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.
Taxes & Economy
The Hail Mary for Solar Subsidies
Solar power advocates’ fight to triple the state’s costly solar energy mandates took a new turn this week. Proponents, including DEP Secretary Hanger and Governor Rendell, urged the…
Media
Read More: The Hail Mary for Solar SubsidiesState Budget
Being Tough on Crime Is Not Enough
With one in 28 Pennsylvanians in jail or prison, on probation, or on parole in 2007 — at the cost of more than $1.8 billion — Pennsylvania is at a…
Media
Read More: Being Tough on Crime Is Not EnoughTaxes & Economy
Video: Bradford County Residents Talk About a Natural Gas Tax
In this video, part of a forthcoming series on the Marcellus Shale natural gas boom in Pennsylvania, residents from Bradford County speak out about the proposed natural gas severance…
Media
Read More: Video: Bradford County Residents Talk About a Natural Gas TaxEducation
Commonwealth Foundation Launches Online Portal Tracking Education Spending and Achievement in Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, PA – How much does education cost the average Pennsylvania taxpayer? What percentage of students passes basic achievement tests? How much is per pupil spending in a given district?…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Launches Online Portal Tracking Education Spending and Achievement in PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Video: Natural Gas Drilling Jobs
For our upcoming video series on the Marcellus Shale natural gas boom in Pennsylvania, Know the Drill, we visited Bradford County and spoke with local officials, rig workers, contractors, and…
Media
Read More: Video: Natural Gas Drilling JobsTaxes & Economy
Solar Claims Need Scrutiny
There’s nothing wrong with solar energy, but government officials (like Gov. Rendell and Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger) shouldn’t mislead the public to drum up support for taxpayer funding of…
Media
Read More: Solar Claims Need ScrutinyRegulation
Privatizing Pittsburgh Parking
The Post-Gazette reports the highest bid for a lease of Pittsburgh’s public parking garages came in at $452 million, well above what was expected. While the city of Pittsburgh…
Media
Read More: Privatizing Pittsburgh ParkingTaxes & Economy
Odd Headline of the Day
CNN reports, “Stocks rally to 4-month highs after economists report recession ended in June 2009.” Three comments: Are you surprised to learn the recession ended 15 months…
Media
Read More: Odd Headline of the DayRegulation
Marcellus Money Yields $88 Million Gift to Penn State
The Post-Gazette reports that Terry Pegula, who recently sold his company that was drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale, donated $88 million to Penn State University to…
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Read More: Marcellus Money Yields $88 Million Gift to Penn StateTaxes & Economy
Citizens Scrimp As Government Spends
With grim economic statistics mounting both here in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation, more and more of our fellow citizens are engaging in a collective belt-tightening. It is only our…
Commentary
Read More: Citizens Scrimp As Government SpendsTaxes & Economy
Survey of Marcellus Shale Residents
The Penn State Cooperative Extension has outlined findings from a survey of residents in the Marcellus Shale region (including New York, which still has a moratorium on drilling). The…
Media
Read More: Survey of Marcellus Shale ResidentsTaxes & Economy
Which States are Stealing Pennsylvania Residents?
The Tax Foundation has launched a new, awesome interactive tool that looks at IRS data, tracking moves into and out of each state. The bottom line for Pennsylvania is…
Media
Read More: Which States are Stealing Pennsylvania Residents?Taxes & Economy
Constitution Day and the Perilous Future
On September 17, we celebrate the creation of our Constitution, one of the greatest governing documents ever conceived by the hand of man. This is the day we commemorate the…
Commentary
Read More: Constitution Day and the Perilous FutureState Budget
The Specter Library is a Less Big Waste of Taxpayer Funds than Originally Indicated
John Micek points out that Arlen Specter is demanding that Tom Corbett, who criticized the Arlen Specter Library Project, get his facts straight. Specter claims the taxpayer-funded monument to…
Media
Read More: The Specter Library is a Less Big Waste of Taxpayer Funds than Originally IndicatedTaxes & Economy
PA House Democrats Unveil Transportation Tax Plan
Today, the Pennsylvania House Democrats put forth their proposal to raise taxes for transportation projects, as reported by PA Independent, which also provides a detailed outline of the…
Media
Read More: PA House Democrats Unveil Transportation Tax PlanState Budget
Rendell Starts State Bailout of Cities
Yesterday, Gov. Rendell announced a $4.3 million bailout for the city of Harrisburg. The city, following decades of wasteful spending on things like a Wild West Museum and owning…
Media
Read More: Rendell Starts State Bailout of CitiesTaxes & Economy
Green Jobs? You Can All Go To Shale
The Marcellus Shale Coalition (that’s the pro-drilling group made up of natural gas exploration and recovery companies) has come up with a great idea — their own…
Media
Read More: Green Jobs? You Can All Go To ShaleRegulation
No Money For Bridges, But Plenty for Luxury Hotels
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has completed its first luxury hotel at Bald Eagle State Park. While DCNR’s project represents good business sense — reaching out…
Media
Read More: No Money For Bridges, But Plenty for Luxury HotelsState Budget
Is Harrisburg a Prediction of Things to Come?
Harrisburg’s inability to pay off massive debts accumulated by years of wasteful spending made headlines in the Wall Street Journal. Last week, Harrisburg skipped a $3 million debt payment…
Media
Read More: Is Harrisburg a Prediction of Things to Come?Taxes & Economy
“Free” Federal Grants Result in Higher State Taxes
Over the last several decades, and increasingly in recent years, state and local government leaders have lobbied for, and received, additional funding from the federal government. Though this money…
Media
Read More: “Free” Federal Grants Result in Higher State TaxesTaxes & Economy
PennEnvironment: Weather is Climate Again
So PennEnvironment yesterday comes out with a new propaganda piece to capitalize on what they call last winter’s “Snowmageddon,” which is designed to get…
Media
Read More: PennEnvironment: Weather is Climate Again