Education

How to Fix What’s Broke in Education

  • Priya Brannick
  • May 22, 2012

Harrisburg Patriot-News columnist Nancy Eshelman rightly sounded the alarm Sunday on Pennsylvania’s public education system: It’s the same old story. Every spring, threats of higher taxes, slashed programs…

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Public Union Democracy

Pennsylvania’s Pension Iceberg

  • Nathan Benefield, Richard Dreyfuss
  • May 21, 2012

Laura Olson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a story on the crisis in Pennsylvania’s public pensions, and Gov. Corbett injecting pension reform into the budget discussion: Even with…

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Education

Cal U Waste Begs for Higher Ed Reform

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 21, 2012

The Senate’s budget included more funding for state universities than Governor Corbett proposed, but new discoveries of wasteful spending should give lawmakers pause. Gov. Corbett proposed a 30 percent cut…

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Education

Chart: School District Fund Balances Nearly Tripled in 14 Years

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 17, 2012

PA Independent reported on Monday that Pennsylvania school districts’ fund balances reached $3.2 billion in 2011 (they compiled the data from the PA Department of Education’s (PDE)…

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Regulation

Taxpayers Screaming at PLCB Waste

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 17, 2012

Another day, another story of waste at the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. ABC 27’s Dennis Owens reports on the PLCB buying extravagant wine, then selling it at a discount…

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Regulation

Who Should Need the Government’s Permission to Work?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 16, 2012

What's more dangerous, an incompetent barber or incompetent emergency medical worker? Most people would say and EMT, but a barber has to undergo almost nine times the hours of training…

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Regulation

Broken Bottle Booze Bonanza Baffles Bourbon Barons

  • May 15, 2012

Another day, another alliteration, another wasteful Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board practice uncovered by the media. This time, a hat tip to Ben Simmoneau of CBS 3 Philadelphia for his report…

Media

Read More: Broken Bottle Booze Bonanza Baffles Bourbon Barons

Health Care

New Healthcare Regs Would Cost PA Taxpayers $50 Million

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 15, 2012

A bill on the floor of the state House would circumvent consumer freedom when it comes to prescription drugs. Many employers, including the state, encourage employees to buy less costly…

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State Budget

State Budget vs Spending Limits

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 14, 2012

Last week, the Pennsylvania State Senate passed a budget representing $27.66 in General Fund spending. How does that stack up against inflation and population growth? If…

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