Topics

OCTOBER 27, 2011 | Commentary by CARA DOCHAT, PRIYA ABRAHAM

Government Unions Steal Worker Freedom

Pennsylvania is one of 28 states in which workers can be compelled to give part of their paycheck to a union just to keep their job. Moreover, even non-membership is costly. Those able to evade union coercion are still compelled to pay hundreds of dollars in fair share fees, or agency fees, to cover their supposed share of benefits gained from collective bargaining.

OCTOBER 27, 2011 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Pennsylvania's Government Unions

Pennsylvania is a forced union state, meaning that workers can be forced to join a union or pay a "fair share fee" just to keep their job. Most government units in Pennsylvania are "agency shops," with a specified union to which workers must pay a fee. When state and local governments automatically deduct dues and fair share fees from government workers' paychecks—as is the practice in Pennsylvania—employees have little or no say in how their money is used.

OCTOBER 7, 2011 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Liquor Privatization (House Bill 11)

Summary and Recommendations

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board serves as the monopolistic seller of wine and spirits in the commonwealth. Rep. Mike Turzai introduced House Bill 11 to sell off the PLCB's retail stores, wholesale and distribution operations, current inventory of wine and spirits, and redefine the PLCB as the licenser and regulator of private retailers and distributors.

OCTOBER 5, 2011 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

Principles Must Lead Shale Fee Proposal

Before sound could travel from Gov. Corbett's lips to Pennsylvanians' ears, special interest groups and tax-and-spend politicians unwisely laid waste his plan to protect job growth and stave off family budget-crushing tax hikes through a non-punitive natural gas drilling impact fee.

OCTOBER 4, 2011 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Commonwealth Foundation Creates 'Liquor Liberty' Web Site

HARRISBURG, PA – The Commonwealth Foundation launched today www.LetFreedomDrink.com, a Web site dedicated to removing state government and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board from its monopoly stranglehold over retail and wholesale wine and spirits sales.

OCTOBER 3, 2011 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

CF: Gov. Corbett's Natural Gas Fee Proposal Embraces Key Principles

HARRISBURG, PA - Calling it a huge victory for both working Pennsylvanians and those looking for work, the Commonwealth Foundation praised Gov. Tom Corbett today for his proposal that resists pressure from special interest groups and tax-and-spend politicians to impose a statewide severance tax on natural gas extraction.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2011 | Testimony by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

Transportation Funding Must be Tied to Reform

Governor Corbett's Transportation Funding Advisory Commission identified the dilapidated state of Pennsylvania's roads and bridges and future infrastructure needs. Pennsylvania routinely finishes among the worst states in rankings of road conditions, and among the highest in the number of structurally deficient bridges. Yet Pennsylvania also ranks high among states in terms of spending on roads and bridges, both in terms of spending per capita and spending per highway

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 | Commentary by ELIZABETH STELLE

Public-Private Parking Prevents Tax Hikes

Facing immense fiscal and political pressures, many local governments are looking for ways to fund services without raising taxes. But officials need not curb their enthusiasm for fiscal responsibility if they simply put the brakes on being in the parking business. Pennsylvania has 41 special government parking authorities; the rest of the nation, combined, has five. Despite their abundance, few can explain exactly why Pennsylvania relies on government-run parking monopolies.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 | Infographic by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

13 Reasons Why Government-Sold Booze Fails

America was built upon a free-market system where citizens were free to make purchasing decisions in a competitive market without excessive government oversight or taxation. Sadly, that's not true for Pennsylvanians shopping for wine and spirits today. What is true is that there are people who profit from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's unique monopoly over booze - it's just not taxpayers or consumers. For every original colony embracing the free-market concept, let's take a look at 1

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011 | Commentary by JAMES MILLER, KATRINA CURRIE

The State of Inconvenience

Walk into any supermarket in Ohio and you can see shoppers purchasing everything they need for dinner - including the wine to go with it. In West Virginia, residents can fill up their gas tank and replenish their wine selection in one stop. In fact, every state except Utah provides more freedom over wine and spirits sales than Pennsylvania. This lack of liquor liberty has turned average residents into bootleggers.