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.
Taxes & Economy
UC Trust Fund Interest Another Fiscal Challenge for PA
A recent NY Times piece looks at the impact of states’ borrowing to pay their unemployment compensation (UC), now that the federal government will begin charging interest on these…
Media
Read More: UC Trust Fund Interest Another Fiscal Challenge for PAEducation
80 Ideas for a Prosperous Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania must undergo a rapid transformation to reverse the poor policy decisions that have eroded economic freedoms and brought the state to its present condition. To provide a roadmap for…
Report
Read More: 80 Ideas for a Prosperous PennsylvaniaEducation
How Corbett can Balance the Budget without Raising Taxes
Even before Gov.-elect Tom Corbett raises his right hand high Tuesday swearing to tackle the problems left from the previous administration's tax-borrow-and-spend agenda, doubters are lining up to take potshots…
Commentary
Read More: How Corbett can Balance the Budget without Raising TaxesState Budget
Medicaid: Breaking the Back of State Budgets
Last week, 30 Republican governors and governors-elect, including Tom Corbett, sent a letter to the Obama administration and members of Congress asking for greater flexibility in managing their Medicaid…
Media
Read More: Medicaid: Breaking the Back of State BudgetsTaxes & Economy
Residents Still Moving out of PA
The latest United Van Lines survey continues to show Pennsylvania is a “high outbound state”—meaning more people are renting trucks to move out of Pennsylvania than moving in (HT…
Media
Read More: Residents Still Moving out of PARegulation
Lessons on Green Jobs & Corporate Welfare
My American Tradition Institute colleague Chris Horner calls attention to developments in Massachusetts, where government “investment” of taxpayer dollars in alternative energy…
Media
Read More: Lessons on Green Jobs & Corporate WelfareState Budget
Five Ways to Cut $5 Billion
Tom Corbett campaigned for Governor of Pennsylvania on a pledge not to raise taxes or fees to balance the state's $66 billion budget. With the loss of nearly $3 billion…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Five Ways to Cut $5 BillionHealth Care
Long-Term Care Reform
Long-term care is very expensive whether provided in a nursing home, an assisted living facility, or in someone's home. Medicaid pays for most professional long-term care (LTC) in Pennsylvania. LTC…
Report
Read More: Long-Term Care ReformTaxes & Economy
Politics of Punditry Troubling in Tucson Tragedy
I knew it would be a challenging few days as I took off the tie and laced up my combat boots to proudly serve a training weekend with my National Guard unit. Friday…
Media
Read More: Politics of Punditry Troubling in Tucson TragedyState Budget
How to Limit State Spending
A recent study by Matthew Mitchell of the Mercatus Center suggests that not all spending and taxation limits are created equal. The study examines the effect of certain…
Media
Read More: How to Limit State SpendingTaxes & Economy
Mann: From Transparency Champion to ‘Bully’ Victim
As Chris Horner blogged yesterday, the Environmental Law Center at American Tradition Institute (where I am executive director) has requested under the state Freedom of Information…
Media
Read More: Mann: From Transparency Champion to ‘Bully’ VictimTaxes & Economy
New Poll Shows Gas Tax Popular in Areas without Drilling
The Tribune-Review released a poll today showing support for a natural gas tax jumped 40 percent since the May…
Media
Read More: New Poll Shows Gas Tax Popular in Areas without DrillingTaxes & Economy
Penn State’s Mann Under More Scrutiny
Also today Pennsylvania Independent reports that the American Tradition Institute, where I am executive director, has filed a Freedom of Information…
Media
Read More: Penn State’s Mann Under More ScrutinyTaxes & Economy
A True Renewables Comparison
The Patriot-News over the weekend ran two letters to the editor in response to my op-ed that called for the Commonwealth’s new elected leadership to repeal…
Media
Read More: A True Renewables ComparisonEnergy
Gov., Legislature Should Repeal Costly Renewables Mandates
A lot can be spun from the results of the Nov. 2 elections, but one fact is uncontrovertible: Pennsylvanians are sick of centrally planned, highly regulated, gimmick-driven economic policy. It…
Commentary
Read More: Gov., Legislature Should Repeal Costly Renewables MandatesTaxes & Economy
Manning Up Isn’t For ‘Wusses’
As the old saying goes, “it takes one to know one,” and outgoing Gov. Ed Rendell, who has obviously spent more time analyzing the Philadelphia Eagles than bringing jobs back…
Media
Read More: Manning Up Isn’t For ‘Wusses’Taxes & Economy
Reverse Coercion Course
That’s what I wrote yesterday in an opinion piece for the Patriot-News, about Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, which requires utilities to purchase 18 percent of their electricity…
Media
Read More: Reverse Coercion CourseTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Shale Job Creation Continues
A recent Williamsport Sun-Gazette article gives props to the natural gas industry for being an economic boost, and keeping unemployment relatively low in Bradford County, a central hub for…
Media
Read More: Marcellus Shale Job Creation ContinuesTaxes & Economy
So Long, Specter
The Washington Examiner‘s Tim Carney today reviews Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter’s farewell speech to the U.S. Senate, and characterizes it as “20 minutes of self-serving gripes, empty name-calling,…
Media
Read More: So Long, SpecterTaxes & Economy
Skewed Poll on Gas Drilling
A recent survey by the Civil Society Institute is so misleading that even professional skewed poll creators PennFuture and Gov. Rendell can pick up tips. The only…
Media
Read More: Skewed Poll on Gas DrillingRegulation
Cigarette Taxes Increase Crime
Our friends at the Mackinac Center have released a study on the smuggling of cigarettes due to high cigarette taxes. While politicians often tout raising taxes as a tool to…
Media
Read More: Cigarette Taxes Increase Crime