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.
State Budget
New Budget Report Demands Urgent Action
By 2023, the state deficit could reach more than $2 billion. By 2030, Pennsylvania will have just 2.4 workers for every 1 person of retirement age. These were some of the most…
Media
Read More: New Budget Report Demands Urgent ActionRegulation
PLCB Borrowing Panned, Time to Privatize
There hasn’t been much to praise in this year’s budget battles. However, the governor’s announcement that he won’t try to borrow $1.25 billion against Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB)…
Media
Read More: PLCB Borrowing Panned, Time to PrivatizeState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Sin Tax Addiction
Pennsylvania’s excess of excise—or so-called “sin”—taxes was the subject of a recent story in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The piece focused on the amount working people pay in taxes on…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Sin Tax AddictionGovernment Accountability
Inconvenient Facts: Debunking Climate Alarmists
Governments should focus on supporting economic prosperity to enable better adaption to climate changes instead of controlling carbon footprints. Consider the contrast in hurricane recoveries between Florida, where an…
Media
Read More: Inconvenient Facts: Debunking Climate AlarmistsTaxes & Economy
Wolf Tax Reform Hypocrisy
Gov. Wolf has criticized recent federal tax reform proposals—which would lower most tax rates and simplify the tax code by reducing loopholes—because it would eliminate the state and local…
Media
Read More: Wolf Tax Reform HypocrisyState Budget
What’s on the November Ballot: Property Taxes and Judges
In addition to several statewide judicial races, the upcoming November election includes a ballot measure that could change the way Pennsylvanians pay taxes or make no difference at all. Judicial Races…
Media
Read More: What’s on the November Ballot: Property Taxes and JudgesRegulation
Progress and Setbacks in the 2017-18 Budget
Pennsylvania’s four-month budget battle is just about over, thanks to an assortment of targeted tax hikes and fee increases along with borrowing and one-time transfers. However, lawmakers and the governor…
Media
Read More: Progress and Setbacks in the 2017-18 BudgetState Budget
Debt Ahead, but Reform Is Coming, Too
The General Assembly is on the verge of authorizing HB 785, which could add more than $1.2 billion to the state’s debt load. The legislation would amend the Capital…
Media
Read More: Debt Ahead, but Reform Is Coming, TooState Budget
Gov. Wolf’s Borrowing Schemes Won’t Work
Gov. Wolf’s careless decision to overspend last year has played a significant role in this latest budget impasse. Frustrated with the pace of the process, the governor decided to…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf’s Borrowing Schemes Won’t WorkState Budget
Pennsylvania Needs (Tax) Climate Change
What does it take to be #26? The Tax Foundation has the answer. The independent tax policy group released its latest State Business Climate Tax Index, which ranks each…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Needs (Tax) Climate ChangeHealth Care
Obamacare Creates Another Round of Premium Hikes
Governor Wolf announced exchange insurance premiums will increase by 30 percent next year thanks to President Trump and Congress. The problem is insurance rates have increased every year under…
Media
Read More: Obamacare Creates Another Round of Premium HikesState Budget
What’s in the Latest House Revenue Plan
The state House approved another revenue plan late last night, potentially signaling an end to the 2017-18 budget negotiations. The bill, HB 542, would allow the commonwealth to…
Media
Read More: What’s in the Latest House Revenue PlanRegulation
How Should Pennsylvania Attract Amazon?
Amazon has been dominating Pennsylvania business news since announcing its interest in creating a second U.S. headquarters (HQ2). Several regions of the state are expected to contend for this new…
Media
Read More: How Should Pennsylvania Attract Amazon?Health Care
Restoring the Dignity of Work
The benefits of work are widely known. Yet major welfare programs treat work as a burden instead of the pathway to prosperity. Restoring work in food stamps alone could improve…
Report
Read More: Restoring the Dignity of WorkGovernment Accountability
Union Advantages Yield Undue Influence
In today’s political landscape big money is usually associated with corporations and industries like oil or gas, however, government unions are the most advantaged special interest in Pennsylvania. CF’s Nathan…
Media
Read More: Union Advantages Yield Undue InfluenceState Budget
Fact Check: Did the budget deal include an agreement to raise taxes?
Gov. Wolf has angrily accused the House of refusing to pass a tax increase, implying it was agreed to when the spending plan passed on June 30. But a check…
Media
Read More: Fact Check: Did the budget deal include an agreement to raise taxes?Health Care
Wolf’s Wrongheaded Veto Threat
Governor Wolf intends to veto Pennsylvania’s welfare code (HB 59) due to a reform contained within the bill—even though the reform can reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth. The modest reform instructs the…
Media
Read More: Wolf’s Wrongheaded Veto ThreatRegulation
Tapping Indebted PLCB to Pay Down Debt a Risky Bet
In a press conference yesterday, Gov. Wolf announced a plan to borrow from future PLCB “profits” to pay off last year’s budget deficit. Under the governor’s proposal, the state’s…
Press Release
Read More: Tapping Indebted PLCB to Pay Down Debt a Risky BetRegulation
Gov. Wolf Proposes Using Debt-Ridden Agency to Pay Down Debt
In a press conference yesterday, Gov. Wolf announced a plan to borrow from future PLCB “profits” to pay off last year’s budget deficit. Under the governor’s plan, the state’s…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf Proposes Using Debt-Ridden Agency to Pay Down DebtRegulation
An Inhospitable Tax Increase
Another day, another tax. The newest plan to fill a $2.2 billion budget hole includes a 5 percent increase to the hotel tax, along with a new tax on fireworks and third-party online…
Media
Read More: An Inhospitable Tax IncreaseState Budget
Four Alternatives to the Warehouse Tax
The latest tax proposal to balance the $2.2 billion budget shortfall is receiving a cool reception. The tax hike under consideration would extend the sales tax to commercial warehouses. The…
Media
Read More: Four Alternatives to the Warehouse Tax