State Budget

Gov. Corbett Earns “A” for Fiscal Firefighting

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 9, 2012

Gov. Tom Corbett was one of only four governors to get an “A” in Cato Institute’s Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors. Corbett was joined by Govs. Sam…

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Education

How Much Do Philadelphia Schools Spend?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 9, 2012

Following Matt’s appearance on WHYY yesterday morning, we’ve received questions over our calculation on Philadelphia school district spending per student. The error was ours.  Based on the latest spending…

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Health Care

Medicaid Expansion Bad Deal for Patients

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 3, 2012

Health care interest groups took to the press in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg to argue for expanding Medicaid in Pennsylvania, but these advocates overlook the program’s flaws and its long-term…

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Education

“Won’t Back Down” Captures Heart of Education

  • Priya Brannick
  • October 2, 2012

“Won’t Back Down” is a movie about education that fittingly begins and ends with a close-up of a child reading aloud. Education debates in America frequently whirl…

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Government Accountability

Oh, Great, More “Convenience”

  • October 2, 2012

From the fine makers of the wine kiosk catastrophe, government-branded grapes of wrath, uncorked comedic cronyism  and wasteful wine surplus trailer parks comes “Convenience…

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Education

Parental Choice + Competition = Better Schools

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 1, 2012

A new study of academic performance in Ohio finds that traditional public schools facing competition from charter schools experience greater gains in student learning.  In summarizing the findings, the…

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Regulation

PLCB Spills Grapes of Wrath!

  • October 1, 2012

Wine Shrines, Kiosk Catastrophes and ethics investigations step aside (okay, hold that last one), the Kings of Cabernet have uncorked their latest mayhem of modernization, malfeasance and…

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Education

Charter Expansion Would Boost Student Learning

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 27, 2012

Priya wrote about the recent decline in state test scores and in the number of schools making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), noting seven facts union bosses don’t want you…

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Health Care

Saylor Broaches Biggest Budget Buster

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 26, 2012

Pensions and transportation top the list of crises the General Assembly won’t address in their short fall session, but little has been said about the biggest budget buster facing the…

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