Education

No School Tax Referendums in Pennsylvania this Year

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • March 21, 2012

Remember the gnashing of teeth over “cuts” in state education subsidies (driven by the end of federal stimulus money)? The education establishment and partisan critics of Gov. Corbett insisted this…

Media

Read More: No School Tax Referendums in Pennsylvania this Year

Education

Violent, Failing Schools Will Lead to Unsafe, Ailing America

  • Charles Mitchell
  • March 21, 2012

That’s the upshot of a story in this morning’s Wall Street Journal.  It begins: Flaws in U.S. schools are increasingly causing a national-security risk, producing adults without the…

Media

Read More: Violent, Failing Schools Will Lead to Unsafe, Ailing America

Regulation

Is Corporate Welfare for Shell Cracker Good for PA?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • March 19, 2012

Astute readers may remember that last month Pennsylvania earned the dubious distinction of the highest taxes for mature businesses and the second highest taxes for new businesses. So how…

Media

Read More: Is Corporate Welfare for Shell Cracker Good for PA?

State Budget

Chart of the Day: Pennsylvania Operating Budget since 1970

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 16, 2012

Pennsylvania’s total state operating budget increased for 40 consecutive years before being reduced last year.  The cumulative increase of 151 percent—adjusted for inflation—represents more than $12,000 per family of four…

Media

Read More: Chart of the Day: Pennsylvania Operating Budget since 1970

Taxes & Economy

For Dimock, The Verdict Is In

  • March 16, 2012

In an update to the ongoing saga of federal overreach in Dimock, Pa., the Environmental Protection Agency has released results of drinking water testing at 11 area homes…

Media

Read More: For Dimock, The Verdict Is In

Education

It’s Good to be the King (of Charter Schools)

  • Priya Brannick
  • March 16, 2012

We blogged last month about HB 1973, a bill that would gut funding for cyber schools.  Now it turns out there’s a bill—recently introduced to the House Education Committee—that…

Media

Read More: It’s Good to be the King (of Charter Schools)

Oh, SNAP! Welfare Cheats Sentenced

  • March 15, 2012

Weeks ago we published our take on welfare cheats and made the case for reinstating the asset test in order to rid the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance…

Media

Read More: Oh, SNAP! Welfare Cheats Sentenced

Education

Principled, Punchy Pols Are Popular Pols

  • Charles Mitchell
  • March 15, 2012

I’ve written previously in this space about Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who has garnered enormous popularity while governing courageously.  Today, with a new Quinnipiac poll about Gov.

Media

Read More: Principled, Punchy Pols Are Popular Pols