Taxes & Economy

How Does Pennsylvania’s Tax Burden Compare?

  • August 25, 2016

Pennsylvania’s tax structure should benefit all Pennsylvanians, not just some. Unfortunately, our state’s stifling tax burden harms residents. Each year, government spending grows, increasing the pressure for higher taxes. These…

Fact Sheet

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Government Accountability

Shine a Light on the Collective Bargaining Process

  • April 1, 2015

Gov. Tom Wolf has an opportunity to deliver a fresh start to Pennsylvania’s collective bargaining process. Over the next few months, the governor and his administration will be negotiating…

Media

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Education

Pennsylvania Higher Education Spending

  • April 2, 2012

Pennsylvania taxpayers subsidize higher education through appropriations to 14 state-owned universities (Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, or PASSHE), four state-related universities (Penn State, Pittsburgh, Temple, and Lincoln), community colleges,…

Fact Sheet

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Education

Teacher Strikes

  • August 26, 2011

Good afternoon, my name is Pearre Dean and I am Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Commonwealth Foundation, Pennsylvania’s free-market think tank that crafts free-market policies, convinces Pennsylvanians of…

Testimony

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Regulation

Good News for Home Builders

  • April 14, 2011

Back in January 2010, I noted the unwise decision by the Department of Labor & Industry to implement new building codes based on recommendations by the International Code…

Media

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Education

Senate Bill 1: Analysis & Recommendations

  • February 7, 2011

Senate Bill 1, The Opportunity Scholarship Act sponsored by Sen. Jeff Piccola (R) and Sen. Tony Williams (D), would expand scholarships available to children in lower- and middle-income families through…

Fact Sheet

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Regulation

The Only Way to Fix Public Pensions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 4, 2010

The Baltimore Sun editorializes that the only way to fix the pension plan for state workers (in Maryland, though the same would hold true in Pennsylvania) is to move…

Media

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Education

Teachers and their Unions, Part II

  • August 26, 2010

This is another look raising legitimate questions as to how, or even if, teacher unions can reasonably be said to recommend their members which, of course, they maintain they do. …

Commentary

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Regulation

Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Corporate Taxes

  • June 29, 2010

The Commonwealth has the second highest state corporate income tax (behind Iowa, which has more generous deductions and exemptions). When compounding state and federal corporate taxes, Pennsylvania's corporate income tax…

Fact Sheet

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