More: Medicaid is Broken, Work Requirements Can HelpState Budget
Why the Taxpayer Protection Act Matters to You
Pennsylvania could end the fiscal year with a budget deficit…again. If the latest Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) projections prove accurate, the commonwealth would need to fill a $195 million…
Media
Read More: Why the Taxpayer Protection Act Matters to YouTaxes & Economy
The Path to Prosperity
Last month we featured the story of Diane, a hardworking medical assistant in Clearfield County and graduate of the Brockway Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT) medical assistant…
Media
Read More: The Path to ProsperityCriminal Justice Reform
Unanimous Senate Vote Advances Criminal Justice Reform
The state Senate embraced criminal justice reform this week by unanimously passing three pieces of legislation comprising the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) II reforms. The first slate of JRI…
Media
Read More: Unanimous Senate Vote Advances Criminal Justice ReformTaxes & Economy
State House Strengthens Food Stamps Work Requirements
Today, the state House passed HB 1659, which strengthens existing work requirements for able-bodied adults in Pennsylvania’s food stamp program. This follows a work requirement measure for Medicaid,…
Press Release
Read More: State House Strengthens Food Stamps Work RequirementsTaxes & Economy
Wolf’s Severance Tax Among the Highest in the Nation
The Governor's fourth natural gas tax proposal, and 11th tax proposal overall, is now embodied in legislation. SB 1000 and HB 2253 join nine other bills sitting in the House and Senate, all…
Media
Read More: Wolf’s Severance Tax Among the Highest in the NationTaxes & Economy
Migration Update
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/popest-metro-county.html The ten counties that experienced the greatest growth via domestic migration (“destination states”) had a lower average tax burden than the counties that experienced the greatest declines (“deserted states”). p 10…
Media
Read More: Migration UpdateState Budget
The Taxpayer Protection Act: A Legislator’s Guide
Pennsylvania’s high state and local tax burden is the consequence of a decades-long spending binge. Pennsylvanians currently pay $4,589 per person in state and local taxes, which equals 10.2 percent…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Taxpayer Protection Act: A Legislator’s GuideState Budget
Pa.’s Economy Continues to Underwhelm
Just how burdensome have Pennsylvania taxes and regulations become? According to the latest edition of Rich States, Poor States (RSPS), the commonwealth ranks 35th in the nation for economic performance…
Media
Read More: Pa.’s Economy Continues to UnderwhelmRegulation
Seize Opportunities to Transform Pennsylvania
Maximizing our state’s potential requires a willingness to break from the status quo and find better ways to govern. Several improvements indicate Pennsylvania is moving in this direction, such…
Media
Read More: Seize Opportunities to Transform PennsylvaniaHealth Care
Welfare Reform is Sweeping the Nation
“Right now, America combines near-record-low unemployment with near-record-high welfare dependency — the result of state-level eligibility exemptions, federal loopholes and policies that put work on the back burner.” Those are…
Media
Read More: Welfare Reform is Sweeping the NationTaxes & Economy
The Dignity of Work in Rural Pennsylvania
The Brockway Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT) is only five years old, but it has helped over 100 unemployed and underemployed Pennsylvanians find fulfilling and family-sustaining healthcare careers.
Media
Read More: The Dignity of Work in Rural PennsylvaniaRegulation
Solving Pa.’s Corporate Welfare Problem is Key to Tax Reform
Gov. Wolf’s budget proposal projects a small reduction in corporate welfare spending. When compared to the current budget, spending would decline by more than $26 million. However,…
Media
Read More: Solving Pa.’s Corporate Welfare Problem is Key to Tax ReformTaxes & Economy
House Passes Work-Promoting Medicaid Reform
Today, the state House passed legislation, HB 2138, promoting independence among healthy, adult Medicaid recipients by requiring them to find part-time work or engage in job training to continue receiving…
Press Release
Read More: House Passes Work-Promoting Medicaid ReformRegulation
Pull the Reins on Horse Racing Subsidies
A horse is a horse, of course, of course, unless it's a Pennsylvania racehorse—then it's the symbol of government waste and an industry in decline. (Is that how this…
Media
Read More: Pull the Reins on Horse Racing SubsidiesState Budget
People Everywhere Just Want to Be Free (Of Taxes)
Pennsylvanians work nearly four months a year just to pay the taxes imposed at the various levels of government. This is just one of the many findings in the Tax…
Media
Read More: People Everywhere Just Want to Be Free (Of Taxes)Health Care
House Takes Step Towards Transformative Welfare Reform
Lawmakers took a significant step towards strengthening human service programs today. The House Health Committee passed HB 2138 with bipartisan support to restore the dignity of work for people…
Media
Read More: House Takes Step Towards Transformative Welfare ReformState Budget
How to Craft a Responsible Budget
Under Gov. Wolf, total state spending has risen by nearly $5.3 billion. This includes more than $2.9 billion in new General Fund spending—a sum exceeding the combined spending increases of…
Media
Read More: How to Craft a Responsible BudgetHealth Care
What’s the Goal of Welfare Reform?
Pennsylvania's welfare system focuses on how much one needs to “get by” or how many different services and programs one can qualify for. These are well-intentioned attitudes that stem from…
Media
Read More: What’s the Goal of Welfare Reform?Energy
The State of Natural Gas in Pa.
Pennsylvania’s regulatory and tax environment is stunting job growth and deterring investment. A decade after the Marcellus Shale boom, lawmakers are still debating how to tax the industry instead of…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The State of Natural Gas in Pa.Taxes & Economy
More Dependency Isn’t the Answer to PA Poverty
Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller wants more people on food stamps (or SNAP). In a hearing with the Senate Appropriations Committee, she argued that because the program…
Media
Read More: More Dependency Isn’t the Answer to PA Poverty