State Budget

Summary of Governor Wolf’s 2015-2016 Budget Proposal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 12, 2015

General Fund spending is projected to reach $31.6 billion—the largest spending increase (8.7 percent) in 25 years. Gov. Wolf is proposing to move $1.75 billion in school pension payments to a…

Memo

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Regulation

EPA Rule Would Increase PA Energy Bills by $1,000

  • Gordon Tomb
  • November 26, 2014

The war on coal will be a catastrophe for consumers, according to a new analysis of energy prices under new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. According to…

Media

Read More: EPA Rule Would Increase PA Energy Bills by $1,000

Public Union Democracy

Unions Pouring Big Money in Pennsylvania Elections

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 27, 2014

As we’ve pointed out in the past, unions—often using campaign contributions collected at taxpayer expense—dominate political spending and electioneering. Well, the first campaign…

Media

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Regulation

End Special Subsidies to Lower Taxes for All

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • February 26, 2014

Taxpayers have spent millions on four different occasions to subsidize the infamous “Sony site” in Westmoreland County. In the 1970’s Volkswagen got $70 million in state aid under Gov.

Media

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Does Early Childhood Education Benefit Students?

  • April 23, 2013

Gov. Corbett recently proposed an $11.4 million increase in the early childhood education budget, which means Pennsylvania could spend a total of $348.4 million on early…

Media

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Health Care

Where Does Government Get Money?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 28, 2013

Where does the federal government get its money? Does it grow on trees? Does it fall from the sky like manna from heaven? Is there a genie who keeps granting…

Media

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State Budget

Corbett’s Medicaid Decision Could Save Jobs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 11, 2013

The Affordable Care Act—often dubbed Obamacare—included 20 new taxes or tax increases. As these taxes are beginning to go into effect, businesses are starting to feel the impact, and…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Will Anti-Gas Political Climate Prevent 10,000 Jobs?

  • January 17, 2012

U.S. Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey, along with Gov. Tom Corbett, have been lobbying for Shell to invest their petroleum chemistry plant, known as a “cracker”…

Media

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Regulation

Sony Site: Merely Renting Jobs with Corporate Welfare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 20, 2011

Last week, the state gave $10 million to rehabilitate the former site of a Sony plant—marking the fourth time taxpayer funding has been used to “create jobs” at the exact…

Media

Read More: Sony Site: Merely Renting Jobs with Corporate Welfare