Public Union Democracy
PA’s Long Tradition of Faux Pension Reform
Pennsylvania's pension problem is nothing new. Over the years, lawmakers have tried to salvage the fundamentally broken system instead of creating a system that works. The latest attempt, SB…
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School Districts Amass Record Reserve Funds
Is your local school board planning to raise property taxes despite holding millions in reserve funds? For many Pennsylvania school districts, the answer may be “yes.” Check out…
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Local School District Leads the Way on Transparency
The Quakertown Community School Board (QCSB) is scrapping a conventional collective bargaining practice. Normally, unions and public employers don’t reveal the details of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) until after…
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What PA’s New Fair Funding Formula Means for Education
The recently completed 2015-16 state budget includes a fair funding formula which disburses new state education dollars to each school district based on enrollment numbers, the number of students from low-income…
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Read More: What PA’s New Fair Funding Formula Means for EducationRegulation
Corporate Welfare: The New Budget Hostage
Gov. Wolf is withholding approval of corporate welfare projects until lawmakers agree to advance his legislative agenda. According to a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story, administration aides told Senate Republicans no…
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Latest Plan Could Grow the Pension Iceberg
On the heels of bipartisan wine reform, the PA House is reportedly considering a pension reform plan that could actually increase pension costs. Known as a stacked-hybrid plan, the current bill…
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Read More: Latest Plan Could Grow the Pension IcebergRegulation
5 Reasons to Continue the Push for Liquor Privatization
Some lawmakers and the media have labeled the latest liquor reforms as “historic” and “sweeping.” The Patriot-News described the reform as the “most substantial overhaul of Pennsylvania's liquor system…
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Read More: 5 Reasons to Continue the Push for Liquor PrivatizationRegulation
Shell Cracker Plant Proves Taxes Matter to Job Creators
Workers hit by the natural gas slump in western PA received some much needed good news this week. Shell announced they will proceed with building a multibillion dollar chemical…
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Is $27 Billion Enough?
Is $27 billion enough money for Pennsylvania's public schools? This is the question policymakers must answer before voting to raise taxes on …
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