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.
Education
School Spending is the Issue
My letter to the editor in yesterday’s York Daily Record addresses some inaccuracies about education spending in Pennsylvania. Your editorial on education funding (“Funding formula a good…
Media
Read More: School Spending is the IssueEducation
Fewer Districts Seek Big Property Tax Hikes
Government union leaders like to claim mythical state education funding cuts caused widespread school property tax increases. But new data shows fewer school districts are actually receiving exceptions…
Media
Read More: Fewer Districts Seek Big Property Tax HikesTaxes & Economy
Minimum Wage Backers Leave Young Minorities Behind
Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Minimum Wage Backers Leave Young Minorities Behind Wage mandates push black youth out of the job market Today, Big Labor-backed groups will rally to…
Press Release
Read More: Minimum Wage Backers Leave Young Minorities BehindTaxes & Economy
Dangers of a Severance Tax
Given the fiscal challenges facing the state, many advocacy groups are calling for new taxes on natural gas. However, lawmakers should be aware that a severance tax will make Pennsylvania…
Memo
Read More: Dangers of a Severance TaxState Budget
A Blueprint for a Prosperous Pennsylvania
We have been warned: Pennsylvania is on a path to higher taxes, fewer jobs, more debt, and a lower standard of living if the state does not rein in…
Media
Read More: A Blueprint for a Prosperous PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Severance Tax Benefits the Powerful at Citizens’ Expense
Washington County farmer Shawn Georgetti was living paycheck to paycheck before the Marcellus Shale boom. Thanks to a natural gas lease, he’s finally been able to upgrade his 30-year-old equipment.
Commentary
Read More: Severance Tax Benefits the Powerful at Citizens’ ExpenseHealth Care
Five Reasons the Exchanges are Failing
Over 8 million Americans and 300,000 Pennsylvanians signed up for health insurance on the Obamacare exchanges according to data released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)…
Media
Read More: Five Reasons the Exchanges are FailingState Budget
Tax Cuts To Blame for Pennsylvania’s Budget Deficit?
As we have pointed out in the past, Pennsylvania’s legacy of overspending has created a looming deficit, threatening to destroy our fiscal house. Yet, some lawmakers and public officials…
Media
Read More: Tax Cuts To Blame for Pennsylvania’s Budget Deficit?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
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