Taxes & Economy
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
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 UpTaxes & Economy
The PennFuture Scandal: We’re Not Mudslinging
Jan Murphy of the Patriot-News did a fine job in her Sunday article, giving an evenhanded account of our report on PennFuture’s lobbying, but the…
Media
Read More: The PennFuture Scandal: We’re Not MudslingingState Budget
Check Out State Budget Solutions
State Budget Solutions is a new website put together by a coalition of free-market organizations. They’ve been up for a while with a “soft launch,” but had their “hard…
Media
Read More: Check Out State Budget SolutionsTaxes & Economy
Natural Gas & Forced Pooling
The soon-to-be unbalanced FY 2010-11 state budget, included language that a severance tax on natural gas would be passed in Pennsylvania by October 1. Many drillers would support a…
Media
Read More: Natural Gas & Forced PoolingTaxes & Economy
Reforms for PA’s UC Fund include CF Proposals
State Representative Scott Perry has proposed new legislation to reform PA’s bankrupt unemployment compensation (UC) fund. A few of his suggested reforms are…
Media
Read More: Reforms for PA’s UC Fund include CF ProposalsRegulation
PA’s Largest Employers Then and Now
The Center for Workforce Information & Analysis provides a list of Pennsylvania’s top 50 employers in ranked order. In 1967, Pennsylvania’s top five largest employers were: U.S. Steel Corporation…
Media
Read More: PA’s Largest Employers Then and NowTaxes & Economy
PennFuture Corrects IRS Returns, Owns Private Energy Conservation Company
Jan Murphy of the Patriot News features a story on PennFuture’s lobbying. The story reveals two facts that did not appear in our exposé. First, despite…
Media
Read More: PennFuture Corrects IRS Returns, Owns Private Energy Conservation CompanyHealth Care
NY Times: Individual Mandate is a Tax & Now Fewer Health Care Options
The New York Times had not one, but two stories over the weekend on things we learned about “what’s in the bill”, that we had to wait until it was…
Media
Read More: NY Times: Individual Mandate is a Tax & Now Fewer Health Care OptionsTaxes & Economy
Win PennFuture Junk!
Over on the home page Commonwealth Foundation has responded to PennFuture’s allegations of “serious errors” in our report, “PennFuture’s Lobbying: Hypocritical, Unethical and Possibly Illegal.”…
Media
Read More: Win PennFuture Junk!Taxes & Economy
CF Responds to PennFuture Demands
A July 14, 2010 letter from PennFuture’s attorney claimed the Commonwealth Foundation’s Policy Brief, “PennFuture’s Lobbying: Hypocritical, unethical, and possibly illegal,” contained three inaccuracies and demanded…
Press Release
Read More: CF Responds to PennFuture DemandsTaxes & Economy
New Drilling Study Highlights Regulation Reform
Recently, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council released a study on Marcellus Shale drilling focusing on what Pennsylvania needs to do to ensure responsible development of this newly tapped resources. As…
Media
Read More: New Drilling Study Highlights Regulation ReformTaxes & Economy
Anti-Drilling Groups Pressure Penn State
Opponents of natural gas drilling are attacking the integrity of a Penn State study on the economic effects the Marcellus Shale development, which was funded by the industry. Complaints center…
Media
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EOG Resources Mans Up After Drilling Accident
On Tuesday, DEP released the results of an investigation into the June 3 Clearfield County gas well incident. The well, as you might recall, shot gas and flow-back water…
Media
Read More: EOG Resources Mans Up After Drilling AccidentTaxes & Economy
Penn State and PennFuture: Two Peas in a Pod
While PennFuture’s Jan Jarrett whines about alleged Commonwealth Foundation smears of themselves and of Climategate scientist Michael Mann, The Atlantic‘s Clive Crook — a…
Media
Read More: Penn State and PennFuture: Two Peas in a PodTaxes & Economy
Combined Reporting Has Consequences
Lancaster Online recently produced a number of articles concerning Mandatory Unitary Combined Reporting, one of many tax revenue increases offered by Governor Rendell. Combined Reporting did not make it…
Media
Read More: Combined Reporting Has ConsequencesState Budget
Voters Blame Politicians’ Overspending for Budget Woes
Reason highlights a new Rasmussen Poll on state budget crises. A whopping 75% of voters blame current budget crises on politicians’ unwillingness to cut spending. Only 13% think…
Media
Read More: Voters Blame Politicians’ Overspending for Budget Woes