Harrisburg, PA (02.08.10) - The Commonwealth Foundation today called upon Governor Ed Rendell to propose a taxpayer's budget, a fiscal blueprint adhering to three principles of responsible spending for Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania is nearly dead last in economic growth, and our state now has the 11^th heaviest burden of state and local taxes in America," noted Commonwealth Foundation president and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette.

The three principles of a taxpayer's budget are as follows: 

• Reduces taxes on working Pennsylvanians and job creators.
• Eliminates corporate welfare, WAMs/pork-barrel projects, and special interests spending.
• Balances the budget without accounting gimmicks, shell games, or new debt.

"It's high time to craft a state budget with the taxpayers' prosperity in mind, rather than feeding state government's insatiable appetite to spend." 

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The Commonwealth Foundation (www.CommonwealthFoundation.org) is an independent, non-profit public policy research and educational institute based in Harrisburg, PA.