Energy
Commonwealth Foundation Applauds Senate’s Passage of Historic Tax Cuts
Harrisburg, Pa., May 7, 2024 — Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 269, a bill to substantially reduce personal income taxes and lower Pennsylvanians’ electricity bills. Advanced by a…
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Applauds Senate’s Passage of Historic Tax CutsHigh taxes make for a slow-growing economy. And communities feel the pinch of high taxes as more and more native Pennsylvanians leave the Keystone State to prosper elsewhere. To remain economically competitive, Pennsylvania must lower state taxes and ensure businesses have the opportunity to succeed. Lower taxes will incentivize more individuals to call Pennsylvania their home, ultimately spurring our statewide economy forward.
Taxes & Economy
Federal Tax Reform Helps Middle-Class Families
Hardworking families in Pennsylvania are burdened by an onerous federal tax structure that hinders rather than promotes economic growth and prosperity. That’s why Congress is working to overhaul the broken…
Commentary
Read More: Federal Tax Reform Helps Middle-Class FamiliesState Budget
Has the Wolf Administration Cured Pennsylvania’s Budget Ills?
Secretary of the Budget Randy Albright gave a surprisingly upbeat mid-year budget briefing yesterday. According to the state’s budget office, Pennsylvania’s structural deficit is virtually gone. Yet, reason…
Media
Read More: Has the Wolf Administration Cured Pennsylvania’s Budget Ills?Health Care
Obamacare Exchanges Continue To Dissapoint
Open enrollment for Obamacare exchange plans ends on December 15. It is convenient to blame the new administration and efforts to repeal the law for dwindling choices, disappointing enrollment, and…
Media
Read More: Obamacare Exchanges Continue To DissapointState Budget
Moving Toward a Better Budget Process
Pennsylvania received a bit of good news from Fitch Ratings last week, as the agency affirmed the commonwealth’s credit rating. However, the state’s outlook remains negative. A downgrade is…
Media
Read More: Moving Toward a Better Budget ProcessRegulation
Shocking Pensions a Reminder that we Need More Reform
The Philadelphia Inquirer recently published an article detailing the $100,000+ pension payouts for 500 retired state employees—a jarring reminder that Pennsylvania’s state retirement system…
Media
Read More: Shocking Pensions a Reminder that we Need More ReformTaxes & Economy
PA Taxpayers Are Moving to Almost Every Other State
Where are Pennsylvanians moving? Turns out, 44 states gained taxpayers from Pennsylvania last year. New data released yesterday by the IRS on state-to-state migration showed Pennsylvania gained residents moving from New…
Media
Read More: PA Taxpayers Are Moving to Almost Every Other StateState Budget
A Brief History of Tom Wolf’s Tax Hike Proposals
Since taking office, Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed or supported 10 tax hikes on working families. Lawmakers worked with Wolf to raise taxes in two of the past three years.
Memo
Read More: A Brief History of Tom Wolf’s Tax Hike ProposalsRegulation
Making PA Competitive Again
Lower post-recession unemployment & labor force participation rates are hopeful signs for a historically-weak economy, but without permanent policy changes, other states will continue to surpass Pennsylvania’s economic performance. At…
Media
Read More: Making PA Competitive AgainGovernment Accountability
A Step Towards Smarter Spending
The governor and state lawmakers are taking a step towards tackling our spending problem. On Tuesday a bicameral group of state lawmakers introduced a zero-based budgeting bill. This proposal would…
Media
Read More: A Step Towards Smarter SpendingState Budget
Promising Budget Reforms on the Horizon
Pennsylvania’s latest budget impasse exposed a dysfunctional state budget process. Several members of the House of Representatives have introduced a package of reforms to correct the myriad of problems contributing to…
Media
Read More: Promising Budget Reforms on the HorizonState Budget
PA’s Fiscal Predicament in 5 Charts
Pennsylvania is in poor financial shape and staring down a consequential demographic shift. Check out the 5 charts below for more on the challenges facing our state and the…
Media
Read More: PA’s Fiscal Predicament in 5 ChartsState Budget
New Budget Report Demands Urgent Action
By 2023, the state deficit could reach more than $2 billion. By 2030, Pennsylvania will have just 2.4 workers for every 1 person of retirement age. These were some of the most…
Media
Read More: New Budget Report Demands Urgent ActionRegulation
PLCB Borrowing Panned, Time to Privatize
There hasn’t been much to praise in this year’s budget battles. However, the governor’s announcement that he won’t try to borrow $1.25 billion against Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB)…
Media
Read More: PLCB Borrowing Panned, Time to PrivatizeState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Sin Tax Addiction
Pennsylvania’s excess of excise—or so-called “sin”—taxes was the subject of a recent story in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The piece focused on the amount working people pay in taxes on…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Sin Tax AddictionGovernment Accountability
Inconvenient Facts: Debunking Climate Alarmists
Governments should focus on supporting economic prosperity to enable better adaption to climate changes instead of controlling carbon footprints. Consider the contrast in hurricane recoveries between Florida, where an…
Media
Read More: Inconvenient Facts: Debunking Climate AlarmistsTaxes & Economy
Wolf Tax Reform Hypocrisy
Gov. Wolf has criticized recent federal tax reform proposals—which would lower most tax rates and simplify the tax code by reducing loopholes—because it would eliminate the state and local…
Media
Read More: Wolf Tax Reform HypocrisyState Budget
What’s on the November Ballot: Property Taxes and Judges
In addition to several statewide judicial races, the upcoming November election includes a ballot measure that could change the way Pennsylvanians pay taxes or make no difference at all. Judicial Races…
Media
Read More: What’s on the November Ballot: Property Taxes and JudgesRegulation
Progress and Setbacks in the 2017-18 Budget
Pennsylvania’s four-month budget battle is just about over, thanks to an assortment of targeted tax hikes and fee increases along with borrowing and one-time transfers. However, lawmakers and the governor…
Media
Read More: Progress and Setbacks in the 2017-18 BudgetState Budget
Debt Ahead, but Reform Is Coming, Too
The General Assembly is on the verge of authorizing HB 785, which could add more than $1.2 billion to the state’s debt load. The legislation would amend the Capital…
Media
Read More: Debt Ahead, but Reform Is Coming, TooState Budget
Gov. Wolf’s Borrowing Schemes Won’t Work
Gov. Wolf’s careless decision to overspend last year has played a significant role in this latest budget impasse. Frustrated with the pace of the process, the governor decided to…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf’s Borrowing Schemes Won’t WorkState Budget
Pennsylvania Needs (Tax) Climate Change
What does it take to be #26? The Tax Foundation has the answer. The independent tax policy group released its latest State Business Climate Tax Index, which ranks each…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Needs (Tax) Climate Change