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FEBRUARY 29, 2012 | Commentary by STEPHEN BLOOM, JOHN EICHELBERGER
Sounding the Alarm to Save Pennsylvania
A four-alarm fire is engulfing Pennsylvania's economy. If we don't regain control of the state debt, corrections costs, public welfare growth and government employee pensions, our state taxpayers will be burned, and Pennsylvania's children will inherit only the ashes of our once great commonwealth.
MARCH 17, 2011 | Commentary by KATRINA CURRIE, NICHOLAS FETT
Retaining the Film Tax Credit: Two Thumbs Down for Taxpayers
Behind the lens of Gov. Tom Corbett's budget the focus is largely on putting taxpayers first and fostering economic growth. But at a time when the director should be yelling, ‘cut,' to all handouts, retaining Pennsylvania's $60 million film tax
JANUARY 20, 2011 | Commentary by KATRINA CURRIE, NATHAN BENEFIELD
Fixing Rendell's Mess
Penn's Woods are darker and deeper in red ink than ever before thanks to the tax-borrow-and-spend agenda of the Rendell Administration and some General Assembly members who failed to put Pennsylvania back on a path to prosperity. To add insult to injury last month, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that Pennsylvania would lose another C
JANUARY 17, 2011 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE
How Corbett can Balance the Budget without Raising Taxes
Even before Gov.-elect Tom Corbett raises his right hand high Tuesday swearing to tackle the problems left from the previous administration's tax-borrow-and-spend agenda, doubters are lining up to take potshots at the notion that Harrisburg can close Pennsylvania's a potential $5 billion budget gap without a tax increase.
NOVEMBER 8, 2010 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Corbett's Challenge
As Tom Corbett prepares for his move into the Pennsylvania Governor's Mansion, he must be realizing the magnitude of what he is about to undertake: the governorship of a state that is facing both a short- and long-term fiscal crisis.
AUGUST 31, 2010 | Commentary by ELIZABETH STELLE
Traditional Energy Fuels Pennsylvania's Economy
Pennsylvania has always been a leading provider of America's energy. From timber and coal to the nation's first commercial oil well, and now the Marcellus Shale boom, traditional energy is vital to our state's economy. But these industries, and the prosperity that accompanied them, are now threatened because they have become politically
JULY 13, 2010 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
The Real Problem with the Specter Library
As part of the state budget deal, Gov. Rendell secured $600 million in new borrowing for pork-barrel projects, including $10 million for the "Arlen Specter Library" at Philadelphia University and another $10 million for the "John P. Murtha Center for Public Policy." These monuments to politicians have sparked outrage, but represen
JUNE 29, 2010 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Corporate Taxes
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 rate is higher than that of every other country.
JUNE 23, 2010 | Policy Report by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
A Taxpayer's Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania
A Taxpayer's Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania identifies opportunities to cut over $4 billion in wasteful state spending in Gov. Rendell's proposed FY 2010-11 budget. The report also offers a series of recommendations for resolving the current revenue shortfall and reducing the size and burden of government on
JUNE 15, 2010 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Are Pennsylvania Taxes “Money Well Spent?”
Gov. Rendell proposes balancing the state budget with a combination of new and higher taxes, another federal bailout, and additional state borrowing. When confronted by opposition to additional taxes on working Pennsylvanians, Gov. Rendell and the special interests who feed on tax dollars frequently ask, "What key services should we cu
