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.
Health 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 The outdated system’s technological language, COBOL, is not even taught in universities anymore, narrowing the number of applicants…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 TreesState Budget
What if State Government Hired a Psychic?
The Tribune Review adds on to the continuing Orie sisters saga, that not only did they seek the advice of a clairvoyant, but that clairvoyant asked for a…
Media
Read More: What if State Government Hired a Psychic?Regulation
Tax For Soccer
It’s not soccer players or fans that will be taxed to pay for the Major League Soccer stadium in Chester, but the visitors who patronize bed and breakfasts or hotels…
Media
Read More: Tax For SoccerState Budget
Can Tom Corbett Keep His “No Tax” Pledge?
Attorney General Tom Corbett has taken significant criticism for his pledge to not raise taxes if elected governor. That was to be expected from his Democrat rival, Allegheny County executive…
Commentary
Read More: Can Tom Corbett Keep His “No Tax” Pledge?Regulation
Free Parking? Only in “Monopoly”
Privatization Watch, which warns against privatizing government services, alerts locals that if Pittsburgh parking garages are leased to a private company the per day parking cost would increase by…
Media
Read More: Free Parking? Only in “Monopoly”Regulation
Reviewing the Financial Crisis
Nicole Gelinas has a great piece surveying a number of books on the financial crisis. Contrary to conventional wisdom, many in the finance world foresaw the collapse, some big…
Media
Read More: Reviewing the Financial CrisisTaxes & Economy
Obama Admits Energy Subsidies Distort Economy
A recent Heritage Foundation article highlights the hypocrisy within the Obama Administration’s approach to energy. The U.S. Treasury Green Book, which details the reasons for changing the tax code,…
Media
Read More: Obama Admits Energy Subsidies Distort EconomyTaxes & Economy
How Much will Your Tax Bill Increase in 2011?
The Tax Foundation has a great new tool to calculate your federal tax burden in 2011 – comparing your tax bill if the 2001 & 2003 tax cuts (“Bush…
Media
Read More: How Much will Your Tax Bill Increase in 2011?Taxes & Economy
When Your Ideas Harm Taxpayers, Make Stuff Up
The Patriot-News has been all over the Commonwealth Foundation’s recent report exposing the activities of PennFuture, the environmental lobbying group whose former president is in charge of Gov. Rendell’s Department…
Media
Read More: When Your Ideas Harm Taxpayers, Make Stuff Up