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.
Education
Students Need Scholarships, Not Sympathy
Gov. Tom Wolf’s insistence on higher taxes blocks state funding from school districts and jeopardizes private school scholarships for thousands of low- and middle-income students.
Media
Read More: Students Need Scholarships, Not SympathyState Budget
Moving on From Budget Gridlock
Editor's note: Recent legislative developments have made an emergency funding plan unlikely. For the latest on the budget impasse, read this blog. Yesterday the House Appropriations Committee voted…
Media
Read More: Moving on From Budget GridlockState Budget
Santa Claus Budgeting
With Christmas fast approaching, children are busy creating wish lists for Santa Claus. While most kids eventually outgrow a belief in Santa — and realize it’s their family buying their…
Commentary
Read More: Santa Claus BudgetingTaxes & Economy
Latest Wolf Tax Plan Eliminates 6,500 Jobs
If Gov. Wolf succeeds in raising Pennsylvania’s personal income tax from 3.07 percent to 3.30 percent (an increase of 7.5 percent in the rate), what will be the impact on…
Media
Read More: Latest Wolf Tax Plan Eliminates 6,500 JobsState Budget
Lawmakers Must Reject Tax Hike of Christmas Past
Lawmakers Must Reject Tax Hike of Christmas Past New Tax Plan Would Hit Working Families of all Income Groups December 18, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Nearly six months into…
Press Release
Read More: Lawmakers Must Reject Tax Hike of Christmas PastPublic Union Democracy
Tax Hike of Christmas Past?
Given the rumblings of an imminent vote on higher income taxes, it's important to remember what happened 12 years ago (nearly to the day!) with our state budget. Ed Rendell was…
Media
Read More: Tax Hike of Christmas Past?Government Accountability
State Budget Should Consider Pa. Freedom Index
State Budget Should Consider Pa. Freedom Index Commonwealth Ranks Mediocre 21st in Economic Freedom December 16, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Pennsylvania may be home to the cradle of liberty, but…
Press Release
Read More: State Budget Should Consider Pa. Freedom IndexRegulation
House Pension Compromise Is Step in Right Direction
The pension reform bill is quickly making its way through the Pa. House. The latest iteration, SB 1071, mirrors the Senate's version (SB 1082; read our summary here),…
Media
Read More: House Pension Compromise Is Step in Right DirectionState Budget
Spending Increases in the “Framework Budget”
As pointed out yesterday, one of the six sticky items in the Pennsylvania budget negotiations is how much taxpayer money to spend. The $30.788 billion “framework budget” passed by…
Media
Read More: Spending Increases in the “Framework Budget”State Budget
Six Unresolved Issues in PA Budget
The PA House is back in session this week, “sorting through hundreds of pages of legislation” related to the state budget. As Bob points out, while passing a…
Media
Read More: Six Unresolved Issues in PA BudgetState Budget
Crisis Budgeting Isn’t Governing
By vetoing budget after budget, denying funds to schools and nonprofits, and even holding up scholarships for low-income students to attend schools of their choice, Gov. Wolf has done…
Media
Read More: Crisis Budgeting Isn’t GoverningState Budget
Senate Budget Hides Millions in ‘Walking-Around Money’
Senate Budget Hides Millions in ‘Walking-Around Money’ Budget Plan Flush with Slush Fund Increases December 9, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—The state Senate’s $30.8 billion budget plan rushed through Monday…
Press Release
Read More: Senate Budget Hides Millions in ‘Walking-Around Money’State Budget
House Budget Lives within Taxpayers’ Means
House Budget Lives within Taxpayers’ Means $30.3 Billion Plan Avoids Overspending & Excessive Taxation December 8, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Yesterday, the Senate rushed through a $30.8 billion budget that…
Press Release
Read More: House Budget Lives within Taxpayers’ MeansRegulation
Latest Pension Bill a Mixed Bag
Yesterday the State Senate passed a revised pension reform bill (SB 1082) including a side-by-side hybrid, with a smaller defined benefit pension and a defined contribution…
Media
Read More: Latest Pension Bill a Mixed BagState Budget
5 Ways the Seant’s ‘Wolf-Lite’ Budget Will Disappoint Taxpayers
5 Ways Senate’s ‘Wolf-Lite’ Budget Will Disappoint Taxpayers Walking-Around Money Gets Big Boost in $30.8 Billion Budget December 7, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today, the state Senate passed a $30.8…
Press Release
Read More: 5 Ways the Seant’s ‘Wolf-Lite’ Budget Will Disappoint TaxpayersRegulation
With Details, Wolf Budget “Framework” Looks Even Worse
Now that the Pennsylvania Senate has begun passing legislation, taxpayers can finally see what’s in Gov. Wolf’s “framework” for a new budget. Based on the passage of SB 1073 and…
Media
Read More: With Details, Wolf Budget “Framework” Looks Even WorseState Budget
17,496 Reasons to Reject Higher Taxes
How high would you say Pennsylvania’s state and local tax burden is per family of four? $5,000?$10,000? Maybe even $15,000? If you guessed the latter, you’d be close – but…
Media
Read More: 17,496 Reasons to Reject Higher TaxesState Budget
Do New Budget Plans Protect Taxpayers?
Details of a proposed budget “framework” are slowly emerging. The Senate has advanced a General Fund spending plan, which seems to have Gov. Wolf’s support, of about $30.79…
Media
Read More: Do New Budget Plans Protect Taxpayers?State Budget
A Brief History of Wolf’s Tax Hikes
Yesterday, the State House of Representatives announced they were moving off the latest Wolf tax hike proposal and onto a new plan that called for less spending and fewer…
Media
Read More: A Brief History of Wolf’s Tax HikesState Budget
Taxes: Isn’t $17,000 Per Family of Four Enough?
Taxes: Isn’t $17,000 Per Family of Four Enough? Pennsylvanians Already Overburdened with State & Local Taxes December 4, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Did you know Pennsylvania’s state and local tax burden…
Press Release
Read More: Taxes: Isn’t $17,000 Per Family of Four Enough?State Budget
Wolf’s “Pressure” Causes Real Pain
After five months without a state budget, three failed tax hike plans, and two vetoed stop-gap plans, Gov. Wolf refuses to abandon his harmful strategy of holding children, abuse victims,…
Media
Read More: Wolf’s “Pressure” Causes Real Pain