November

On The Inaction by State Senate to Fund Unemployment Compensation Call Centers

Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center Director Marc Stier made the following statement after the state Senate failed to vote...

IFO Report: Deficits Now and In The Future

Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center Director Marc Stier made the following statement following the Independent Fiscal Office release of...

Advice for the Voting Booth: Consider Who Will Support the Agenda to Raise Pennsylvania’s Pay?

The day before the election, Pennsylvanians who go to the polls tomorrow have one last chance to consider the...

Sen. Corman Off Base on Why Property Tax Deal Collapsed

Majority Leader of the Senate Jake Corman suggested Monday that his caucus walked away from a deal to increase...

The Wealth Strippers Are Back!!!

October Payrolls Up Overall but Down in Mining, Logging and Schools

This morning the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate in Pennsylvania was down slightly to 5.1...

Unintended Consequences? Property Tax Elimination Increases Taxes on the Middle Class to Reduce Taxes for High-Income Families

The budget end game has focused a lot on property tax cuts. The budget framework agreement includes property tax...

Who Pays for an Increase in the Sales Tax: Analysis of the Tax Incidence of an Increase in the Sales Tax From 6% to 7.25%

Today we released new analysis of the tax incidence of a proposal to raise the state sales tax rate...

What’s It to Be on Property Tax Relief, PA Lawmakers? Reverse Robin Hood or Relief for Renters and Middle-Class Homeowners

This is an appeal to legislators in rural parts of Pennsylvania and in high-property tax areas such as the...

The Severance Tax & the Budget: Flat on Our Backs Again?

Will Charlie Brown end up on his back again as Lucy whisks the football from the tee?

PA Liquor Control Board Transfer of Nearly $550 Million to State Coffers in 2014-15 No Fairy Tale

A new financial report for 2014-15 reveals that the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is still a cash cow that...

If the Robots Actually Were to Come … We Could Enjoy Shorter Work Time

There’s been a lot of hand-wringing recently with people saying, “the robots are coming” with fear that they are...