Commentary

End Perks for the Politically Connected

• April 27, 2017

Success is determined by who lobbies better, not by who makes the best product at an affordable price. The result? A few businesses “win” at their competitors’ expense, and taxpayers…

Commentary

Time to End Special Interest Loophole

• Jessica Barnett
• April 27, 2017

Because of a legal carveout for special interests, Pennsylvania has been mixing public resources and politics for years. But that carveout could soon end.

Commentary

Time to End Special Interest Loophole

• April 27, 2017

Because of a legal carveout for special interests, Pennsylvania has been mixing public resources and politics for years. But that carveout could soon end.

Commentary

Choice is a Win for Students

• James Paul
• April 27, 2017

In the aftermath of Betsy DeVos’s confirmation as Secretary of Education, opponents beleive the sky is falling on public education. DeVos is a well-known school choice advocate who believes in…

Commentary

Choice is a Win for Students

• April 27, 2017

In the aftermath of Betsy DeVos’s confirmation as Secretary of Education, opponents beleive the sky is falling on public education. DeVos is a well-known school choice advocate who believes in…

Commentary

Double-Down on Reinventing Government

• Nathan Benefield
• April 27, 2017

What's different about Wolf's third budget address? Record-setting income and sales tax increases? Gone. Partisan rhetoric? Mollified. Massive spending hikes? Absent. Instead, Wolf targeted bureaucratic waste to close the ever-widening…

Commentary

Double-Down on Reinventing Government

• April 27, 2017

What's different about Wolf's third budget address? Record-setting income and sales tax increases? Gone. Partisan rhetoric? Mollified. Massive spending hikes? Absent. Instead, Wolf targeted bureaucratic waste to close the ever-widening…

Commentary

Did You Hear April-May

• April 27, 2017

We applaud the House and Speaker Turzai for acting to give thousands more students access to educational options that best meet their unique needs. …

Commentary

Did You Hear April-May

• April 27, 2017

We applaud the House and Speaker Turzai for acting to give thousands more students access to educational options that best meet their unique needs. …

Commentary

Note from the Team April-May

• April 27, 2017

The Commonwealth Foundation team is growing! …

Commentary

Note from the Team April-May

• April 27, 2017

The Commonwealth Foundation team is growing! …

Commentary

Regulation

Op-Ed: End Perks for the Politically Connected

• April 11, 2017

We deserve better than a system that favors the politically connected. An environment where people can advance based on merit, not lobbying prowess, will put cities like Scranton back on…

Commentary

Regulation

A Guide to Corporate Welfare in Pennsylvania

• April 6, 2017

Pennsylvania's culture of corporate welfare is pervasive. The current system rewards businesses for their lobbying prowess rather than their ability to effectively serve consumers' needs.

Commentary

Education

Op-Ed: The Cure for ‘March Madness’

• James Paul
• April 5, 2017

While the NCAA basketball tournament had the nation on the edge of its seat, Philadelphia students faced their own version of March Madness—full of drama, heartache, and uncertainty, but with far more…

Commentary

Public Union Democracy

Op-Ed: Time to End Special-Interest Loophole

• Jessica Barnett
• March 24, 2017

Subverting public resources for political gain will not be tolerated. Except when it is. Pennsylvania government regularly collects and distributes tens of millions of dollars earmarked for politics on behalf of…

Commentary

Education

Op-Ed: Is the Sky Falling on Children’s Education?

• James Paul
• February 24, 2017

In the aftermath of Betsy DeVos’s confirmation as Secretary of Education, opponents predict she could decimate public education. Their perspective is misguided, unsupported by facts, and ultimately harmful for the future…

Commentary

National Spotlight

• February 14, 2017

After the election, Commonwealth Foundation and our friends throughout the State Policy Network received national attention. Here are some of the highlights.

Commentary

National Spotlight

• February 14, 2017

After the election, Commonwealth Foundation and our friends throughout the State Policy Network received national attention. Here are some of the highlights.

Commentary

Shifting the Budget Paradigm with Five Reforms

• Elizabeth Stelle
• February 14, 2017

What if, instead of viewing bills as non-negotiable, we actually asked “why” spending keeps rising? From duplicate programs to politically favored businesses to operational redundancies, the cost-drivers in the state…

Commentary

Shifting the Budget Paradigm with Five Reforms

• February 14, 2017

What if, instead of viewing bills as non-negotiable, we actually asked “why” spending keeps rising? From duplicate programs to politically favored businesses to operational redundancies, the cost-drivers in the state…

Commentary

School Choice: Helping One Student at a Time

• February 14, 2017

A charter school graduate explains why school choice is so meaningful to his family.

Commentary