High 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.

Taxes & Economy

Tax-Exempt Government Property Adds to Harrisburg’s Woes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 29, 2011

The city of Harrisburg is facing a fiscal crisis primarily brought on by over-spending, accruing too much debt, and getting into areas government has no business—from the incinerator to owning…

Media

Read More: Tax-Exempt Government Property Adds to Harrisburg’s Woes

Taxes & Economy

Map: PA Among Highest Unemployment Tax Rates

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 28, 2011

The Tax Foundation has a new map showing unemployment insurance tax rates. As you can see, Pennsylvania has one of the highest tax rates in the nation. The unemployment…

Media

Read More: Map: PA Among Highest Unemployment Tax Rates

Taxes & Economy

PennFuture’s Political Games

  • December 27, 2011

Enviro-profiteers PennFuture (an environmental activist group) misused tens of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars, and what was the President and CEO Jan Jarrett’s response? “My bad.” Jarrett admitted…

Media

Read More: PennFuture’s Political Games

Taxes & Economy

Marcellus Drilling Rescues Williamsport

  • December 27, 2011

Earlier this month, I visited Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series and a growing economy. Clearly it’s not just baseball that brightens this central Pa. city…

Media

Read More: Marcellus Drilling Rescues Williamsport

Health Care

No Rush on Health Insurance Exchanges

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • December 22, 2011

In late November the Department of Insurance announced that Pennsylvania would begin implementing a state health insurance exchange as laid out in PPACA (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care…

Media

Read More: No Rush on Health Insurance Exchanges

Taxes & Economy

Drilling Regulations in Pennsylvania vs. Neighbors

  • December 21, 2011

Marcellus Shale opponents often mislead the public with claims such as the industry doesn’t pay taxes (debunked here), the economic benefits are overstated (read here,…

Media

Read More: Drilling Regulations in Pennsylvania vs. Neighbors

Government Accountability

More on Hellholes, of the Judicial Sort

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • December 21, 2011

The yearly Judicial Hellhole report from the American Tort Reform Foundation ranks Philadelphia as the number one judicial hellhole for the second year in a row. Pennsylvania’s court…

Media

Read More: More on Hellholes, of the Judicial Sort

Taxes & Economy

New Study Show Impact of Shale Gas

  • December 12, 2011

Hot on the heels of UGI Utilities’ 13 percent reduction in gas rates, comes a comprehensive study examining the impact of shale gas on the economy nationwide. The report…

Media

Read More: New Study Show Impact of Shale Gas

Health Care

How Much Will Obamacare Cost You?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • December 9, 2011

The federal health care overhaul will be paid for with spending cuts and an estimated $420 billion in new taxes. How much of that $420 billion will come out of your pocket?…

Media

Read More: How Much Will Obamacare Cost You?

Taxes & Economy

Marcellus Shale Drilling Equals Affordable Energy

  • December 1, 2011

As the Intelligencer Journal reports, Marcellus Shale drilling is the reason UGI Utilities is dropping natural gas rates by 13.5 percent, providing significant savings for the 15 counties…

Media

Read More: Marcellus Shale Drilling Equals Affordable Energy

Taxes & Economy

Chart of the Day: Shale Growth Fuels Tax Growth

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 1, 2011

We noted previously how the boom from Marcellus Shale natural gas has fueled a dramatic increase in state corporate tax collections.  Pennsylvania Department of Revenue data also show a…

Media

Read More: Chart of the Day: Shale Growth Fuels Tax Growth

Taxes & Economy

Lt. Gov. Cawley & Marcellus Shale on The BOX

  • November 23, 2011

Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley is the latest guest on The BOX Podcast hosted by Matt Brouillette. They discuss Marcellus Shale misconceptions, Gov. Corbett’s impact fee, and the vast potential for…

Media

Read More: Lt. Gov. Cawley & Marcellus Shale on The BOX

Regulation

Green Fiascoes and Boondoggles

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 22, 2011

Economist Mark Hendrickson, a member of CF’s Council of Scholars, looks at the failure of government funded “green energy” projects in his latest column for the Center for Vision…

Media

Read More: Green Fiascoes and Boondoggles

Taxes & Economy

Sky Darkens for Solar Mandates

  • November 21, 2011

HB 1580, which we wrote about previously, would accelerate state mandates for utilities to use solar power as part of their electricity portfolio. A new Energy Association of…

Media

Read More: Sky Darkens for Solar Mandates

Public Union Democracy

Right to Work Helps Oklahoma Economy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 21, 2011

A new analysis from the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs shows that since the Sooner State passed a right to work law in 2001—allowing all workers to choose whether…

Media

Read More: Right to Work Helps Oklahoma Economy

Education

The Lesson of Ohio Might Not Be What You Think

  • Charles Mitchell
  • November 18, 2011

The Wall Street Journal recently featured a very short, very striking piece on the defeat of much-needed limits on the power of government unions in Ohio.  The conventional wisdom on…

Media

Read More: The Lesson of Ohio Might Not Be What You Think

Taxes & Economy

Gas Drilling for Pennsylvania’s Farms, Family and Future

  • November 16, 2011

Across Pennsylvania, natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale has benefited not just companies but also human beings -- by creating tens of thousands of jobs, rescuing families from foreclosure,…

Commentary

Read More: Gas Drilling for Pennsylvania’s Farms, Family and Future

Taxes & Economy

Are Gas Drillers Paying Their “Fair Share”?

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • November 14, 2011

The Scranton Times-Tribune and the Patriot-News criticize HB 1950 (the natural gas fee proposal) for not taxing gas drillers enough, yet fail to include basic information about…

Media

Read More: Are Gas Drillers Paying Their “Fair Share”?

Taxes & Economy

Marcellus Shale Lowers Heating Bills

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • November 2, 2011

The Pittsburgh Tribune and Erie Times report natural gas prices are decreasing as we approach the winter months. Rates per thousand cubic feet are dropping across western Pennsylvania.

Media

Read More: Marcellus Shale Lowers Heating Bills