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FEBRUARY 16, 2010 | Policy Brief by ELIZABETH BRYAN, KATRINA CURRIE
Business Guide to Electric Choice & Competition
In the late 1990s, Pennsylvania's electricity rates were 15% above the national average, despite the abundance of low-cost coal generation in the Commonwealth. At that time, electricity was sold by a monopoly utility provider per designated region. Then federal regulations changed to allow electricity markets to develop. The state legislature responded with the Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act, signed in December 1996, promising lower prices and better service through generation competition and consumer choice.
JANUARY 5, 2010 | Policy Brief by ELIZABETH BRYAN, KATRINA CURRIE
Citizen's Guide to Electric Choice & Competition
In the late 1990s, Pennsylvania's electricity rates were 15% above the national average, despite the abundance of low-cost coal generation in the Commonwealth. At that time, electricity was sold by a monopoly utility provider per designated region. Then federal regulations changed to allow electricity markets to develop. The state legislature responded with the Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act, signed in December 1996, promising lower prices and better service through consumer choice and generation competition.
DECEMBER 23, 2009 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Climate Change Action Plan Fails to Balance Evidence
The Commonwealth Foundation today expressed dissatisfaction with the process and conclusion of the Climate Change Advisory Committee's (CCAC) action plan for Pennsylvania. The plan deviates from key objectives listed in Act 70 of 2008, provides Pennsylvanians an insufficient analysis of the economic costs of policy proposals, and does not present the full scope of opinions within the scientific community.
DECEMBER 16, 2009 | Commentary by KATRINA CURRIE
Five Threats to Pennsylvania's Prosperity
Pennsylvania has long been one of the most economically stagnant states in the nation. For the period 1991-2008, the Commonwealth ranked 45th in job growth, 46th in personal income growth, and 47th in population growth. Pennsylvania has also faired poorly in independent evaluations of states' business climates, in large part because of having the 11th highest state and local tax burden. Not surprisingly, the state also ranks low in interstate migration, having lost 56,000 net residents to other states from 2000 to 2008.
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Alternative Energy Mandates
Pennsylvania law requires utility companies to produce a certain percentage of their electricity from alternative sources in future years. Proposed legislation would increase this percentage and require new carbon sequestration practices. Both the current mandate and the proposed change will make electricity more expensive for Pennsylvanians.
NOVEMBER 9, 2009 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE, JAN JARETT
End Rate Caps to Create Electric Choice and Competition
Concern about potential price hikes in the midst of a recession may motivate some lawmakers to push for legislation to halt or delay that expiration under the guise of consumer protection, but extending rate caps would be foolhardy.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 | Commentary by ELIZABETH BRYAN
Rendell’s Mixed Energy Agenda
Governor Rendell frequently talks about the need to combat rising energy costs. Yet he continues to support policies that will increase Pennsylvanians’ electric bills and endanger thousands of jobs in the coal and burgeoning natural gas industries. Rendell’s mixed bag of energy policies centers on politics instead of policy outcomes.
JULY 30, 2009 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Electricity Restructuring and Rate Caps
With electricity rate caps expiring, state lawmakers are concerned that Pennsylvanians will see steep increases in their utility bills. What will happen as the electricity deregulation, which is more accurately called electricity restructuring, process ends? What should lawmakers do?
JULY 3, 2009 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Budget Facts 2009: Natural Gas Severance Tax
Pennsylvania faces a $3 billion tax revenue shortfall in the state’s General Fund Budget. Competing proposals from Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican-led Senate differ on raising taxes and reducing/reprioritizing spending. This is the fifth in a series of fact sheets on the state budget.
MAY 13, 2009 | Commentary by CHRISTOPHER DODDS
Taxing An Infant Industry to Death
Home to the first oil well in the United States, Pennsylvania has returned to the drilling scene in recent years, looking to tap into an estimated 50 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation.
