Center for Economic Freedom & Prosperity

It's decades past time to get government out of our Prohibition-era liquor system. Pennsylvanians have suffered from the PLCB's conflicts of interest and taxpayer-funded boondoggles for far too long. Until lawmakers pass a plan that satisfies both consumers and stakeholders, we will continue to see shoppers stream across state lines for the convenience our government monopoly has failed to deliver.

Pennsylvania needs pension reform that provides state workers with a sustainable retirement system that’s fair to new workers, existing employees and taxpayers. This publication addresses the common myths and benefits of switching new employees from a defined benefit pension plan that guarantees a government income for life to a defined contribution plan that requires the government to regularly deposit a guaranteed percentage of a worker’s salary into a personal retirement

If government control of wine and liquor sales means a safer state, Pennsylvania should be one of the safest in the country. This is not the case. Compared to bordering states and the national average, the commonwealth currently ranks in the middle-of-the-pack or worse in alcohol-related deaths and alcohol-related traffic fatalities.

That's why leaders in statehouses across the country should do the right thing and follow Pennsylvania's lead. Instead of waiting for dollars and dictates from D.C. to expand a broken program, our states can save our ailing health care system by fixing Medicaid themselves.

Getting government out of the booze business would eliminate conflicts of interest, stop government from freezing out Pennsylvania wineries, reduce opportunities for cronyism, eliminate taxpayer-funded boondoggles and allow the PLCB to focus on its mission as a regulatory agency. Privatization means ending the government monopoly over both wholesale and retail operations and returning to a free market.

Pennsylvania’s two main government worker pension systems, the Public School Employee Retirement System (PSERS) and the State Employee Retirement System (SERS), are dramatically underfunded. Together these funds owe more than $47 billion in unfunded liabilities.

Governor Corbett's proposed budget of $28.4 billion in general fund spending and $67.6 billion in spending from all funds represents our highest spending levels ever—exceeding years when federal stimulus dollars inflated total spending. This budget, however, still reflects a reduction from 2010-11 spending levels when adjusting for inflation. This is the second in a series of fact sheets on the state budget.

For our fiscal health, and the health of families, we desperately need the flexibility to allow state officials to design a solution that fits the needs of Pennsylvanians-not an expansion of an already failing program.