State Budget
Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax Reform
Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Today is Tax Day. Each year, April 15th reminds us of the costliness of government spending – and why lawmakers must reduce this financial burden on…
Read More: Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax ReformHigh 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.
Regulation
Could Coal’s Savior be PA’s Legislature?
180 workers in CONSOL Energy’s coal division recently lost their jobs. Now, Pennsylvania’s legislature may be the only thing standing between the Obama administration and complete destruction of the…
Media
Read More: Could Coal’s Savior be PA’s Legislature?Education
Truth Lacking on ‘Schools That Teach’ Tour
Gov. Wolf’s 'Schools That Teach' public relations tour and statewide ad campaigns supporting him aren’t telling voters the truth about the budget impasse or the governor's tax proposal.
Commentary
Read More: Truth Lacking on ‘Schools That Teach’ TourRegulation
Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto Warns Wolf on Pension Bonds
This week, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto criticized Gov. Wolf’s plan to sell $3 billion in pension obligation bonds. In a meeting with editors and reporters from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,…
Media
Read More: Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto Warns Wolf on Pension BondsState Budget
Which States Have the Biggest Tax Increases?
Previously, we blogged on how Gov. Wolf’s tax proposal raises more revenue than the tax proposals in the 49 other states combined. To put this another way, Wolf’s $4.6 billion tax increase is nearly $4 billion more…
Media
Read More: Which States Have the Biggest Tax Increases?State Budget
Pay No Attention to Those Tax Increases!
The liberal Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center—an arm of the union-funded Keystone Research Center—has a new claim that Gov. Wolf's “property tax relief” is similiar to that in a bill passed…
Media
Read More: Pay No Attention to Those Tax Increases!State Budget
When Will Gov. Wolf Compromise?
My letter to the editor in the Times Leader today takes Gov. Wolf to task for claiming to compromise, while still insisting on his sales and income tax increases—the largest tax…
Media
Read More: When Will Gov. Wolf Compromise?Taxes & Economy
Wolf Truth Squad: The Dirty Dozen
Gov. Tom Wolf is touring the state, touting an energy tax for education—while omitting several important facts. He’s not mentioning that a severance tax will hurt real people with…
Media
Read More: Wolf Truth Squad: The Dirty DozenTaxes & Economy
A Cooked Goose Lays No Golden Eggs
Gov. Wolf continues to promote a severance tax on natural gas, even as Pennsylvania energy companies report financial losses and job reductions. This week, Consol Energy projected…
Media
Read More: A Cooked Goose Lays No Golden EggsTaxes & 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 Pen