State Budget

Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: April 2010

  • April 1, 2010

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue reports that through the end of March, state General Fund revenues are $719 million below estimate for the 2009-10 fiscal year. Tax collections have…

Press Release

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Public Union Democracy

You’ve Been Duped

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • April 1, 2010

Apparently our April Fools Day news release hit a little too close to home for some. We announced that under new…

Media

Read More: You’ve Been Duped

Taxes & Economy

Facts and Myths About a Natural Gas Tax

  • April 1, 2010

Gov. Rendell has labeled himself as the “best ally” of the natural gas industry, an odd statement for someone who frequently gets the facts wrong. Here are some corrections…

Media

Read More: Facts and Myths About a Natural Gas Tax

Education

Operation Restore Launched to Preserve School Choice in PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 31, 2010

The REACH Alliance launched Operation Restore, a campaign to restore the funding for Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program to $75 million.  The EITC, which before…

Media

Read More: Operation Restore Launched to Preserve School Choice in PA

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Candidate Survey

  • March 30, 2010

The Commonwealth Foundation asked each of the candidates in the May primary for Pennsylvania Governor to answer a series of 20 questions about state economic and fiscal policy.  Answers…

Press Release

Read More: Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Candidate Survey

State Budget

Debating Taxes on Services

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 30, 2010

The New York Times has a piece on expanding state sales taxes to cover many services, with a specific focus on Pennsylvania. The articles focus primarily on the “modernization”…

Media

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Health Care

Who the Health Cares About the Constitution?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 30, 2010

Constitutional questions have dogged the health care bill since its introduction.  But rather than address these issues head on, supporters of the legislation have shrugged them off.  Speaker Nancy Pelosi,…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Which Sectors are Adding Jobs in Pennsylvania?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 30, 2010

As reported earlier, Pennsylvania lost an estimated 16,000 jobs in February.  Over the past year, the total jobs lost in the state adds to up about 141,000 (272,000 over…

Media

Read More: Which Sectors are Adding Jobs in Pennsylvania?

Regulation

Still Not Easy Being Green for PA Taxpayers

  • March 29, 2010

In 2005, CF advised against passing Gov. Rendell’s Growing Greener II initiative because far better alternatives than increasing Pennsylvania’s debt load could have been used to save farmlands and…

Media

Read More: Still Not Easy Being Green for PA Taxpayers