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
Win for Transparency in Public School Spending
How would you like to know what’s in a teachers’ contract before your school district passes it—and locks in spending—for four years? And how would you like to track how…
Media
Read More: Win for Transparency in Public School SpendingState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Fiscal Condition is Critical
Pennsylvania ranks 42nd in overall fiscal condition, according to a report by Sarah Arnett of the Mercatus Center. The report, State Fiscal Condition: Ranking the 50 States, analyzes states’ abilities…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Fiscal Condition is CriticalHealth Care
How Government Unions Support Obamacare
Government unions such as the NEA and SEIU lobbied for passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which will raise the cost of health care through various mandates…
Media
Read More: How Government Unions Support ObamacareTaxes & Economy
The True Cost of Minimum Wage
If a higher minimum wage benefits workers, why not push it to $20 or $30 or even higher? Because experience shows minimum wage increases actually hurt the very workers they…
Commentary
Read More: The True Cost of Minimum WageState Budget
Budget Burdens Bring Consequences
Know that feeling a month after Christmas when the credit card statement shows you blew your holiday budget? Imagine the pain you’d experience after six consecutive years of spending beyond…
Commentary
Read More: Budget Burdens Bring ConsequencesTaxes & Economy
EPA Regulations Threaten Pennsylvania Jobs
The prospects for Pennsylvania coal industry have gotten so bad that Tom Crooks has contemplated moving his company from the state to find greener pastures Crooks is vice…
Media
Read More: EPA Regulations Threaten Pennsylvania JobsRegulation
2014: A Year for Pension Reform
Pension reform promises to be on the forefront of the legislative agenda in the new year, and for good reason. PSERS and SERS, the state’s two pension systems for…
Media
Read More: 2014: A Year for Pension ReformPublic Union Democracy
The Unemployed Need Opportunities, Not Handouts
Those suggesting the federal government continue its temporary extension of unemployment benefits point to our stagnant economy and high unemployment as justification. But, in truth, these results have been caused…
Commentary
Read More: The Unemployed Need Opportunities, Not HandoutsTaxes & Economy
More Than Their Fair Share
A fair and sound tax policy requires that people or businesses pay for the government they use, including the cost of extracting natural gas. Yet despite the passage of a…
Media
Read More: More Than Their Fair ShareHealth Care
“Healthy PA:” What’s It All Mean?
Last Friday, Gov. Corbett released full details of his Healthy PA initiative, which seeks to expand government-funded health insurance under Obamacare (using Medicaid expansion funds to pay private insurance…
Media
Read More: “Healthy PA:” What’s It All Mean?Public Union Democracy
Detroit Warning: Reform Needed to Save Pensions
“They are going to take away your pension!” is a common scare tactic used by Pennsylvania government union leaders to oppose pension reform (even though private school unions have…
Media
Read More: Detroit Warning: Reform Needed to Save PensionsTaxes & Economy
Mailbag: Is Pennsylvania Taxed Too Little?
In response to a blog post on Pennsylvania’s bleak budget future, a reader took issue with the claim that Pennsylvania has the 10th highest state and local tax…
Media
Read More: Mailbag: Is Pennsylvania Taxed Too Little?Health Care
Pennsylvania’s Bleak Budget Future
Pennsylvania’s fiscal outlook looks bleak according to a detailed report examining state revenue and spending released by the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) last week. The agency projects a general…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Bleak Budget FutureGovernment Accountability
Obama Supporter Soured by Obamacare Ordeal
Lynn Larrick doesn't fit the usual profile of someone angry with President Obama. She's a staunch Democrat, a retired Philadelphia teacher, and a union member. But when she—like more than…
Commentary
Read More: Obama Supporter Soured by Obamacare OrdealGovernment Accountability
TV Report: Waste & Fraud in Public Welfare
In a scathing investigative report, Chris Papst at CBS 21 revealed a widespread culture in Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare (DPW)—and orders from supervisors—to look past fraudulent claims to enroll…
Media
Read More: TV Report: Waste & Fraud in Public WelfarePublic Union Democracy
Video: The Unintended Consequences of Labor Policy
Did you know that raising the minimum wage harms the low-skilled workers the policy is meant to help? Or that prevailing wage laws artificially increase the cost of public works…
Media
Read More: Video: The Unintended Consequences of Labor PolicyRegulation
Let Markets Decide Natural Gas Role
Could natural gas replace gasoline or diesel for Pennsylvania drivers? With natural gas certain to become even more plentiful, many people are asking whether that could someday be…
Media
Read More: Let Markets Decide Natural Gas RoleRegulation
Reform State Pension Plans Now or Pay More Taxes Later
Is your family ready to lose a mortgage payment or give up cellphone service for increased property and state taxes? Or would you rather see 33,000 public school teachers in…
Commentary
Read More: Reform State Pension Plans Now or Pay More Taxes LaterTaxes & Economy
Unions, Democrats Link Transportation to Philly Schools Funding
For months, state capitol pundits have complained about a “linkage” between votes on transportation funding and liquor store privatization. Indeed, government unions lobbied with taxpayer resources to try to…
Media
Read More: Unions, Democrats Link Transportation to Philly Schools FundingPublic Union Democracy
Unions Fight to Block $40 Million in Taxpayer Savings
Pennsylvania legislative leaders continue discussions over increasing transportation funding. In return for higher spending, some negotiators are seeking modest, common sense reforms to the prevailing wage law. These reforms would…
Media
Read More: Unions Fight to Block $40 Million in Taxpayer SavingsRegulation
We Just Lowered the Debt Ceiling
Yesterday, House and Senate leaders came together to negotiate a deal—that passed with bipartisan support in both chambers—to reduce our debt ceiling. If that sounds unbelievable, I should…
Media
Read More: We Just Lowered the Debt Ceiling