Media

Taxes & Economy

PA Highway System Ranked 38th in Nation

• Elizabeth Stelle
• December 18, 2009

  Tony Phyrillas highlights Pennsylvania standings in the Reason Foundation’s 18th Annual Highway Report. PA ranks 38 among the most cost-effective state-owned highway systems. The top five include…

Media

Administrators face more pressure in “Climategate” investigation

• December 17, 2009

Media Hit

Transparency is key to confidence in state government

• December 17, 2009

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

CF Sends Letter to FHWA on I-80 Tolling

• Nathan Benefield
• December 17, 2009

Today, Commonwealth Foundation president Matthew Brouillette sent a letter to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Pennsylvania’s members of Congress expressing concerns over the proposed tolling of Interstate 80…

Media

Regulation

PA Senate Approves $1.7 Billion in New Borrowing

• Nathan Benefield
• December 17, 2009

While the debate over table games continues, another piece of legislation passed with little debate was the $1.7 billion in borrowing for the state capital budget. HB…

Media

Health Care

States Push Back Against National Healthcare

• December 17, 2009

With the health care debate still brewing on the floor of the US Senate, states are pushing back against the prospect of a government-run healthcare system. The American Legislative…

Media

Regulation

Pennsylvania Pension Resources

• December 16, 2009

Commonwealth Foundation senior fellow Rick Dreyfuss will be on PCN’s call in show tonight, discussing the looming fiscal crisis in state pension. Click here for a recent news…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Cap and Trade Creates Green Jobs, Destroys Others

• December 16, 2009

It is true that if the government levies heavy taxes on carbon dioxide emissions and then provides grants, subsidies, and tax credits to renewable resource development, it will create more…

Media

Health Care

The Forgotten Health Care Tax

• Elizabeth Stelle
• December 16, 2009

The Tax Foundation highlights a disturbing trend among states – new taxes on health care providers. Significant taxes on health providers and hospital taxes are on the books in…

Media

Regulation

Earmarks in Table Games Bill

• Nathan Benefield
• December 16, 2009

I mentioned previously that the legislation authorizing table games at Pennsylvania casinos included a number of earmarks (directing funds to a specific project) and WAMs (creating a pot of money…

Media

State Budget

The Condition of the PA Budget According to Rendell

• Elizabeth Stelle
• December 15, 2009

Governor Rendell, in his mid-year budget briefing, provided an optimistic if not misleading outlook. The Governor claims the commonwealth ended…

Media

Government Accountability

Tweet Pennsylvania: Latest Updates from PA Lawmakers

• Nathan Benefield
• December 15, 2009

The Commonwealth Foundation has a new project page, where you can follow all the Pennsylvania state lawmakers on Twitter, even if you don’t have a Twitter account yourself. Check…

Media

State Budget

Pew Study Says Little about Pennsylvania’s Fiscal Health

• Nathan Benefield
• December 15, 2009

In his budget mid-year briefing, Gov. Rendell cited, repeatedly, a Pew study on states’ fiscal outlook. While it is true that Pennsylvania is in better shape than states like…

Media

State Budget

Time for Real Spending Reductions

• December 15, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA — As Gov. Rendell delivers his mid-year budget briefing, with General Fund collections $217 million below projections, now is the time to consider the causes of…

Press Release

Health Care

National Health Care Could Bankrupt Pennsylvania

• December 15, 2009

The US Senate health care bill includes a mandate to increase the cut off level for Medicaid eligibility. This increased cut off for Medicaid will increase costs for Pennsylvania and…

Media

Government Accountability

Qualifications for Governor (HB 2083)

• December 14, 2009

Testimony of Joe Sterns, Director of Communcations, Commonwealth Foundation to the Pennsylvania House State Government CommitteeDecember 14, 2009 Chairwoman Josephs, Chairman Benninghoff, Members of the Committee: The Commonwealth Foundation…

Testimony

All spending on one site

• December 14, 2009

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

Podcast: Rich States, Poor States

• Nathan Benefield
• December 14, 2009

If you missed last week’s luncheon, you can down the latest podcast, in which Matt Brouillette talks with Jonathan Williams of the American Legislative Exchange Council about their report,…

Media

State Budget

Revisiting a Natural Gas Severance Tax

• December 14, 2009

The state budget passed in October did not include a severance tax on natural gas. The tax would’ve impeded the development of…

Media

Education

Revamp Charter School Laws To Increase School Choice

• December 14, 2009

Pennsylvania came in 11th among 40 states in the annual ranking of state charter school laws by the Center for Education Reform. While the Commonwealth has been better in…

Media

Burden in numbers

• December 14, 2009

Media Hit