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.
Regulation
Preserving Penn’s Woods Proven by Public-Private Partnerships
Earlier this month, Gov. Tom Corbett suggested the commonwealth consider leasing state park operations and services. Almost immediately and without thoughtful consideration, pundits launched political fire, claiming "privateers" would exploit…
Commentary
Read More: Preserving Penn’s Woods Proven by Public-Private PartnershipsTaxes & Economy
Alternative Energy Mandates Make Consumers Pay More for Electricity
This month, the PUC released its latest annual report evaluating Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards. The report shows renewable energy continues to take more out of taxpayer's…
Media
Read More: Alternative Energy Mandates Make Consumers Pay More for ElectricityTaxes & Economy
Hiding the Decline of Academic and Scientific Transparency
That’s what University of Virginia continues to do, as my colleague at American Tradition Institute Chris Horner explains today in Washington Examiner. Earlier this week…
Media
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Scorecard: Toomey Scores, Casey Fumbles for Pa.
Yesterday, Heritage Action released its legislative scorecard for all members of the 112th U.S. Congress. The scorecard can be searched by name, state or even zip code. Current…
Media
Read More: Scorecard: Toomey Scores, Casey Fumbles for Pa.Taxes & Economy
Marcellus Shale Local Impact Fee
Good evening. I am Elizabeth Stelle, a Policy Analyst for the Commonwealth Foundation. We are Pennsylvania’s free market think that crafts and promotes free-market policies based on guiding principles like…
Testimony
Read More: Marcellus Shale Local Impact FeeTaxes & Economy
Gov. Corbett’s Budget Guidelines Include Privatizing Yellow Pages, Streamlining
An Administrative Circular sent to state agencies this month outlines Gov. Tom Corbett’s expectation for his 2012-13 Executive Budget. Recognizing the state will be faced with fiscal challenges…
Media
Read More: Gov. Corbett’s Budget Guidelines Include Privatizing Yellow Pages, StreamliningPublic Union Democracy
When Union Bosses Make Stuff Up, We Offer Facts
In a story by PA Independent, AFL-CIO head honcho Rick Bloomingdale attempts to deny the incredible job growth in right-to-work states like Texas. Bloomingdale comments: “Most likely, the…
Media
Read More: When Union Bosses Make Stuff Up, We Offer FactsTaxes & Economy
EPA Regs Kill PA Jobs
Cap and Trade may be officially dead in Congress but the EPA is busy resurrecting it in a far more disastrous policy agenda that kills thousands of Pennsylvania jobs and…
Media
Read More: EPA Regs Kill PA JobsTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Drilling not Increasing Local Government Costs
A new study from the Marcellus Shale Center for Outreach and Research at Penn State provides an analysis of the cost to local government from Marcells Shale drilling. With…
Media
Read More: Marcellus Drilling not Increasing Local Government CostsRegulation
This Is What a Boom Looks Like
About half an hour ago, I was in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. (For my fellow natives of the Philadelphia area, Canonsburg is southwest of Pittsburgh, where they say “younse” instead of “youse”…
Media
Read More: This Is What a Boom Looks LikeTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania’s Cost of Government Day
By the calculation of Americans for Tax Reform, Pennsylvania just reached its Cost of Government Day. That is, it took the average Keystone worker until Aug. 15, or 227…
Media
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Welfare Fraud Persists
The LIHEAP heating assistance program is once again under fire from Auditor General Jack Wagner. A 2007 audit lead the district attorney of Philadelphia to charge 18 people with…
Media
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Who’s Nutty Now?
There’s a ton of chatter out there right now about how nutty the Tea Party is, most recently with 29 percent of voters saying Tea Party members are “economic…
Media
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PA Among Least Attractive Places to Drill in the World
According to the Fraser Institute’s 2011 Global Petroleum Survey, Pennsylvania remains one of the least attractive places to drill in the world. The state ranks 65, an improvement of…
Media
Read More: PA Among Least Attractive Places to Drill in the WorldEnergy
Taxing Gas will Burden Pennsylvanians
Despite the manufactured fears of disaster and cheers for a unique tax on drilling, Pennsylvania can balance economic growth with environmental protection without imposing a new tax. The true impacts…
Commentary
Read More: Taxing Gas will Burden PennsylvaniansTaxes & Economy
Debating a Natural Gas Tax
Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer features two editorials debating a natural gas jobs tax. The Inquirer‘s editorial board begins its article with a straw-man argument, that tax opponents’ claim the industry…
Media
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The Great Frack Attack: The War on Natural Gas
Much attention has been paid to the efforts of gas companies to influence the political debate through campaign contributions and lobbying efforts. But anti-drilling activists—while claiming gas companies use their…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Great Frack Attack: The War on Natural GasTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Shale Impact Continues to Grow
Last week, Penn State economists released the third in a series of economic analysis on Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale industry. The report estimated: Private companies spent $5.3 billion on drilling…
Media
Read More: Marcellus Shale Impact Continues to GrowEducation
Penn State’s Smallest Tuition Hike in Years
The conventional wisdom ever since March 8, when Gov. Tom Corbett made his budget address, has been very simple: The sky is falling! How, exactly? In the form of crippling…
Media
Read More: Penn State’s Smallest Tuition Hike in YearsTaxes & Economy
Corbett’s Commission Endorses Natural Gas Impact Fee
Today, the Marcellus Shale Commission is voting on long-awaited recommendations on natural gas development. The full report will be available next Friday, but the Commission has decided to recommend an…
Media
Read More: Corbett’s Commission Endorses Natural Gas Impact FeeTaxes & Economy
Presentation on Marcellus Shale
Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking at an event organized by Pennsylvania Chautauqua on the Marcellus Shale’s development and impact on the Keystone State. Below is a copy of my presentation.
Media
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