State Budget
Pennsylvania’s Fiscal Irresponsibility Bears Repeating
A critic, responding to my op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer, opines that I am repeating the “mantra” that lawmakers should control the growth of spending and avoid job-killing tax…
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Read More: Pennsylvania’s Fiscal Irresponsibility Bears RepeatingEducation
Diverse Students Need Diverse Choices
Were a doctor to give every patient an aspirin regardless of their diagnosis, most would consider the doctor unqualified. Sure, the patients with a fever or a headache might be satisfied, but…
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Read More: Diverse Students Need Diverse ChoicesState Budget
Treasurer Playing Chicken with State Budget
In a news interview yesterday, State Treasurer Joe Torsella threatened that he won’t allow the state to borrow any more money to pay bills, unless the budget is balanced.
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Read More: Treasurer Playing Chicken with State BudgetTaxes & Economy
Severance Tax Talk is Stunting Investment in Pa.
One tax is emblematic of Pennsylvania’s failure to grow the economy with more government spending: the natural gas severance tax. Special interest groups have worked for a decade to enact a…
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Why Pa.’s Department of Corrections is a Model to Follow
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) recently released the results of SIP-HOPE—a promising new pilot program aimed at reducing recidivism. According to DOC, the program led to a 13…
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Read More: Why Pa.’s Department of Corrections is a Model to FollowPublic Union Democracy
UFCW Fined for Misreporting Terrible Anti-Privatization TV Ads
Pennsylvania’s Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has persistently generated corruption scandals as it manages the state-run liquor system. Now, the loudest advocate for retaining this inefficient and unpopular…
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Read More: UFCW Fined for Misreporting Terrible Anti-Privatization TV AdsState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Small Towns Need Harrisburg to Think Big
The stories are all too familiar. In towns hollowed out by economic downturns, Pennsylvanians are struggling to get by. Many are wondering when, or if, things will get better. Small…
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State Government Continues to Grow
As I pointed out last week, the total operating budget for Pennsylvania exceeds $80 billion. In addition to the $32 billion General Fund, the $49 billion “shadow budget” includes $28.7 billion…
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Read More: State Government Continues to GrowRegulation
Reducing the State’s Cash Stockpile Can Help Balance the Budget
Lawmakers considering balancing the budget with borrowing and higher taxes could opt for a responsible alternative: drawing down funds from the shadow budget's “banking accounts.” But first, let’s take a…
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