Education

Why Teachers Need a Bill of Rights

  • Gina Diorio
  • August 25, 2015

Mary loves teaching culinary arts, but she doesn’t want her name used in political mailers. Jane spent a career in the classroom, but she can’t donate the money she earned…

Media

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Government Accountability

Transparency is the Antidote to Quid Pro Quo Politics

  • August 24, 2015

Did Attorney General Kathleen Kane promise a sweetheart deal to union leaders in exchange for support of her controversial chief of staff? According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, enough evidence exists to…

Media

Read More: Transparency is the Antidote to Quid Pro Quo Politics

Taxes & Economy

Taxes and Taxes and Taxes, Oh My!

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 24, 2015

A recent NPR article notes that Pennsylvania “gathers less than 1 percent of its total tax receipts from an impact fee” on natural gas production (emphasis mine). Naturally, the…

Media

Read More: Taxes and Taxes and Taxes, Oh My!

Regulation

Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Gambling Problem

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • August 21, 2015

There are numerous ways Gov. Wolf can balance the budget without raising taxes: reforming the pension system, cutting corporate welfare and selling the liquor business. Instead, he…

Media

Read More: Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Gambling Problem

Public Union Democracy

Exposing Union Myths and Hypocrisy on Pension Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 20, 2015

Pennsylvania government unions rely on disproven myths to lobby against pension reform. Their actions, however, demonstrate they don't believe their own snake oil, and offer their employees' the same retirement plans…

Media

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Government Accountability

Something Pennsylvania Government Does Pretty Well

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 19, 2015

A new report on state spending transparency websites gives Pennsylvania’s site—PennWatch—a solid ‘B’ grade. Created through legislation passed in 2011, PennWatch offers data—down to the “checkbook level”—on state…

Media

Read More: Something Pennsylvania Government Does Pretty Well

State Budget

Audio: The Real Danger of a Severance Tax

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • August 19, 2015

The Pennsylvania state budget remains long overdue, mostly due to Gov. Wolf’s misconstrued idea of compromise. He continues to insist on a severance tax to increase education spending, but…

Media

Read More: Audio: The Real Danger of a Severance Tax

Public Union Democracy

Pension Reform to Protect my Kids

  • August 19, 2015

Legislative leaders have rightly rejected a so-called pension reform “compromise,” a plan that fails to address the problems in our pension system and continues to put our kids and grandkids on…

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Education

Wolf to Chester Families: “There is No Escape”

  • James Paul
  • August 19, 2015

Tom Wolf’s record on public education is well documented. The governor is hostile to schools of choice, cozy to union interests, and wedded to…

Media

Read More: Wolf to Chester Families: “There is No Escape”