Education
Lawmakers can ease financial worries of Pennsylvanians
Originally published at LNP The struggle is real. When asked about their families’ financial situation, only 17% of Pennsylvanians see themselves as better off now than two years ago,…
Read More: Lawmakers can ease financial worries of PennsylvaniansHigh 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
A Severance Tax “Like Other States”? Not so fast
Gov. Tom Wolf and special interest groups continue to insist Pennsylvania needs to enact a severance tax because “other states have one.” This, of course, ignores the fact that Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: A Severance Tax “Like Other States”? Not so fastState Budget
Harrisburg is Ignoring the Biggest Budget Buster
Pop quiz: What’s the largest spending increase in Governor Tom Wolf’s budget proposal? You might assume education, as the governor has repeatedly insisted the state must reinvest in public schools.
Commentary
Read More: Harrisburg is Ignoring the Biggest Budget BusterState Budget
Wolf Truth Squad: Property Tax Relief Now
In a Patriot News story, Gov. Wolf’s spokesman Jeff Sheridan commented on need for immediate “property tax relief”—comments that don’t jibe with Gov. Wolf’s actual budget proposal. “Pennsylvanians don’t need property…
Media
Read More: Wolf Truth Squad: Property Tax Relief NowState Budget
Audio: Severance Tax Hurts All
Nearly two weeks into the new fiscal year, and Pennsylvania is still without a budget after Gov. Wolf vetoed the Republicans’ proposal last month. The governor, whose own…
Media
Read More: Audio: Severance Tax Hurts AllEducation
America Works (On Misleading the Public)
America Works USA, an affiliate of the union-funded Democratic Governors Association, recently launched an ad campaign in support of Gov. Wolf’s effort to raise taxes on middle-…
Media
Read More: America Works (On Misleading the Public)Regulation
Wolf Repeating Same Mistakes of the Past
Earlier this week, we pointed out how Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto of liquor privatization—using talking points from union leaders to justify his action—didn’t make much sense. Wolf’s reasoning…
Media
Read More: Wolf Repeating Same Mistakes of the PastRegulation
Pension Reform Veto Costs Pennsylvanians Dearly
Pension Reform Veto Costs Pennsylvanians Dearly Public Employees & Middle Class Bear Consequences of Pension Inaction Good afternoon, Today, Governor Tom Wolf confirmed that he will veto historic pension…
Press Release
Read More: Pension Reform Veto Costs Pennsylvanians DearlyTaxes & Economy
Reprehensible
In the Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this week, Gov. Tom Wolf uses strong rhetoric about his desire for a large severance tax increase. The governor responded by calling it…
Media
Read More: ReprehensibleRegulation
Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Vetoes Keep the Status Quo Alive
Gov. Wolf promised to be a governor who would eliminate Pennsylvania’s destructive status quo. So how did he respond when state legislators put a budget without tax increases, a bill…
Media
Read More: Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Vetoes Keep the Status Quo AliveEducation
Fixated on Tax Increases
At the end of last month, Gov. Wolf vetoed the Republicans’ budget, criticizing it for failing to meet his lofty goals of closing the structural deficit, increasing education funding…
Media
Read More: Fixated on Tax IncreasesEducation
The Illustrated Pennsylvania State Budget
There’s a lot of misinformation being thrown around about the Pennsylvania state budget and education spending. While folk are entitled to their own opinions, they aren’t entitled to their own…
Media
Read More: The Illustrated Pennsylvania State BudgetPublic Union Democracy
Wolf’s ‘My Way or the Highway’ Approach Blocks Progress
In his 2015 budget address, Gov. Tom Wolf urged dissenters, “If you don’t agree with my ideas, here is my request: please come with your own ideas. It's not good…
Commentary
Read More: Wolf’s ‘My Way or the Highway’ Approach Blocks ProgressEducation
Ink Running Dry on Wolf?s Veto Pen
Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto pen may be running out of ink. In the span of one week, Pennsylvania’s “different kind of governor” vetoed a no-tax-hike budget, liquor privatization,…
Media
Read More: Ink Running Dry on Wolf?s Veto PenRegulation
Growing Bipartisan Support for Municipal Pension Reform
On Tuesday, a task force spearheaded by Auditor General Eugene DePasquale released its recommendation for municipal pension reform. The report recommends, among other things, more transparency and accountability in municipal…
Media
Read More: Growing Bipartisan Support for Municipal Pension ReformPublic Union Democracy
Pivotal Pension Reform Passes to Wolf
Yesterday, the General Assembly passed landmark legislation to free homeowners from skyrocketing property taxes, make school budgets go further, and protect public employees from politics. SB 1 bill reforms…
Media
Read More: Pivotal Pension Reform Passes to WolfEducation
Gov. Wolf, Don’t Raises Taxes on Working People
My letter to the editor in the Pocono Record tackles some of the myths about educations spending and Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed tax increase—and why, after the House of Represented rejected…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf, Don’t Raises Taxes on Working PeopleState Budget
Wolf Plays Politics of the Past with Budget Veto
Wolf Plays Politics of the Past with Budget Veto Governor’s Own Plan Grossly out of Step with 49 Other States July 1, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Within hours of receiving the…
Press Release
Read More: Wolf Plays Politics of the Past with Budget VetoRegulation
Pension Reform Promises Fair,Sustainable Retirement for State Workers
Pension Reform Promises Fair,Sustainable Retirement for State Workers Protects New Employees’ Retirements from Political Manipulation Last night, the Pennsylvania Legislature sent a monumental public pension reform measure to…
Press Release
Read More: Pension Reform Promises Fair,Sustainable Retirement for State WorkersState Budget
Legislature Passes Responsible No-Tax-Hike, Pro-Growth Budget
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: John Bouder, 570-490-1042 Legislature Passes Responsible No-Tax-Hike,Pro-Growth Budget Taxpayer-Friendly Alternative to Gov. Wolf’s Tax-And-Spend Plan June 30, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today,…
Press Release
Read More: Legislature Passes Responsible No-Tax-Hike, Pro-Growth BudgetState Budget
Audio: Wolf’s Tax Increase Dwarfs All Other States
Compared to the 49 other states, Gov. Wolf’s budget inflicts a tax increase that dwarfs all others–in fact, it’s 8 times larger than the state with the next highest tax…
Media
Read More: Audio: Wolf’s Tax Increase Dwarfs All Other StatesRegulation
The Myth of the Modest Pension
One of the specious arguments used to thwart pension reform centers on the average benefits of retirees. Opponents of reform claim the “average pension benefit” is around $25,000 annually. But…
Media
Read More: The Myth of the Modest Pension