Public Union Democracy

Reading Schools Stop Paying Ghost Teachers

  • Jessica Barnett
  • May 10, 2018

Since 2011, Reading taxpayers have spent over $500,000 subsidizing the salaries of local teachers’ union officials. Finally, this unfair arrangement will end. In a practice known as “ghost teaching,”…

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Health Care

A Future for My Kids and Me

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 10, 2018

Megan Spaulding graduated from the Brockway Center for Arts and Technology Medical Assistant program two years ago. This single mom turned medical professional describes her new found career as “life-changing.”…

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State Budget

Why the Taxpayer Protection Act Matters to You

  • May 4, 2018

Pennsylvania could end the fiscal year with a budget deficit…again. If the latest Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) projections prove accurate, the commonwealth would need to fill a $195 million…

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Taxes & Economy

The Path to Prosperity

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 2, 2018

Last month we featured the story of Diane, a hardworking medical assistant in Clearfield County and graduate of the Brockway Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT) medical assistant…

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Criminal Justice Reform

Unanimous Senate Vote Advances Criminal Justice Reform

  • May 2, 2018

The state Senate embraced criminal justice reform this week by unanimously passing three pieces of legislation comprising the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) II reforms. The first slate of JRI…

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Taxes & Economy

Wolf’s Severance Tax Among the Highest in the Nation

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 1, 2018

The Governor's fourth natural gas tax proposal, and 11th tax proposal overall, is now embodied in legislation. SB 1000 and HB 2253 join nine other bills sitting in the House and Senate, all…

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Government Accountability

Government that Works?in the Shadows

  • May 1, 2018

Legislation introduced by Rep. Seth Grove—House Bill 1843—injects a much-needed dose of transparency into the state budget. The proposal would give taxpayers access to critical budget documents and financial…

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Taxes & Economy

Migration Update

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • April 28, 2018

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/popest-metro-county.html The ten counties that experienced the greatest growth via domestic migration (“destination states”) had a lower average tax burden than the counties that experienced the greatest declines (“deserted states”). p 10…

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Public Union Democracy

PSU Graduate Students Reject Unionization

  • Jessica Barnett
  • April 25, 2018

According to preliminary results, Penn State graduate assistants have voted to reject joining the Pennsylvania State Education Association. If the Coalition of Graduate Employees convinced a majority of voting graduate…

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