Elizabeth Stelle
Director of Policy Analysis
Elizabeth has researched and written on government reform, health care, welfare, energy, and government transparency. Her work has been featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Patriot-News, Philadelphia Inquirer, and a variety of radio and television programs throughout the commonwealth. Elizabeth is a graduate of Grove City College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in history.
A native of Ohio, Elizabeth makes her home in the Pittsburgh area with her husband and four children. She enjoys swimming, traveling to historic landmarks and exploring the moral foundations of capitalism.
Taxes & Economy
Biofuel Failure becomes Natural Gas Success
Pat Copple owns a biodiesel plant in Monaca, or at least he did until May when he started to convert his operation into a Marcellus wastewater treating facility. Copple says the…
Media
Read More: Biofuel Failure becomes Natural Gas SuccessEducation
Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying at Pitt
A reader shared the letter below from the University of Pittsburgh. It urges all parents and students to contact their state legislators and protest higher education cuts in the proposed…
Media
Read More: Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying at PittTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Hiring Spree Continues
The Center for Workforce Information and Analysis (the research arm of the Department of Labor and Industry) released their April Marcellus Shale Fast Facts, demonstrating tremendous growth in Marcellus…
Media
Read More: Marcellus Hiring Spree ContinuesTaxes & Economy
What’s the Difference Between a Tax and a Fee?
The latest media narrative this week seems to be that Americans for Tax Reform’s Grover Norquist is controlling Pennsylvania lawmakers, by stating that a proposed “impact fee” is a…
Media
Read More: What’s the Difference Between a Tax and a Fee?Regulation
Privatizing “Yellow Pages” Government
This report surveys the scope of Yellow Pages Government in Pennsylvania, looks at examples of state and local privatization throughout the country, and outlines best practices to equip lawmakers to…
Report
Read More: Privatizing “Yellow Pages” GovernmentPublic Union Democracy
PA Legislators Consider Unemployment Compensation Reforms
By June 11th, the state must change its unemployment compensation rules to meet federal guidelines, or 45,000 Pennsylvanians will lose their unemployment benefits. Gov. Corbett has been supportive of more…
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Read More: PA Legislators Consider Unemployment Compensation ReformsHealth Care
Rescuing the States from Medicaid
State Medicaid spending has increased four times faster than elementary and secondary education spending and nine times faster than transportation spending over the past two decades. In Pennsylvania,…
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Read More: Rescuing the States from MedicaidRegulation
Privatization Could Save Harrisburg
In December, Harrisburg entered into the state’s ominous Act 47 program for distressed cities to avoid bankruptcy. Privatization seems one option to help the city deal with its debt…
Media
Read More: Privatization Could Save HarrisburgEducation
Senate Passes Furlough Bill, but Keeps “Last In First Out”
Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed SB 612 by a 38-12 count. The bill, sponsored by Senator Folmer, would give school districts the ability to furlough teachers and other school…
Media
Read More: Senate Passes Furlough Bill, but Keeps “Last In First Out”Regulation
Should States Stop Regulating Telephones?
Land line use in the United States continues to decline as more households are going “wireless” and relying exclusively on their cell phones. About 17 percent of Pennsylvania households…
Media
Read More: Should States Stop Regulating Telephones?Government Accountability
Reining in Spending with Performance-Based Budgeting
The House State Government Committee held a hearing today on reforming the budgeting process. HB 726, sponsored by Rep. Stan Saylor, would institute performance based-budgeting. Today, most of the…
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Read More: Reining in Spending with Performance-Based BudgetingTaxes & Economy
Natural Gas Industry Paid Over $1 Billion in Taxes
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released detailed numbers, showing oil and gas producers paid over $1.1 billion in state taxes since 2006. This includes $234 million paid this…
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Read More: Natural Gas Industry Paid Over $1 Billion in TaxesRegulation
Public Pensions & Politics
Here’s a presentation on government pensions from our senior fellow Rick Dreyfuss. PA Pension Reform Presentation …
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Read More: Public Pensions & PoliticsTaxes & Economy
The Natural Gas Not-A-Tax
Yesterday, the Republican Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati released his much anticipated Marcellus shale Not-A-Tax “local impact fee.” The proposal would require drillers to pay a “Base Fee”…
Media
Read More: The Natural Gas Not-A-TaxTaxes & Economy
Earth Day Tribute to Fossil Fuels
Instead of planting a tree today, I’m celebrating earth day by honoring the human ingenuity that’s made this planet a better place to live. There’s no question that standards of…
Media
Read More: Earth Day Tribute to Fossil FuelsGovernment Accountability
Atlas Shrugged: Part I Movie Reviews
Friday night, three CF staffers braved sold-out theaters to watch the much anticipated Atlas Shrugged movie, a film that was big on buzz and short on funds. The movie, like the…
Media
Read More: Atlas Shrugged: Part I Movie ReviewsEducation
A Diet for Higher Education
Sunday, the Post Gazette published an article from our friends at the Center for College Affordability and Productivity. They argue there is no relationship between state appropriations and…
Media
Read More: A Diet for Higher EducationEducation
Union Think Tank Continues Assault on School Choice
The union-backed Keystone Research Center (KRC) released a so-called study of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC). Not surprisingly, this study is an attack against tax credits for private…
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Read More: Union Think Tank Continues Assault on School ChoiceGovernment Accountability
PA House Passes Four Reform Bills this Week
The Pennsylvania State House has been especially productive this week, passing four pieces of key legislation that CF blogged on last week.
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Read More: PA House Passes Four Reform Bills this WeekTaxes & Economy
Economic Freedom Means no Subsidies for any Energy Source
The Marcellus Works proposal is a package of seven bills designed to incentivize natural gas vehicles through a combinations of tax credits and government loans. The bills include: HB…
Media
Read More: Economic Freedom Means no Subsidies for any Energy SourceEducation
More Evidence Vouchers are a Win-Win
The latest series of studies from the University of Arkansas’s Department of Education Reform on the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) provide more evidence that vouchers improve academic performance…
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Read More: More Evidence Vouchers are a Win-Win