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Education
New Swing State Poll: PA Voters Evenly Divided, Presidential Election a Toss Up
Harrisburg, Pa., July 26, 2024—Public support for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is evenly divided in Pennsylvania, according to a new statewide survey of Pennsylvania voters, with Harris leading Trump 47%…
Read More: New Swing State Poll: PA Voters Evenly Divided, Presidential Election a Toss Up![shapiro vice president kamala harris](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-6.55.03 PM-900x900.png)
Education
TV Ad Exposes Shapiro as “All Talk, No Results”
Read More: TV Ad Exposes Shapiro as “All Talk, No Results”![shapiro capable of leading](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1244606495-900x692.jpg)
Education
Why is Gov. Shapiro Afraid of His Own Campaign Promises?
Read More: Why is Gov. Shapiro Afraid of His Own Campaign Promises?![shapiro record](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-23-at-11.10.30 AM-900x900.png)
Education
President and CEO Charles Mitchell on Philadelphia’s Morning Answer with Chris Stigall
Read More: President and CEO Charles Mitchell on Philadelphia’s Morning Answer with Chris StigallTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvanians are Voting with Their Feet
I wonder how many believe that forgoing new taxes and cutting back spending would lead the state of Pennsylvania to the “post apocalyptic landscape of Cormac McCarthy’s novel soon-to-be-movie,…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvanians are Voting with Their FeetTaxes & Economy
A Cap and Trade Call to Action
Although originally planned for debate after the 4th of July, Congressional Leaders met late Monday night to place H.R. 2454, also known as the “cap and tradeâ€? initiative, on the…
Media
Read More: A Cap and Trade Call to ActionHealth Care
Democrats’ Health Care Plan: Tax the Middle Class, Loophole for Unions
We mentioned last week that a tax on employer-provided health care benefits would likely be part of ObamaCare. This despite the fact that Obama’s campaign criticized McCain for proposing…
Media
Read More: Democrats’ Health Care Plan: Tax the Middle Class, Loophole for UnionsTaxes & Economy
Speaker McCall Throws Support behind Income Tax Hike
Pressured by a looming June 30th budget deadline and Gov. Ed Rendell’s economic team, House Speaker Keith McCall of Carbon County announced yesterday his support for a 16% increase…
Media
Read More: Speaker McCall Throws Support behind Income Tax HikeState Budget
Why Don’t Men Like to Wear Condoms?
No, we haven’t been spammed. But if the question of ‘Why men don’t like to wear condoms?’ doesn’t seem an apt topic for PolicyBlog, does it seem an appropriate subject…
Media
Read More: Why Don’t Men Like to Wear Condoms?Education
How Colleges are Cutting Costs
Two recent articles in the New York Times prove universities can cut costs without decreasing the quality of education. Susquehanna University saved almost $3,000 as students…
Media
Read More: How Colleges are Cutting CostsState Budget
Lawmakers Working Hard on the PA Budget?
If fundraising for the next campaign is considered working out the details of the state budget, Pennsylvania lawmakers are hard at it. John Micek points out no fewer than…
Media
Read More: Lawmakers Working Hard on the PA Budget?State Budget
Pennsylvania Lawmakers Who Signed No Taxes Pledge
Twenty-nine Pennsylvania Legislators have signed American for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge, including six Democrats. Click here to see exactly what they pledged not to do. Assuming politicians…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Lawmakers Who Signed No Taxes PledgeHealth Care
Get Informed and Active on Health Care Reform
On multiple occasions, we have suggested, or passed along the advice of others saying the same, that Republicans, conservatives, libertarians, and free market advocates need to get serious…
Media
Read More: Get Informed and Active on Health Care ReformGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania Lawmakers Still Using Tax Dollars to Buy Votes
Mark Levy of the AP has a hard hitting story of Pennsylvania lawmakers use of WAMs – i.e. “Walking Around Money” made available to us at the discretion of legislative…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Lawmakers Still Using Tax Dollars to Buy VotesRegulation
Thumbs Down on Film Tax Credit
The Patriot News has a scathing editorial against Pennsylvania’s Film Tax Credit. Here is the deathblow: A closer look at the “motion picture industry” employment statistics(cited in…
Media
Read More: Thumbs Down on Film Tax Credit
New Tax Will Crowd-Out Private Recycling Companies
The Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association (PWIA) is making a case against HB 1069, a bill to enable Pennsylvania counties to enact a $4 tax on every ton of…
Media
Read More: New Tax Will Crowd-Out Private Recycling CompaniesGovernment Accountability
State Spending Transparency Hearing
FYI by PLS has a brief summary of a hearing yesterday on proposals to create a state spending transparency for Pennsylvania, with particular attention paid to HB 1460…
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Read More: State Spending Transparency HearingTaxes & Economy
Axe Taxes Not Jobs
Here is a pretty cool site, with info based on your location, primarily on alcohol and liquor taxes.
Media
Read More: Axe Taxes Not JobsState Budget
Cash for Rich People Who Drive Hummers
It is pretty clear that the Cash for Clunkers proposal is a dumb idea to intervene government in the economy and distort the market (or as Charlie Dent…
Media
Read More: Cash for Rich People Who Drive Hummers
Rendell to Suspend Laws of Economics for Three Years
“Gov. Rendell’s critique of the Commonwealth Foundation’s projections of job losses under his proposed tax increase as ‘ludicrous’ is historically and economically ignorant. The Governor’s campaign to raise taxes on…
Press Release
Read More: Rendell to Suspend Laws of Economics for Three YearsTaxes & Economy
Liberals Who OpposeTax Hikes During Recession
Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell renewed his call for higher taxes today, claiming it was ludicrous to think higher taxes would cost jobs. Who would argue with that? Well certainly…
Media
Read More: Liberals Who OpposeTax Hikes During RecessionTaxes & Economy
States Lose Jobs Due to Severance Tax
Florida’s legislature just passed new legislation to ease the severance tax burden on small oil and gas producers in the state. Drilling companies in the state have been forced…
Media
Read More: States Lose Jobs Due to Severance TaxRegulation
Another $1.3 Billion In Cuts for Governor Rendell
At the cabinet meeting yesterday (which the Commonwealth Foundation was escorted out of by security, being told it was a “closed meeting”, while media and staff for the PA…
Media
Read More: Another $1.3 Billion In Cuts for Governor RendellTaxes & Economy
Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest Winners
First Place: $2,500“Taxesâ€? by Colin Jones, Bethel Park PA (watch for a cameo from “Governor Rendell”) Second Place: $1,000“Where’d My Paycheck Go?â€? by Robert Madeley, Mohnton PA…
Media
Read More: Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest WinnersTaxes & Economy
Commonwealth Foundation Announces Winners of Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest
HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today announced the winners of the Please, No More Taxes! video contest: First Prize ($2,500): Colin Jones of Bethel ParkSecond Prize: ($1,000): Robert…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Announces Winners of Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest