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.
State 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…
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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…
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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 AgainTaxes & Economy
What Rendell Wants from a Natural Gas Tax
An AP story highlighting Gov. Rendell’s push for a natural gas tax comes with the misleading headline “Pa. gov wants gas industry to help shale towns.” Nothing of the…
Media
Read More: What Rendell Wants from a Natural Gas TaxTaxes & Economy
Stimulus 5.0
President Obama has proposed yet another round of stimulus spending. Of course, he won’t call it a “stimulus,” because of how unpopular that has become. Others are, erroneously,…
Media
Read More: Stimulus 5.0Regulation
Outsourcing Park Management a Budget Saver
With economists speculating a double dip recession, unemployment high, and a national deficit expected to reach $1.5 trillion this year, you might disapprove of unnecessary government spending, like putting…
Media
Read More: Outsourcing Park Management a Budget SaverTaxes & Economy
PA’s Highways Remain Poorly Managed
Pennsylvania ranks 38th in the nation in state highway performance and cost-effectiveness, according to Reason’s latest Annual Highway Report. While the Keystone State’s ranking remains unchanged, nationally highway…
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Read More: PA’s Highways Remain Poorly ManagedTaxes & Economy
PennFuture’s Revised Lobbying Numbers
After ranting about alleged “egregious errors” in our report about their secret, unreported lobbying expenses and siccing their lawyer on us, PennFuture has…
Media
Read More: PennFuture’s Revised Lobbying NumbersGovernment Accountability
A Slap in the Face to Pennsylvania Taxpayers
The Tribune Review revisits the Rendell Administration’s leasing tens of thousands of acres of state forest lands via no-bid contracts. State records the Tribune-Review obtained show that, in…
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Read More: A Slap in the Face to Pennsylvania TaxpayersTaxes & Economy
Dan Onorato’s Natural Gas Tax
Gubernatorial Candidate Dan Onorato held a press conference yesterday announcing he supports a tax on natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania (and that he kinda-sorta opposes other tax…
Media
Read More: Dan Onorato’s Natural Gas TaxTaxes & Economy
PA Unemployment Fraud Adding to Already-Bankrupt System
As PA Independent reports today, Pennsylvania had $374 million in overpayments for Unemployment Compensation (UC) last year, including $227 million in fraudulent claims, according to the US Department of…
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Read More: PA Unemployment Fraud Adding to Already-Bankrupt SystemTaxes & Economy
Solar Subsidies Sink State
Harrisburg, PA – The Commonwealth Foundation expresses its displeasure with Gov. Rendell’s pronouncement today of awarding more taxpayer funds for solar energy projects and advocating an increase in a mandate…
Press Release
Read More: Solar Subsidies Sink StateTaxes & Economy
Should Higher Taxes be a “Priority”?
Here is a letter I sent the Patriot News on a natural gas jobs tax: Your August 31 editorial states that a natural gas tax should be the…
Media
Read More: Should Higher Taxes be a “Priority”?Taxes & Economy
PPL’s Distribution Rate Increase and Electric Choice
Earlier this year, we put out an electricity guide for citizens and businesses explaining why electricty rates were increasing, and how Pennsylvanians can to shop for the best…
Media
Read More: PPL’s Distribution Rate Increase and Electric ChoiceTaxes & Economy
Coal Faces an Onslaught of New Regulations
Debate over new regulations by the EPA puts the Pennsylvania coal industry at a crossroads. Last week, experts met in Philadelphia to discuss a new ruling known as the Clean…
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Read More: Coal Faces an Onslaught of New RegulationsTaxes & Economy
The Imagined Effect of the Stimulus
Louis Woodhill writes on Real Clear Markets how the CBO’s estimated impact of the stimulus is a fantasy. In fact, the CBO readily admits it is simply plugging…
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