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
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 PovertyState Budget
Exposing the Shadow Budget
The state budget process needs an overhaul. Over the last two years, Pennsylvanians have witnessed unbalanced budgets, unsustainable spending increases, and harmful tax hikes. Additionally, a gross lack of financial…
Memo
Read More: Exposing the Shadow BudgetRegulation
Infrastructure Investment Doesn’t Require Growing Government
Nearly everyone agrees infrastructure is vital to the success of an economy. And while most infrastructure is provided by the private sector, the government does play a role. This…
Media
Read More: Infrastructure Investment Doesn’t Require Growing GovernmentHealth Care
Missing the Mark in Medicaid
When it comes to welfare, state government asks the wrong question. That’s the premise of Rep. Kerry Benninghoff’s views on welfare reform in the latest Brews and Views podcast.
Media
Read More: Missing the Mark in MedicaidRegulation
House Committee Embraces Pro-Growth Reforms
On Tuesday the House State Government Committee voted to advance regulatory reforms that could restart Pennsylvania’s stagnant economy. Legislators advanced three bills included in a regulatory reform…
Media
Read More: House Committee Embraces Pro-Growth ReformsEducation
The Reality of PA School Spending
The debate over education funding has found its way into the courts. Several school districts and residents are suing the state to fix an allegedly “unfair, inadequate and unconstitutional” school…
Media
Read More: The Reality of PA School SpendingHealth Care
Pressure Mounts to Create a Pathway to Prosperity in Medicaid
During state budget hearings this week, Pennsylvanians learned some unwelcome news about healthy adults added to Medicaid under the Obamacare expansion: less than half are working. The Department of Human Services (DHS)…
Media
Read More: Pressure Mounts to Create a Pathway to Prosperity in MedicaidTaxes & Economy
State Tax Reform Will Improve Pennsylvanians’ Lives
Federal tax reform is having a positive impact on working people throughout the country, including right here in Pennsylvania. Companies have announced bonuses, wage increases, and enhanced retirement benefits for…
Media
Read More: State Tax Reform Will Improve Pennsylvanians’ LivesEducation
Philadelphia’s Soda Tax Falls Flat
Mayor Jim Kenney's administration has scaled back its pre-K program goals after Philadelphia's soda tax failed to meet revenue projections. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the city is reducing the…
Media
Read More: Philadelphia’s Soda Tax Falls FlatCriminal Justice Reform
Pennsylvania’s Overspending Problem Still Proving Costly
To balance last year’s budget, Gov. Wolf and lawmakers agreed to dedicate a portion of Tobacco Settlement Fund payments to cover a $1.5 billion bond issuance. This decision to…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Overspending Problem Still Proving CostlyTaxes & Economy
Minimum Wage Hike Short-Changes Teens
Higher minimum wages have driven a decline in teenage employment since 2000, according to the Mercatus Center. . . . higher minimum wages are associated with a lower…
Media
Read More: Minimum Wage Hike Short-Changes TeensState Budget
Gov. Wolf’s Budget Proposals vs. Reality
Last week, Gov. Wolf unveiled a budget that includes another energy tax and approximately $1 billion in new General Fund spending. (This doesn't include large spending increases in the shadow budget.) While the plan would take…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf’s Budget Proposals vs. RealityRegulation
Energy Markets Need Reform, Not Subsidies
How many industries can withstand a more than threefold increase in regulatory costs in a decade? Few, if any. Yet that's the reality for nuclear power plants. An…
Media
Read More: Energy Markets Need Reform, Not SubsidiesState Budget
A Budget of Contradictions
On Tuesday, Gov. Wolf did not deliver the budget address Pennsylvanians needed to hear. Instead, he offered more of the same: a dramatic increase in the size and…
Media
Read More: A Budget of ContradictionsTaxes & Economy
Disco Governor Wants Money, Money, Money
Money, money, money/Always sunny/In a rich man’s world. Sung by ABBA in 1976. A governing mantra of Tom Wolf in 2018. More tax dollars seem to be Gov. Wolf's answer…
Media
Read More: Disco Governor Wants Money, Money, MoneyState Budget
Wolf’s Budget: Nice Rhetoric, Wrong Solutions
After proposing massive tax hikes of $4.6 billion, $2.7 billion, and $1 billion in his first three budgets, Gov. Tom Wolf struck a different tone in today’s budget address.
Press Release
Read More: Wolf’s Budget: Nice Rhetoric, Wrong SolutionsState Budget
A Brief History of Tom Wolf’s Tax Hike Proposals
Since taking office, Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed or supported 11 tax hikes on working families. Lawmakers voted to raise taxes in two of the past three years.
Memo
Read More: A Brief History of Tom Wolf’s Tax Hike ProposalsState Budget
Five Things to Know about Gov. Wolf’s Proposed Budget
On February 6, Governor Wolf laid out his plan for the 2018-19 Pennsylvania state budget. Here are the five things you need to know: 1) Spending Increase Exceeds Taxpayer Protection Act…
Media
Read More: Five Things to Know about Gov. Wolf’s Proposed BudgetTaxes & Economy
PA Companies Raise Starting Wages After Tax Reform
Since the passage of federal tax reform, more than 300 companies have announced bonuses, raises, and new investments. This includes some major national companies, like Disney,…
Media
Read More: PA Companies Raise Starting Wages After Tax Reform