Commentary

Health Care

New Mandates A Step Backwards in Health Care Reform

• Nathan Benefield
• July 2, 2008

State lawmakers claim to hear the cries of Pennsylvania residents about the escalating costs of health care. Unfortunately, instead of pushing reforms to help lower the costs of care, some…

Commentary

Education

Cyber School Funding Formula: The Wrong Mixture

• July 1, 2008

State Rep. Karen Beyer, along with the Rendell administration, lobbyists for the teachers unions, and the school boards association, has been doggedly seeking to reduce funding for Pennsylvania’s public cyber…

Commentary

Regulation

Soccer Stadium Plans: No Goal

• June 26, 2008

Recently, Governor Rendell and Republican state lawmakers stood side-by-side to announce a multi-million dollar taxpayer grant to build a soccer stadium in Chester, under the guise of "economic development."  Major…

Commentary

Regulation

The State’s Rosy Scenarios

• Richard Dreyfuss
• June 24, 2008

We live in uncertain times. This maxim is often heard in the corridors of the state Capitol where Excel spreadsheets support the marketing of new initiatives based on long-term financial…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

Movin’ Out

• Nathan Benefield
• June 11, 2008

With all due respect to Billy Joel’s "Allentown," the tune which best describes Pennsylvania today would likely be "Movin' Out." For years, Pennsylvania has seen residents (particularly younger ones) move…

Commentary

Regulation

The Nanny State Mentality

• Nathan Benefield
• June 9, 2008

Anyone who has observed politics for long would see that too many politicians believe nothing positive would happen unless they pass a law requiring it. They think that the American…

Commentary

Lease the Turnpike? A real no-brainer

• Matthew Brouillette
• May 21, 2008

Pennsylvania lawmakers have the unique opportunity to allow taxpayers to earn interest rather than pay it. On May 19, Gov. Ed Rendell announced that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania could receive…

Commentary

Regulation

No Extra Money in the Fund

• Richard Dreyfuss
• May 20, 2008

"There is no extra money in the fund" for a pension Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA). That’s the analysis from the State Employees' Retirement System (SERS), not the Commonwealth Foundation…

Commentary

Government Accountability

The Cerberus of the General Assembly

• Nathan Benefield
• May 14, 2008

In Greek Mythology, the river Styx separates the earth from Hades. A giant three-headed dog named Cerberus guards the river, allowing the dead to enter Hades, but preventing anyone—save a…

Commentary

Government Accountability

A Tale of Two Agencies

• Matthew Brouillette
• April 23, 2008

It is neither the “best of times” nor the “worst of times” in Pennsylvania, yet there is “A Tale of Two Agencies” when it comes to the…

Commentary

State Budget

Time for a Spending Diet

• Nathan Benefield
• April 15, 2008

As Pennsylvania taxpayers breath a collective sigh of relief after completing their 2007 tax returns, another tax day is looming. But this is a day to celebrate. It’s Tax Freedom…

Commentary

Health Care

Give Consumers Choices in Health Care

• Nathan Benefield
• April 1, 2008

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed a modified version of Governor Rendell’s "Cover All Pennsylvanians"—renaming it PA ABC (Access to Basic Care). Despite the clever acronym, the program…

Commentary

Health Care

Affordable Health Care Agenda

• March 28, 2008

The Commonwealth Foundation has joined with over two dozen organizations to form the Health Care Freedom Coalition. Below is a Statement of Principles. We, the Health Care Freedom Coalition, believe…

Commentary

Regulation

Mutually Exclusive: Pension COLAS and Lower Taxes

• Richard Dreyfuss
• March 10, 2008

In Government 101, we learn how a bill becomes law and the circuitous route that, at any stage of the political process, may derail a proposal. In fact, only 6.3%…

Commentary

Education

Determining the Cost of an Adequate Education

• Nathan Benefield
• March 5, 2008

The Pennsylvania General Assembly recently commissioned a $650,000 study to determine what it “costs” to educate a child. The firm winning the commission reported that the state should increase spending…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

Foreigners Create Jobs

• Matthew Brouillette
• February 27, 2008

With transportation funding from last year's Act 44 looking increasingly unlikely to materialize, Gov. Rendell is wisely continuing to push for a private-sector lease of the Pennsylvania Turnpike as part…

Commentary

Health Care

RendellCare: What Would Jesus Do?

• Nathan Benefield
• February 24, 2008

Remember the passage in the Bible where Jesus called upon the Roman Empire to provide universal, government-run health insurance? What! There’s no such passage? Perhaps someone should point that…

Commentary

Government Accountability

Campaign Finance Limits Destroy Democracy

• Matthew Brouillette
• January 23, 2008

Pennsylvania's Supreme Court recently upheld Philadelphia's law limiting the amount of money that an individual can contribute to a political candidate. While advocates of campaign contribution limits cheered the…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

Benefits of Reducing the Personal Income Tax

• Matthew Brouillette
• January 10, 2008

Thank you Chairman Turzai, Rep. Quigley, and members of the House Republican Policy Committee for the invitation to share with you why the Commonwealth Foundation believes that reducing taxes…

Commentary

The Alternative to Tolling I-80

• Matthew Brouillette
• November 12, 2007

Pennsylvania lawmakers should reconsider the money it left on the table earlier this year after rejecting Gov. Rendell’s initial plan to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to a private-sector partner. Such…

Commentary

Education

Cyber School Students Deserve Adequate Funding

• Nathan Benefield
• September 19, 2007

Thank you, Chairman Roebuck and members of this committee for inviting us to speak today. My name is Nathan Benefield, I am the Director of Policy Research with the…

Commentary