High 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

Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Budget Blindspot

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • August 12, 2015

CF’s Nate Benefield joins Dom Giordano on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT to discuss the budget impasse and Gov. Wolf’s misleading claims. During their conversation, Nate shed light on Gov.

Media

Read More: Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Budget Blindspot

State Budget

A Way Out of Budget Gridlock

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • August 10, 2015

With budget traffic at a standstill, how do we press through the roadblock to a resolution that benefits all Pennsylvanians?…

Commentary

Read More: A Way Out of Budget Gridlock

State Budget

Listen: Telephone Townhall on PA Budget and More

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • August 10, 2015

Matt Brouillette and Rich Zeoli of Talk Radio 1210 WPHT answer questions about the Pennsylvania budget during a telephone town hall. Matt explains how Gov. Wolf's tax plan that would smack…

Media

Read More: Listen: Telephone Townhall on PA Budget and More

State Budget

Silly Talk with Gov. Wolf

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 6, 2015

Gov. Tom Wolf appeared on Radio Smart Talk yesterday morning. He mostly danced around host Scott LaMar's questions—claiming “You don't know what I’ve been supporting” on pension reform, and…

Media

Read More: Silly Talk with Gov. Wolf

Regulation

Could Coal’s Savior be PA’s Legislature?

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Gordon Tomb
  • August 5, 2015

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

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 3, 2015

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’ Tour

Regulation

Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto Warns Wolf on Pension Bonds

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • July 30, 2015

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 Bonds

State Budget

Which States Have the Biggest Tax Increases?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 30, 2015

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!

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 29, 2015

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?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 28, 2015

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

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 23, 2015

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 Dozen

Taxes & Economy

A Cooked Goose Lays No Golden Eggs

  • Gordon Tomb
  • July 21, 2015

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 Eggs

Taxes & Economy

A Severance Tax “Like Other States”? Not so fast

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 17, 2015

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 fast

State Budget

Harrisburg is Ignoring the Biggest Budget Buster

  • July 17, 2015

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 Buster

State Budget

Wolf Truth Squad: Property Tax Relief Now

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 14, 2015

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 Now

State Budget

Audio: Severance Tax Hurts All

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • July 13, 2015

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 All

Education

America Works (On Misleading the Public)

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 13, 2015

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

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 9, 2015

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 Past

Regulation

Pension Reform Veto Costs Pennsylvanians Dearly

  • July 9, 2015

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 Dearly

Taxes & Economy

Reprehensible

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 9, 2015

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: Reprehensible

Regulation

Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Vetoes Keep the Status Quo Alive

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • July 8, 2015

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 Alive