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.
Public Union Democracy
Government Unions Break Cities
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal illustrates how government union leaders halted any reforms that may have prevented Detroit’s bankruptcy: A major expense for Detroit is the…
Media
Read More: Government Unions Break CitiesHealth Care
States Use Federalism to Protect Poor
The debate in the Keystone State on the question of whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act looks to be ending. Governor Tom Corbett has successfully pointed out…
Commentary
Read More: States Use Federalism to Protect PoorTaxes & Economy
Drilling Moratorium Handcuffs Landowners, Stunts Economy
The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) continues to stymie development of the Marcellus Shale in all or parts of 13 Pennsylvania counties even as Governor Corbett, Senator Pat…
Media
Read More: Drilling Moratorium Handcuffs Landowners, Stunts EconomyRegulation
“Failure” Leads to Downgrade for Pennsylvania
This latest look at Pennsylvania’s fiscal house shows the urgency of pension reform and spending restraint. Fitch Ratings yesterday downgraded Pennsylvania’s bond rating. This effectively sends a sign to…
Media
Read More: “Failure” Leads to Downgrade for PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
We’re 39th! We’re 39th!
CNBC just released its ranking of the top states for business in 2013. In case you missed the subtle wording in this blog’s title, Pennsylvania languishes near the bottom.
Media
Read More: We’re 39th! We’re 39th!Taxes & Economy
Gasland Part II: New Name, Same Propaganda
Remember the frackaphobic film Gasland (2010) directed by Pennsylvania native Josh Fox? Although a documentary in name, we proved the film to be largely fictional. Despite critical acclaim and…
Media
Read More: Gasland Part II: New Name, Same PropagandaHealth Care
Obamacare Failure: Goodbye Jobs
Last week, the Obama administration tried to sneak through an Affordable Care Act (ACA) bombshell—the delay of the employer mandate. What does this mean? Basically, it acknowledges that as…
Media
Read More: Obamacare Failure: Goodbye JobsState Budget
New Video: Budget Season Wrap Up
Gov. Corbett signed a more than $28 billion budget at the end of June—but was it a win for you the taxpayer? CF policy experts offer answers on this and…
Media
Read More: New Video: Budget Season Wrap UpTaxes & Economy
EPA Quietly Drops Flawed Fracking Study
With all of its enormous resources, the federal government’s capacity to influence exceeds even that of Hollywood and Madison Avenue. That is why it is so disconcerting when Washington…
Media
Read More: EPA Quietly Drops Flawed Fracking StudyPublic Union Democracy
Big Government Party Blocks Bold Reforms
Why haven’t liquor privatization and pension reform passed yet here in Pennsylvania? The reason is that the true divide in the General Assembly is not between the Republicans and Democrats,…
Commentary
Read More: Big Government Party Blocks Bold ReformsPublic Union Democracy
Government Unions Torpedo Agenda
The state budget deadline came and went without passage of any of the “Big Three” policy items—liquor store privatization, pension reform, or transportation tax and fee increases. It was clear…
Media
Read More: Government Unions Torpedo AgendaHealth Care
Lawmakers Stand up for Taxpayers, Reject Medicaid Expansion
Yesterday, 108 House Representatives voted to protect taxpayers from an expansion of the broken and unaffordable Medicaid program. You can thank them here. Medicaid expansion is an optional part of…
Media
Read More: Lawmakers Stand up for Taxpayers, Reject Medicaid ExpansionPublic Union Democracy
Disappointing Budget Shows Need to Keep Fighting
This past weekend was not for the political faint of heart. Special interests, led by government union bosses and crony capitalists, prevented real liquor privatization and effective pension reform from…
Media
Read More: Disappointing Budget Shows Need to Keep FightingRegulation
Podcast: Where Does Pension Reform Stand?
On this BOX Program podcast, Representative Fred Keller (R) 85th District, joins Nathan Benefield to break down what’s been happening in the legislature on pension reform. Both the House and…
Media
Read More: Podcast: Where Does Pension Reform Stand?Regulation
Pension Reform Benefits Workers and Taxpayers
Pennsylvania’s two main government worker pension systems, the Public School Employee Retirement System (PSERS) and the State Employee Retirement System (SERS), together have more tha than $47 billion in unfunded…
Media
Read More: Pension Reform Benefits Workers and TaxpayersGovernment Accountability
Mailbag: That “Delaware Loophole” Thingamajig
A few readers responded to my op-ed on corporate tax reform, asking “If you want fairness, why don’t you support ‘ending the Delaware Loophole’?” Unfortunately, many believe that the…
Media
Read More: Mailbag: That “Delaware Loophole” ThingamajigTaxes & Economy
Double Taxation = Double Trouble for PA Businesses
It can’t be easy being a business owner in Pennsylvania. Combined with the federal tax rate, Pennsylvania businesses pay the second highest tax rate on their profits in the entire…
Media
Read More: Double Taxation = Double Trouble for PA BusinessesRegulation
Putting Pension Projections in Perspective
Critics of pension reform cite certain actuarial reports claiming that shifting new employees to a defined contribution plan (like a 401(k) in the private sector) will actually cost taxpayers more. …
Media
Read More: Putting Pension Projections in PerspectiveEducation
6 Trends in Public School Spending
The Pennsylvania Department of Education recently updated files from public schools’ annual financial reports and enrollment reports. Here are six key trends from those data.
Memo
Read More: 6 Trends in Public School SpendingHealth Care
Budget Could Transform Pa., For Good or Ill
About one week remains for lawmakers to finalize a state budget. But along with a spending plan, a number of major policy reforms remain in the mix. The outcomes of…
Media
Read More: Budget Could Transform Pa., For Good or IllPublic Union Democracy
Budget Opens Door for Prevailing Wage Reform
Before taxpayers are asked to give more for Pennsylvania’s transportation needs, are current transportation tax dollars being spent wisely? That’s the question several lawmakers are asking, as time winds down…
Media
Read More: Budget Opens Door for Prevailing Wage Reform