Staff

Taxes & Economy

Governor Rendell: “I’m very optimistic that before Christmas we will have a property tax bill on my desk that I can sign”

• December 4, 2005

Although Governor Rendell thinks the General Assembly will come up with a school property tax shift before December 25, Pennsylvanians should not be expecting much from the Harrisburg Santa…

Media

Taxes & Economy

We all lose when Government tries to pick winners

• December 4, 2005

This Times Leader story highlights how government should not be in the “economic development” business. The best thing government could do for our economy is GET OUT OF THE…

Media

A tiny little tidbit of totalitarianism

• December 4, 2005

Paul Jacob’s Townhall column on how the school employee labor union in Oklahoma (OEA) is fighting against state government spending limits. Sound familiar? Labor unions everywhere are dying…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania can break new ground in protecting property owners from abusive land-takings

• December 4, 2005

Legislation to curb the abuse of eminent domain will likely be moving through the General Assembly this week. Read this commentary from the Institute for Justice. This libertarian public…

Media

Brad Bumsted | It’s time to go for broke

• Matthew Brouillette
• December 4, 2005

Right on the money, Brad. (Pun intended!) Read his Pittsburgh Tribune-Review column. Topics on this page Brad BumstedPittsburgh Tribune-ReviewPun…

Media

Let’s consider positive roles of businesses

• December 4, 2005

Hear! Hear! From Tom Barstow at the Harrisburg Patriot-News. Topics on this page The Patriot-News…

Media

Government Accountability

Republican group seeks disclosure by lobbyists, trim in size of state Legislature

• December 4, 2005

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette… “Proposals that would force lobbyists to disclose their spending, reduce the number of legislators and require more openness in passing bills aren’t new. What is new…

Media

Is Wal-Mart Good for America?

• December 3, 2005

Yes, our family shops at the local Wal-Mart from time to time. Although the company’s recent support of raising the minimum wage (even though Wal-Mart’s average starting wage is already…

Media

Climate in Pennsylvania for Small-Business Owners Continues to Decline

• December 3, 2005

While the national economy improves, small businesses in PA are not very optimistic about the future, says the National Federation of Independent Business. See the NFIB poll of small businesses…

Media

The Freedom to Hate Wal-Mart

• December 2, 2005

From Paul Jacobs’ Common Sense radio broadcast … Some folks don’t like Wal-Mart. Okay. Fine. It’s a free country. No one should be forced at gunpoint to shop at Wal-Mart.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Rendell will veto business tax break

• December 2, 2005

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review … “Rendell emphatically said he would veto any legislation that would lower business taxes but not provide substitute funds. ‘I would have to veto…

Media

Taxes & Economy

They’re Taking Away Your Property for What?

• December 2, 2005

An interesting eminent domain article from the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal. Topics on this page City Journal…

Media

Taxes & Economy

From Hopeless to Hopeful

• November 30, 2005

On November 16, the legislators handed Gov. Rendell a bill to repeal the General Assembly’s July 7 pay and pension grab. The Governor promptly signed the measure without fanfare. Only…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

Private Property & Liberty

• Matthew Brouillette
• November 22, 2005

Good afternoon. My name is Matt Brouillette, and I am president & CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, a public policy research and educational institute based in Harrisburg. We develop and…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

President’s Address: Advancing Ideas Whose Time Have Come

• Matthew Brouillette
• November 16, 2005

"As we celebrate these first recipients of our Speaker Franklin Awards, I’m reminded of the great British Statesman Edmund Burke who once said: “All that is necessary for the triumph…

Commentary

State Budget

Pennsylvania’s Spending Limitation Bills

• Matthew Brouillette
• November 8, 2005

Pennsylvania is Exhibit #1 proving the axiom: “You can have government growth, or you can have economic growth, but you can’t have both!” For years, Pennsylvania public policy has increased…

Fact Sheet

Taxes & Economy

Protect Private Property from Eminent Domain Abuse

• Matthew Brouillette
• October 26, 2005

Thank you for the opportunity to address the issue of Eminent Domain. My name is Matt Brouillette, and I am president & CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, a research and…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

Minimum Wage: Facts

• October 18, 2005

Proponents of artificial increases in the government-mandated minimum wage argue, among other things, that raising the hourly minimum wage will help to lift families with children out of poverty and…

Fact Sheet

Taxes & Economy

Minimum Wage Politics, Bad Economic Policy

• Matthew Brouillette
• October 3, 2005

It wasn’t a corporate executive who said, “Right now Pennsylvania businesses carry a very high tax burden compared to states we compete with. We’re [a] very heavily taxed business state….

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

Reform Government’s Claim on Your Domain

• Matthew Brouillette
• September 19, 2005

Pennsylvanians never really own their homes—they only “rent” them from the government. Don’t believe me? Just stop paying your school and county property taxes and you’ll find out who actually…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

The Effects of the Proposed Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Increase

• September 13, 2005

In recent years, the movement to enact “living wages” or increases in the minimum wage has been active in states and cities across the country. Advocates of these wage hikes…

Report