State Budget
Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax Reform
Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Today is Tax Day. Each year, April 15th reminds us of the costliness of government spending – and why lawmakers must reduce this financial burden on…
Read More: Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax ReformHigh 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
Minimum Wage Insanity
Let’s start with sanity, some logic. Theorem: A firm cannot pay workers more than the value that they add to the firm and remain in business.Corollary 1: Imposing a…
Media
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Wind Energy Deal Blows Away
Scrutinize the realities of costly and inefficient wind energy projects (and most alternative energy projects, for that matter) in public spheres where tough questions can be asked — like in…
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Read More: Wind Energy Deal Blows AwayTaxes & Economy
Fox: Like Moore and Gore
The Academy Award nominations were announced this morning, and among those chosen for best documentary was “Gasland,” the Josh Fox propagandizer about the alleged…
Media
Read More: Fox: Like Moore and GoreTaxes & Economy
EPA Could Cost PA 350,000 Jobs
While cap-and-trade died last year, the nationwide regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission began earlier this month, via the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new GHG permits. For clean “green” energy…
Media
Read More: EPA Could Cost PA 350,000 JobsEnergy
Citizen’s Guide to Electric Choice & Competition 2011
In the late 1990s, Pennsylvania's electricity rates were 15% above the national average, despite the abundance of low-cost coal generation in the Commonwealth. At that time, electricity was sold by…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Citizen’s Guide to Electric Choice & Competition 2011Regulation
Sony Site: Merely Renting Jobs with Corporate Welfare
Last week, the state gave $10 million to rehabilitate the former site of a Sony plant—marking the fourth time taxpayer funding has been used to “create jobs” at the exact…
Media
Read More: Sony Site: Merely Renting Jobs with Corporate WelfareRegulation
Fixing Rendell’s Mess
Penn's Woods are darker and deeper in red ink than ever before thanks to the tax-borrow-and-spend agenda of the Rendell Administration and some General Assembly members who failed to put…
Commentary
Read More: Fixing Rendell’s MessHealth Care
What State Legislators Can Do to Protect Health Care Freedom
ALEC’s new State Legislators Guide to Repealing Obamacare is a wealth of ideas for state legislators and in turn, activists who are dedicated to implementing true healthcare freedoms.
Media
Read More: What State Legislators Can Do to Protect Health Care FreedomTaxes & Economy
Associated Press Article on Fracking Got it Wrong
As Gov. Corbett’s Administration takes office, anti-drilling activist have sought to make a natural gas severance tax their legislative priority. Unfortunately, their distrust of the gas industry largely stems from…
Media
Read More: Associated Press Article on Fracking Got it WrongTaxes & 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…
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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…
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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…
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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 Drilling