Unbalanced, Reckless Spending Bill

• Common Sense Weekly
• July 18, 2025

Welcome to the Commonwealth Foundation’s weekly news roundup of policy issues debated in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania.Follow us on X for the latest updates—and help us reach 10,000 followers! PA…

Blog

Regulation

Pennsylvania Can Learn from Ohio and West Virginia

• Nathan Benefield
• July 14, 2025

Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Over the last decade, Pennsylvania has lost population and businesses to more competitive states. But this outmigration offers clues on how Pennsylvania…

Media Hit

Op-Ed: The Tax Bill Benefitted All Pennsylvanians. Will that Matter on Election Day?

• Nathan Benefield
• October 23, 2020

To be sure, these numbers preceded the COVID-19 pandemic and economic lockdowns, which devastated job growth and earnings. Pennsylvania hit its lowest unemployment rate ever in 2019, but then skyrocketed to…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Loses 54 People Every Day

• Nathan Benefield
• January 30, 2020

How long before Pennsylvania becomes one big ghost town? New Census data shows that Pennsylvania lost a net of 19,588 residents to other states in 2019—that’s a loss of 54 people…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

The Not-So Secret Trick to Raise Kids out of Poverty

• Andrew Cuff, Elizabeth Stelle
• October 10, 2019

Innassa, a Pittsburgh native, was a stay-at-home mom for her two sons while her husband worked. Then, he got injured—and three surgeries later, still hasn’t recovered. “He’s talking and can…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Where Are Americans Moving?

• September 12, 2018

Millions of people move throughout the United States each year. Some make a home on the next street over. Others move across the country. This is a normal and healthy…

Media

Taxes & Economy

A Severance Tax “Like Other States”? Not so fast

• Nathan Benefield
• July 17, 2015

Gov. Tom Wolf and special interest groups continue to insist Pennsylvania needs to enact a severance tax because “other states have one.” This, of course, ignores the fact that Pennsylvania…

Media

State Budget

The Unintended Consequences of Wolf’s Budget

• Elizabeth Stelle
• April 21, 2015

If the proposed sales tax expansion contained in Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget proposal becomes law, Louise Bell's nursing home costs will jump by $3,000—essentially adding a 13th month to her…

Commentary

Regulation

Five Steps Toward a Balanced Budget

• February 5, 2015

The consequences of overspending have plagued Pennsylvania for years. This year is no different. Lawmakers are tasked with eliminating a projected budget deficit of nearly $1.7 billion, according to forecasts…

Memo