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.
State Budget
Severance Tax Wish List
Legislators are justifying the enactment of a natural gas severance tax by claiming the revenue will go towards environmental impacts. In reality, the environment is just one of a host…
Media
Read More: Severance Tax Wish ListRegulation
Green Jobs and the Broken Window Fallacy
On behalf of the Commonwealth Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan public policy research and educational institute based in Harrisburg, we would like to thank Chairman Saylor and the members of the…
Testimony
Read More: Green Jobs and the Broken Window FallacyPublic Union Democracy
Are Government Workers Underpaid?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has a new report showing state and local government workers earn far more than their private sector counterparts. The Wall Street Journal…
Media
Read More: Are Government Workers Underpaid?State Budget
National Groups Weigh in on Pennsylvania Tax Hike
The National Taxpayers Union send a recent letter to Pennsylvania lawmakers on proposed tax hikes to balance the PA state budget. John Stephenson, NTU…
Media
Read More: National Groups Weigh in on Pennsylvania Tax HikeRegulation
Tobacco Tax Fact Check (Part Two)
This is the second half of a two part blog, fact checking tmyths about tobacco taxes. This blog focuses on what the some call a good tax model –…
Media
Read More: Tobacco Tax Fact Check (Part Two)Regulation
Why Taxing Natural Gas Won’t Solve PA Budget Woes
Here is a letter I sent in to the Scranton Times Tribune (a slightly edited version was printed today) on the proposed natural gas severance tax and the Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Why Taxing Natural Gas Won’t Solve PA Budget WoesTaxes & Economy
Leaky Reporting by the Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last week cast an uncritical eye — in fact, you could call it cheerleading — upon a project touted as part of Allegheny County’s…
Media
Read More: Leaky Reporting by the Post-GazetteTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania’s Natural Gas Boom
The Marcellus Shale formation is believed to be the largest unconventional natural gas reservoir in America, and its exploration has been coined a modern-day gold rush. More than a mile…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Natural Gas BoomTaxes & Economy
The Overton Window
The Overton Window – the title of Glenn Beck’s new book, a work of fiction which borrows from the idea- is a concept that help drives the work of…
Media
Read More: The Overton WindowRegulation
Video: Fiscal Lessons for Pennsylvania
In a new video, Maurice McTigue, Vice President at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and a former member of the New Zealand Parliament, speaks about how…
Media
Read More: Video: Fiscal Lessons for PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Obama: More Green for Green Energy
Recently when speaking about greening the nation’s energy supply in Pittsburgh, President Obama remarked: [A]nd it means rolling back billions of dollars in tax breaks to oil…
Media
Read More: Obama: More Green for Green EnergyState Budget
The State and Local Government Debt Mess
While investment guru Warren Buffett is pulling out of municipal bonds, Gov. Rendell says Buffett doesn’t know what he is talking about, and that there is no problem with…
Media
Read More: The State and Local Government Debt MessRegulation
Big Idea: Privatizing City Services
Sandy Springs, GA, is one of the most efficient cities in the country, as reported in the Tribune Review. Incorporated in 2005, it was the first fully privatized…
Media
Read More: Big Idea: Privatizing City ServicesRegulation
Why PA Corporations Don’t Pay Taxes
Gov. Rendell and his allies and shills that call on higher taxes for businesses like to claim that 70% of Pennsylvania corporations don’t pay…
Media
Read More: Why PA Corporations Don’t Pay TaxesTaxes & Economy
Presentation: Lessons of Fiscal Responsibility for Pennsylvania
Maurice McTigue, Vice President at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and a former member of the New Zealand Parliament, spoke at a Commonwealth Foundation breakfast yesterday.
Media
Read More: Presentation: Lessons of Fiscal Responsibility for PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
How Public-Private Toll Roads are Financed
Robert Poole clarifies a number of misconceptions about how toll roads are financed – particularly in the cases of public private partnerships for new projects. This is not a…
Media
Read More: How Public-Private Toll Roads are FinancedRegulation
Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Tobacco Taxes
Gov. Rendell proposed a tax of 30% on the retail price of cigars and smokeless tobacco products, in hopes of collecting $42 million in the upcoming fiscal year.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Tobacco TaxesState Budget
Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Unemployment Compensation
Pennsylvania has borrowed over $3 billion from the federal government to keep its unemployment compensation fund solvent. Only California, with three times the population and a much higher unemployment rate,…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Unemployment CompensationState Budget
Welfare Fraud and Abuse
Good afternoon, my name is Elizabeth Stelle, and I am a research associate with the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, a non-partisan educational institute based in Harrisburg. Thank you…
Testimony
Read More: Welfare Fraud and AbuseRegulation
Rendell: Democrats will Do Well if Voters Ignore the Policy Debate
The Wall Street Journal recently published an interview with Gov. Rendell that highlighted Rendell’s analysis of policy issues – the stimulus, Wall Street/bailouts, and Immigration – at least in…
Media
Read More: Rendell: Democrats will Do Well if Voters Ignore the Policy DebateTaxes & Economy
Follies of Pittsburgh’s Beverage Tax
This week the student-run Publius Foundation think tank in Pittsburgh released their second study. Looking at the proposed Pittsburgh Beverage Tax, the brief concludes soda taxes harm the economy…
Media
Read More: Follies of Pittsburgh’s Beverage Tax