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.
Education
Another Way to Handle Budget Problems
Following up on Charles’s post last week about Penn State’s “political stunt” over Gov. Corbett’s planned cuts to the university, it might help PSU president Graham Spanier to look…
Media
Read More: Another Way to Handle Budget ProblemsEducation
Top Ten Reasons Pennsylvanians Deserve More from Their Universities
Yesterday in Harrisburg, the talk was all about Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposal to cut the generous subsidies Pennsylvania taxpayers provide to our universities. Budget Secretary Charles Zogby said…
Media
Read More: Top Ten Reasons Pennsylvanians Deserve More from Their UniversitiesRegulation
Retaining the Film Tax Credit: Two Thumbs Down for Taxpayers
Behind the lens of Gov. Tom Corbett's budget the focus is largely on putting taxpayers first and fostering economic growth. But at a time when the director should be yelling,…
Commentary
Read More: Retaining the Film Tax Credit: Two Thumbs Down for TaxpayersTaxes & Economy
About a Streamlining Commission
Yesterday, CF released its new publication, Streamlining State Government, bringing attention to the more than 340 state regulatory and advisory agencies, demonstrating the need to trim the size…
Media
Read More: About a Streamlining CommissionPublic Union Democracy
Streamlining State Government
Pennsylvania businesses must navigate a complex web of regulations from more than 340 independent state agencies, offices, state departments, boards, commissions, and committees stemming from the executive branch. Several other…
Report
Read More: Streamlining State GovernmentPublic Union Democracy
Streamlining State Government Testimony
Thank you Chairman Smucker and members of the committee for the opportunity to testify before you today. I’m Nate Benefield, Director of Policy Research at the Commonwealth Foundation for…
Testimony
Read More: Streamlining State Government TestimonyHealth Care
Medicaid Reforms Needed as Welfare Spending Surpasses Education
Under Gov. Corbett’s budget proposal, Pennsylvania would spend more on welfare than education for first time. A large chunk of that welfare spending is in Medicaid, a joint state-federal program…
Media
Read More: Medicaid Reforms Needed as Welfare Spending Surpasses EducationEducation
PSU: Political Stunt University?
University presidents are howling in response to Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget address, in which he proposed giving their institutions less of taxpayers’ hard-earned money. The loudest protests are coming from…
Media
Read More: PSU: Political Stunt University?State Budget
Chart of the Day: Is it a Spending Problem?
In his budget address, Gov. Corbett talked a great deal about the overspending during the Rendell administration. Ben Waxman responds in the Daily News (I’m paraphrasing) “Nuh-uh, there’s no…
Media
Read More: Chart of the Day: Is it a Spending Problem?State Budget
Corbett Budget Offers a New Path
Albert Einstein defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." For too long Pennsylvania state government has been spending beyond its means and…
Commentary
Read More: Corbett Budget Offers a New PathTaxes & Economy
Time to Reinvestigate Mann and Now PSU
My American Tradition Institute colleague Chris Horner reports today at the Daily Caller that a NOAA inspector has dug up proof of deception in…
Media
Read More: Time to Reinvestigate Mann and Now PSUEducation
Chart of the Day: Public School Revenue
The chart below highlights Pennsylvania public school revenue, by source, from 1988-89 to 2008-09 (the latest year with data from the state Department of Education). Over the last 20…
Media
Read More: Chart of the Day: Public School RevenueState Budget
Understanding the Pennsylvania State Budget
Pennsylvania's total state operating budget for FY 2010-11 is approximately $65.4 billion-or $5,193 for every man, woman and child in the commonwealth. This policy brief looks at the entire state…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Understanding the Pennsylvania State BudgetState Budget
Reality-Based Budgeting
Pennsylvania state government will tax and spend more than $65 billion this fiscal year. With the loss of federal stimulus money and the exhaustion of all one-time expenditures, the legislature…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Reality-Based BudgetingTaxes & Economy
EPA: Regulation without Representation
Yesterday, I presented comments to the EPA’s advisory committee on the revision of the air standard for ozone, regulated under the Clean Air Act. The proposed standard…
Media
Read More: EPA: Regulation without RepresentationTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Drillers Invest Billions in Pennsylvania
During Monday’s Pennsylvania Press Club meeting, Pennsylvania Budget Secretary Charles Zogby remarked on the economic benefits the Marcellus Shale industry is bringing to Pennsylvania. Secretary Zogby commented that the Marcellus…
Media
Read More: Marcellus Drillers Invest Billions in PennsylvaniaHealth Care
Medicaid Reforms Start with the States
Medicaid spending threatens to consume the entire Pennsylvania state budget, and we aren’t alone. Without greater flexibility, states will be forced to cut services, raise taxes or drop out…
Media
Read More: Medicaid Reforms Start with the StatesTaxes & Economy
No CONSOLation from PSU’s PC Move
It seems the number of Penn State graduates who are upset at recent actions of their alma mater grows by the…
Media
Read More: No CONSOLation from PSU’s PC MoveTaxes & Economy
Environmentalists Blow Recent Rule Change out of Proportion
Reactions to the Corbett administration’s revoking of mandatory impact reports on state lands targeted for drilling fail to see the big picture. Comments from environmentalists imply that without an extra…
Media
Read More: Environmentalists Blow Recent Rule Change out of ProportionRegulation
And the Oscar for Higher Taxes Goes to?
Given that Gov. Corbett may end Pennsylvania’s $75 million film tax credit program, the film industry is out in force to prove it’s more unique than other industries, saying it…
Media
Read More: And the Oscar for Higher Taxes Goes to?Regulation
Video: Matt Brouillette Breaks Down PA’s Fiscal Problems
Commonwealth Foundation President & CEO Matt Brouillette was recently interviewed by Tony May, a partner at Triad Strategies. They discuss a broad range of topics including Pennsylvania’s current fiscal situation…
Media
Read More: Video: Matt Brouillette Breaks Down PA’s Fiscal Problems