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
Are Taxpayers Subsidizing Learning or Partying?
The good news: Penn State is no longer the #1 party school in the US, according to the Princeton Review’s (user account) annual student-produced rankings. It has fallen…
Media
Read More: Are Taxpayers Subsidizing Learning or Partying?State Budget
Which Taxpayer-Funded Video Studio Tells More Lies?
Yesterday, Bob Caton, spokesman for the Pennsylvania House Democrats, and Steve Miskin, spokesman for the House Republican, engaged in a Twitter argument over which caucus’ TV shows were more…
Media
Read More: Which Taxpayer-Funded Video Studio Tells More Lies?Taxes & Economy
Quote for the Day on Stimulus Spending
Yesterday, I tweeted Dan Mitchell’s blog post, which in turn cited Richard Rahn’s article on the evidence of “stimulus spending” vs. limited government on growing the economy. Mitchell…
Media
Read More: Quote for the Day on Stimulus SpendingRegulation
SEPTA’s Extravagant Spending
Earlier this week, the Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee heard testimony from SEPTA officials defending their lavish spending habits during a state transportation funding crisis. Senator Rafferty expressed concern, saying:…
Media
Read More: SEPTA’s Extravagant SpendingTaxes & Economy
Onorato: Rendell’s Severance Tax is Too High
In a Capitolwire interview (subscription), gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato advocated a low natural gas severance tax rate with exemptions. Onorato highlighted three states as good examples of a…
Media
Read More: Onorato: Rendell’s Severance Tax is Too HighEducation
Rendell’s Made-Up Government Workers Layoffs
Here is a letter to the editor I recently submitted on Gov. Rendell’s threats of layoffs if Congress doesn’t give him FMAP Money: Gov. Rendell has been busy lobbying…
Media
Read More: Rendell’s Made-Up Government Workers LayoffsTaxes & Economy
Coming to Philly: ‘Brilliance’
PennFuture and other climate catastrophists are promoting a fall global warming conference in Philadelphia, and they’ve invited the unintentionally amusing Bill…
Media
Read More: Coming to Philly: ‘Brilliance’Taxes & Economy
Fact Check: Oil Companies Profits Tax
For claiming he’s “not a crazy tax guy”, Gov. Rendell sure does propose a lot of new taxes. His latest plan regurgitates his 2007 idea to tax Big…
Media
Read More: Fact Check: Oil Companies Profits TaxHealth Care
Missouri Voters Reject Obamacare
Last night, Missouri voters passed Proposition C. The initiative would prevent the state from enforcing any mandate on individuals to buy health insurance. The measure was opposed by every…
Media
Read More: Missouri Voters Reject ObamacareTaxes & Economy
More Sparks Fly in PennFuture Scandal
It’s been amusing to watch the defenders of PennFuture “fire” their pop-guns on the editorial pages of the Patriot-News since our report about their hypocritical and…
Media
Read More: More Sparks Fly in PennFuture ScandalRegulation
DEP is Successfully Regulating Gas Drilling
Environmental drilling opponents have jumped all over a new report by the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association identifying almost 1,500 violations by 43 Marcellus Shale drilling companies by the PA…
Media
Read More: DEP is Successfully Regulating Gas DrillingEnergy
Gas Fuels Growth
The national economy is in a slump, unemployment remains stubbornly high, and economic growth is being hampered by misguided policies. Meanwhile, Bradford County, Pennsylvania led the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in…
Commentary
Read More: Gas Fuels GrowthTaxes & Economy
Fact Check: PA Transportation Spending
Gov. Rendell starts his “Tax You More” bus tour today, heading around Pennsylvania to call for more taxes to fill the “transportation funding crisis”. Here are some facts…
Media
Read More: Fact Check: PA Transportation SpendingGovernment Accountability
Non-Competitive Contracts Don’t Compute
The PA Revenue Department’s main computer system was installed in 1975. The outdated system’s technological language, COBOL, is not even taught in universities anymore, narrowing the number of applicants…
Media
Read More: Non-Competitive Contracts Don’t ComputeState Budget
What Happens to PA Budget without FMAP Money
Gov. Rendell is supposed to meet with lawmakers today to discuss options if Congress doesn’t approve the $850 million in federal FMAP funds. Pete DeCoursey (subscription) breaks down the…
Media
Read More: What Happens to PA Budget without FMAP MoneyTaxes & Economy
Physics Supports Fracking Safety
When the head of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Oil and Gas Management says, There has never been any evidence of fracking ever causing direct contamination…
Media
Read More: Physics Supports Fracking SafetyTaxes & Economy
Tough Questions for Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
The PA Turnpike Commission (PTC) testified before the Senate Transportation Committee during this summer’s special session on transportation funding. Most senators on the committee expressed concern on several aspects regarding…
Media
Read More: Tough Questions for Pennsylvania Turnpike CommissionTaxes & Economy
Lancaster Co. Human Relations Commission
Thank you for the opportunity to speak on this issue. My name is Nate Benefield, I am Director of Policy Research with the Commonwealth Foundation in Harrisburg. We are a…
Testimony
Read More: Lancaster Co. Human Relations CommissionEducation
More on Government Jobs in Recession
The Rockefeller Institute of Government recently analyzed a Bureau of Labor Statistics report on jobs at this point in the recession. The report finds that with 9.2% unemployment,…
Media
Read More: More on Government Jobs in RecessionTaxes & Economy
Corbett on Death Tax and Farmers
Governor hopeful, Tom Corbett, has voiced support for phasing out the state’s death tax. At a meeting organized by Farm Families for Tom Corbett and Pennsylvania Agricultural Republicans, Corbett cited…
Media
Read More: Corbett on Death Tax and FarmersTaxes & Economy
Growing Money on Trees
In December 2009, the Pennsylvania Climate Change Advisory Committee (PCCAC), in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS), released its report,…
Report
Read More: Growing Money on Trees