Andrew Abramczyk
Senior Fellow
And Then What? Reforms Beyond the Current Budget
In any case, the budget will get balanced. For Pennsylvanians, the real question is: “And then what?” Pennsylvania’s budget problems preceded the virus shutdown and will continue long after it without real reform. Listed below are areas where lawmakers…
Backgrounder
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How to Balance the Budget: Revenue Options
Pennsylvania’s partial-year budget to fund the government through November relied on federal emergency aid to patch a prospective deficit. The state cannot count on such extra resources in the future.
Backgrounder
Read More: How to Balance the Budget: Revenue OptionsState Budget
Marijuana Money Can’t Fix the Budget
The dollars involved are small and legalization would create new expenses.
Memo
Read More: Marijuana Money Can’t Fix the BudgetTaxes & Economy
Wolf Takes More Federal Money, Complains About It
Governor Wolf is focused more on wrangling over unemployment aid than lowering unemployment.
Commentary
Read More: Wolf Takes More Federal Money, Complains About ItRegulation
Wine Distributors Sue the Liquor Control Board
The PLCB ignored the law for years by refusing to permit direct delivery. A judge may finally force them.
Commentary
Read More: Wine Distributors Sue the Liquor Control BoardState Budget
Strange Budget for Strange Times: 2020-2021 State Budget Overview
State assembly funds the government through November with a budget chock full of federal aid. …
Memo
Read More: Strange Budget for Strange Times: 2020-2021 State Budget OverviewGovernment Accountability
Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 3
The state government uses special entities to borrow in excess of the constitutional debt limit and make loans and guarantees that would otherwise be illegal.
Report
Read More: Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 3Taxes & Economy
Pennsylvania Turnpike Blues
A sudden drop in traffic has exposed the toll road's reckless debt load.
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvania Turnpike BluesTaxes & Economy
Aid Pays More Than Work, Predictable Results Ensue
This is not how a safety net is supposed to work.
Commentary
Read More: Aid Pays More Than Work, Predictable Results EnsueRegulation
Op-Ed: Coronavirus Crackdown Exposes Failing Government Liquor Monopoly
The state liquor monopoly, not the coronavirus, caused the present alcohol shortage. Now is the time to push for changes.
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Coronavirus Crackdown Exposes Failing Government Liquor MonopolyTaxes & Economy
State Unemployment Fund Returns to Crisis
The unemployment insurance fund was neither properly replenished nor reformed after running out of money in 2008. It is about to run out of money again. …
Commentary
Read More: State Unemployment Fund Returns to CrisisEducation
Slots for Scholars?
Use of gambling revenue to fund colleges is both economically and morally questionable.
Commentary
Read More: Slots for Scholars?Health Care
No Easy Pass This Year on Cost Overruns
Legislators are questioning the administration's chronic overspending habit, but they aren't getting many answers.
Commentary
Read More: No Easy Pass This Year on Cost OverrunsEducation
State System Error: Proposed Scholarship Program is a Bailout
Governor Wolf's scholarship plan is a disguised bailout for the financially distressed State System colleges.
Commentary
Read More: State System Error: Proposed Scholarship Program is a BailoutGovernment Accountability
Three Steps to an Honest Budget: Fiscal Reform Priorities 2020-2021
Our legislative roadmap to a balanced budget, a spending limit and a more transparent fiscal process.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Three Steps to an Honest Budget: Fiscal Reform Priorities 2020-2021State Budget
Mid-Year Budget Briefing: $779 Million Projected Overspend
This week is the midpoint of the commonwealth fiscal year, which ends on June 30. Every year, as required by law, the Office of the Budget gives a mid-year budget briefing…
Media
Read More: Mid-Year Budget Briefing: $779 Million Projected OverspendEducation
Pension Pacman Must Be Stopped
Next fiscal year Pennsylvania school districts will pay $4.9 billion into PSERS, the state teachers’ pension fund.1 Less than one quarter of that amount will fund new benefits earned by…
Media
Read More: Pension Pacman Must Be StoppedGovernment Accountability
How to Make an Easy Six Million
A week ago the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office announced charges against Wing Tat Chiu and Ivy Hiu-Ying Li, a married couple whom they accuse of earning $6 million in illegal…
Media
Read More: How to Make an Easy Six MillionState Budget
It Won’t Get Easier: Our Take on the State’s Five Year Outlook
Last week the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) presented its annual set of fiscal and economic projections for the next five years. The full report and summary presentation are available…
Media
Read More: It Won’t Get Easier: Our Take on the State’s Five Year OutlookRegulation
The O-Zone Hole
State and national governments sometimes designate “Economic Opportunity Zones,” geographic areas wherein they give tax breaks to incentivize investment. If opportunity zones are such a great idea, though, why not…
Media
Read More: The O-Zone HoleState Budget
Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 2
The state legislature controls less than half of all state revenue. The rest is on autopilot, flowing automatically through a maze of accounts and undermining the constituional plan for accountabilty…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 2