State Budget
Stop Calling for Higher Taxes
In comments at the Pennsylvania Press Club yesterday, Sen. Jay Costa addressed the state deficit and called for tax increases. Costa said, “A year from now, someone will be standing…
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Philly Union Contract Underscores Need for Transparency
On Monday evening, members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) voted to approve a new labor contract with the School District of Philadelphia. Scant details have emerged on…
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The Solution to Pa.’s Perpetual Deficit Problems
Pennsylvania is rapidly approaching the June 30 budget deadline. Over the next two weeks, lawmakers will decide how to balance the 2017-18 budget. But they’ll also need to settle old…
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One Step Towards Redesigning Human Services
Governor Wolf’s proposal to merge four state agencies into the Department of Health and Human Services has the potential to benefit taxpayers and beneficiaries by eliminating bureaucratic redundancies and providing…
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Obamacare’s Cost Increase Aren’t “Just Fine”
This week, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller sent a letter suggesting that an 8.8 percent increase in insurance premiums next year was a good thing, and…
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Pennsylvania Ranks Poorly…Again
Redesigning state government has never been more important. For evidence, check out Pennsylvania’s poor performance in U.S. News & World Report’s recent Best States Rankings. Overall, the study puts the…
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Are Pennsylvania Schools Underfunded?
New figures from Pennsylvania's Department of Education refute the persistent myth that Pennsylvania public schools are underfunded. See the charts below for 2015-16 statistics on school spending,…
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Making the Most of Philadelphia’s Upswing
Last week I blogged about Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s misplaced confidence in government energy mandates to grow the Steel City. On the other side of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney…
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Gov. Wolf Signs Historic Pension Reform
Yesterday Governor Wolf signed transformative pension reform. SB 1 will establish a side-by-side hybrid plan for new employees, greatly reducing taxpayer risk and laying the foundation for further reform.
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