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.
Health Care
Poverty Isn’t a Partisan Problem
Here’s a sobering fact: 13.1 percent of Pennsylvanians live in poverty despite billions spent every year on the social safety net. Simply throwing more money at the problem won’t make…
Media
Read More: Poverty Isn’t a Partisan ProblemState Budget
S&P Worried About Pennsylvania’s Overspending
Standard & Poor’s is sounding the alarm, once again, on Pennsylvania’s record of overspending. A new S&P report singles out the commonwealth for not putting our fiscal house in order,…
Media
Read More: S&P Worried About Pennsylvania’s OverspendingGovernment Accountability
Happy Tax Freedom Day, Pennsylvania!
Happy Tax Freedom Day! It took from January 1 until today for Pennsylvanians to have earned enough income to pay off their federal, state, and local taxes for the year. …
Media
Read More: Happy Tax Freedom Day, Pennsylvania!Health Care
My Obamacare Plan is Failing Me
Tuesday is the last day to sign up for health insurance on the Obamacare exchange. Luckily I’ve already purchased an exchange plan. But barely one month into my new health…
Commentary
Read More: My Obamacare Plan is Failing MeTaxes & Economy
Taxes Not Popular in Pennsylvania
Shocker! (Not really). A new Gallup poll finds that the majority of Pennsylvanians—58 percent—think state taxes are too high. Pennsylvania’s polling falls right in line based on our tax…
Media
Read More: Taxes Not Popular in PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
The Harmful Effects of a Minimum Wage Increase
In his 2014 State of the Union address, President Obama proposed increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour. Although it sounds beneficial to low-wage workers, minimum wage…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Harmful Effects of a Minimum Wage IncreaseHealth Care
Washington isn’t Interested in Fixing Medicaid
“We have been legitimately working very hard with them and frankly, I’m very disappointed with the turn in discussions in the last week,” said Governor Corbett (paywall) on the federal…
Media
Read More: Washington isn’t Interested in Fixing MedicaidHealth Care
Obamacare Fails to Deliver on Key Promises
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Obamacare Fails to Deliver on Key Promises More Pennsylvanians have lost coverage than gained because of Obamacare March 31, 2014,…
Press Release
Read More: Obamacare Fails to Deliver on Key PromisesHealth Care
Protected from Obamacare
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act promised to provide more affordable and better health care for all. Unfortunately, the law has delivered just the opposite—so much so that President…
Media
Read More: Protected from ObamacareRegulation
NFIB Study Finds PA Minimum Wage Bills Kill Jobs
Thanks to a recent minimum wage increase, 61 percent of New Jersey businesses are likely to raise their prices. In addition, a Congressional Budget Office analysis found increasing…
Media
Read More: NFIB Study Finds PA Minimum Wage Bills Kill JobsTaxes & Economy
Minimum Wage, Minimum Opportunity
In 2007, the Philadelphia Youth Network needed to cut 1,100 jobs for inner-city teens. Why? Because they couldn’t afford to place as many teens in jobs under the higher minimum…
Media
Read More: Minimum Wage, Minimum OpportunityRegulation
A Risk Too Great: Bonds Alone Could Worsen Pension Crisis
Is your family ready to bend their budget to pay for Pennsylvania’s pension crisis? State pension costs are set to drive up the average family’s taxes by nearly $900 annually,…
Media
Read More: A Risk Too Great: Bonds Alone Could Worsen Pension CrisisRegulation
End Special Subsidies to Lower Taxes for All
Taxpayers have spent millions on four different occasions to subsidize the infamous “Sony site” in Westmoreland County. In the 1970’s Volkswagen got $70 million in state aid under Gov.
Media
Read More: End Special Subsidies to Lower Taxes for AllRegulation
A Look at Job Growth in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s economy is beginning to recover from the 2007 recession, according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since 2010, Pennsylvania has added 86,400 jobs, ranking…
Media
Read More: A Look at Job Growth in PennsylvaniaState Budget
Gov. Rendell Left Pennsylvania a Big Deficit
Recent headlines have former Gov. Ed Rendell challenging Gov. Tom Corbett on the issue of the deficit he left the current administration. Gov. Corbett has campaign ads stating he closed…
Media
Read More: Gov. Rendell Left Pennsylvania a Big DeficitHealth Care
Liberal Group Screams “Murder” over Medicaid Expansion
This week, John Micek called out Keystone Progress on his Pennlive.com blog for what he termed a “disgusting” email that “has no place in our discourse.” What provoked this…
Media
Read More: Liberal Group Screams “Murder” over Medicaid ExpansionTaxes & Economy
Warning to PA: Alternative Energy Subsidies Damage Europe
State legislators who advocate for an expansion of government incentives for alternative energy sources need to pay attention to the events happening across the pond where the European Commission is…
Media
Read More: Warning to PA: Alternative Energy Subsidies Damage EuropeState Budget
Pennsylvanians Are Losing Economic Freedom
Pennsylvanians are losing economic freedom according to the Fraser Institute’s annual report, Economic Freedom of North America 2013. The commonwealth is slowly losing ground ranking 33rd in 2009 and…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvanians Are Losing Economic FreedomState Budget
5 Facts About the State Budget Proposal
The 2014-15 Pennsylvania State Budget proposal is more than 1000 pages, but we’ve boiled it down to five facts taxpayers you need to know 1. State Spending is at an All-Time…
Media
Read More: 5 Facts About the State Budget ProposalState Budget
State Budget Déjà Vu
Ceremonies in Punxsutawney have come and gone, but every year Groundhog Day reminds me of the film of the same name—in which Bill Murray lives the same day over and over…
Commentary
Read More: State Budget Déjà VuState Budget
Governor’s Budget Right on Priorities
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact:717-671-1901 Governor's Budget Right on Priorities February 4, 2014, HARRISBURG, Pa—In response to Governor Corbett’s budget address this afternoon, Matthew J. Brouillette,…
Press Release
Read More: Governor’s Budget Right on Priorities