Education
Lawmakers can ease financial worries of Pennsylvanians
Originally published at LNP The struggle is real. When asked about their families’ financial situation, only 17% of Pennsylvanians see themselves as better off now than two years ago,…
Read More: Lawmakers can ease financial worries of PennsylvaniansHigh 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
Can’t Cut, Can We?
While Pennsylvania’s public universities continue to cry poverty, pesky facts keep proving otherwise. Here’s a snippet from a piece by Debra Erdley in yesterday’s Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Professors at…
Media
Read More: Can’t Cut, Can We?Taxes & Economy
Economic Freedom Means no Subsidies for any Energy Source
The Marcellus Works proposal is a package of seven bills designed to incentivize natural gas vehicles through a combinations of tax credits and government loans. The bills include: HB…
Media
Read More: Economic Freedom Means no Subsidies for any Energy SourcePublic Union Democracy
Taxpayers First: The New, New Deal
Today, the average government employee enjoys better health care benefits, better pensions, better job security, and an earlier retirement than the average private-sector worker. To pay for this, however, taxpayers…
Commentary
Read More: Taxpayers First: The New, New DealTaxes & Economy
Lies, Heinz and Volz
Last week Steve Milloy of Junkscience.com published an expose’ of a water quality report by University of Pittsburgh gas frack panicker Conrad…
Media
Read More: Lies, Heinz and VolzTaxes & Economy
House Republicans Introduce Welfare Reforms
Public Welfare is both the largest—at over $27 billion in total spending— and among the fastest growing programs in the Pennsylvania state budget. In…
Media
Read More: House Republicans Introduce Welfare ReformsGovernment Accountability
Is Lawsuit Abuse Reform Coming to PA?
Pennsylvania is on its way to joining the 41 states that have either repealed or updated their joint and several liability law. HB 1, known as the Fair…
Media
Read More: Is Lawsuit Abuse Reform Coming to PA?Education
Higher Education Spending & Performance
Gov. Tom Corbett's FY 2011-12 budget proposal includes $63.6 billion in total operating spending—$27.3 billion in General Fund spending—a reduction of $3.3 billion from FY 2010-11. This budget restores overall…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Higher Education Spending & PerformanceTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania State Budget Resources 2011
Gov. Tom Corbett's FY 2011-12 budget proposal includes $63.6 billion in total operating spending—$27.3 billion in General Fund spending—a reduction of $3.3 billion from FY 2010-11. This budget restores overall…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania State Budget Resources 2011Education
Public Policy and Free Enterprise in Pennsylvania
Public Policy and Free Enterprise in Pennsylvania represents a partnership with the Commonwealth Foundation and the department of economics at Duquesne University. Key findings in these five papers include Over…
Commentary
Read More: Public Policy and Free Enterprise in PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Who’s Creating Jobs in Pennsylvania?
It’s clear the Marcellus Shale is revitalizing rural economies across the commonwealth by increasing local revenue and paying landowners…
Media
Read More: Who’s Creating Jobs in Pennsylvania?Taxes & Economy
Let voters decide all tax hike proposals
Media Hit
Read More: Let voters decide all tax hike proposalsRegulation
On Pennsylvania’s Job Growth
Former Gov. Ed Rendell emerged from his semi-retirement to toot his own horn, saying his spending is why Pennsylvania’s economy is so great. Rendell cites statistics that Pennsylvania ranks…
Media
Read More: On Pennsylvania’s Job GrowthTaxes & Economy
When an Impact Fee is Really a Tax
The debate over an “impact fee” on natural gas for local communities experiencing drilling is becoming less and less about local communities and more about how lawmakers can get…
Media
Read More: When an Impact Fee is Really a TaxTaxes & Economy
PA State Budget Overview
Today, CF’s Nathan Benefield is speaking at the Restoring America Summit & Rally in Coraopolis, Pa. You can find his presentation on Pennsylvania state spending, the budget and recommended…
Media
Read More: PA State Budget OverviewCriminal Justice Reform
Prisoners Cost Less in Michigan than in Pennsylvania
Last week, Gov. Tom Corbett announced that more than 2,000 inmates previously housed in Michigan and Virginia are returning to Pennsylvania prisons. The problem is that it’s cheaper…
Media
Read More: Prisoners Cost Less in Michigan than in PennsylvaniaEducation
Students’ Ire Is Misplaced
As I write this, there are Pennsylvania college students walking past our State Capitol holding signs reading, “Save Our System.” It’s understandable: Since Gov. Corbett outlined his budget, these students…
Media
Read More: Students’ Ire Is MisplacedEducation
Do School Districts have to Raise Property Taxes?
Following Gov. Corbett’s budget, school district officials and the tax-and-spend lobby have cried that cuts to state education spending will force schools to increase property taxes. Yet this ignores several…
Media
Read More: Do School Districts have to Raise Property Taxes?Health Care
Still Learning “What’s in the Bill”
My brother sent me the following text message while at his local pharmacy: Just realized that OTC [over-the-counter] drugs are no longer covered by HSA thanks to Obama. I…
Media
Read More: Still Learning “What’s in the Bill”Education
Parents Mustn’t Fall for Penn State Claims
In an op-ed in Sunday’s Harrisburg Patriot-News, Penn State President Graham Spanier repeated his now-familiar claims that his institution must receive more from taxpayers than the $165 million…
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Read More: Parents Mustn’t Fall for Penn State ClaimsEducation
On Penn State and Lasagna
The news that Penn State’s trustees just froze new building projects brings lasagna to mind. The reason is that right after my wife and I returned from the hospital…
Media
Read More: On Penn State and LasagnaTaxes & Economy
Michael Mann at the Zoo
I’ve got a piece up today at American Spectator which reveals the latest two taxpayer-funded projects that Penn State Climategate scientist Michael Mann has added to his…
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Read More: Michael Mann at the Zoo