State Budget

Demographics Destined to Hold Pennsylvania Back?

• January 25, 2016

Last year, Pennsylvania lost one person to another state every 12.5 minutes. In total, the state’s net domestic migration rate was negative: 41,607 more people moved out of Pennsylvania than…

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Regulation

Is Gov. Wolf Ignoring Credit Rating Agencies?

• Nathan Benefield
• January 4, 2016

Last week, Gov. Wolf once again resorted to defending his latest budget vetoes citing the fear of credit rating downgrades. Oddly, he seems to miss that pension reform and…

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Is Pennsylvania’s Income Tax Too Low?

• December 14, 2015

Is an income tax hike in Pennsylvania’s future? Over the weekend, Charles Thompson of PennLive reported on the possibility, citing multiple sources who would not rule out a personal…

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Wolf Wrong About Pensions & Downgrades

• Nathan Benefield
• July 14, 2015

Over the past week, Gov. Tom Wolf has been defending his vetoes of the state budget, pension reform, and liquor privatization, noting that rating agencies have been downgrading Pennsylvania’s…

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Education

A Solution for Persistently Failing Schools

• James Paul
• June 12, 2015

Amidst a flurry of hearings on severance taxes, incomes taxes, and pension reform, a piece of legislation with less fanfare advanced with bipartisan support out of the…

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Taxes & Economy

New Evidence: Taxes Stunt Economic Growth

• Michael Hogg
• July 30, 2014

A recent Mercatus Center study provides new evidence…

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Health Care

Medicaid Expansion is Risky Business

• Elizabeth Stelle
• June 29, 2013

Both Republicans and Democrats have recently engaged in some risky business by pushing for the Medicaid expansion. They’ve been quick to assure state taxpayers they won’t be left with an enormous…

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Health Care

Corbett’s Wise Medicaid Stance

• Elizabeth Stelle
• April 30, 2013

While advocates of expanding the welfare state are using new studies to push Gov. Tom Corbett to expand Medicaid, his position of resisting the “free money” argument is wise given…

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Welfare

State Flexibility Essential to Preserving the Safety Net

• Elizabeth Stelle
• July 17, 2012

Last week, I noted a number of states whose governors were refusing the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act because of the costs the expansion would impose. Over…

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