Public Union Democracy
Government Union Political Spending in the 2021–22 Election Cycle
Key Points Government unions are a top interest group in Pennsylvania, spending more than $190 million on politics since 2007. Government union political action committee (PAC) spending continues to increase,…
Read More: Government Union Political Spending in the 2021–22 Election CyclePennsylvania will only become a beacon for opportunity when its policies are in the hands of taxpayers and citizens, not special interests and bureaucrats. It’s vital that our government is accountable to the people—not organizations or institutions. Policies that advance transparency and restore workers’ rights are the keys to this happening.
Related Issues
Government Accountability
Pennsylvania State Government Union Contracts
On June 30, 15 of the state's 19 government union contracts expire, with two more expiring in August. These 19 public sector unions represent 62,271 state employees, whose compensation from…
Fact Sheet
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Children Can’t Wait for PSEA to “Fix” Violent, Failing Schools
The PSEA sent a memo to the House of Representatives discouraging legislators from sponsoring legislation that would throw lifelines to children in violent, failing schools. I also sent the following…
Media
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How Taxpayers are Funding Big Labor’s Education Failures
More than $92 million in taxpayer dollars for public education is being funneled through school districts back to these special interest groups, including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and…
Commentary
Read More: How Taxpayers are Funding Big Labor’s Education FailuresPublic Union Democracy
Shippensburg Asks for Prevailing Wage Relief
Shippensburg Borough Council recently passed a resolution asking for state relief from prevailing wage mandates. Prevailing wage mandates were imposed 50 years ago in Pennsylvania, following federal Davis-Bacon Act…
Media
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Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying at Pitt
A reader shared the letter below from the University of Pittsburgh. It urges all parents and students to contact their state legislators and protest higher education cuts in the proposed…
Media
Read More: Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying at PittPublic Union Democracy
Pennsylvania’s State Union Contracts
On June 30, 2011, 15 of the state's 19 government union contracts expire, with two more expiring in August. These 19 public sector unions represent 62,271 state employees, whose compensation…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s State Union ContractsEducation
Pa. Education – A State of Emergency
At the start of our nation, founding father John Adams was as concerned with the positive development of our offspring as he was with that of the republic. Seeing the…
Commentary
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Oh Yeah, Those Guys
My letter to the Philadelphia Daily News: Will Bunch’s recent article identifies wealthy Americans who are voluntary donating their money to push greater school choice. Bunch fails…
Media
Read More: Oh Yeah, Those GuysPublic Union Democracy
PA Legislators Consider Unemployment Compensation Reforms
By June 11th, the state must change its unemployment compensation rules to meet federal guidelines, or 45,000 Pennsylvanians will lose their unemployment benefits. Gov. Corbett has been supportive of more…
Media
Read More: PA Legislators Consider Unemployment Compensation ReformsGovernment Accountability
Exclusive Interview with Gov. Corbett, and Tonight on Stossel
Right now, I’m writing you from a train leaving New York City, because last night I interviewed with “The Stache,” John Stossel, about the natural gas boom in…
Media
Read More: Exclusive Interview with Gov. Corbett, and Tonight on StosselEducation
The Governor is Right and the Union Bosses are Wrong
I’m in Pittsburgh today, but I can hear the shouting in Harrisburg from here: Union bosses are hopping mad at Gov. Tom Corbett for calling them out in his…
Media
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Senate Passes Furlough Bill, but Keeps “Last In First Out”
Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed SB 612 by a 38-12 count. The bill, sponsored by Senator Folmer, would give school districts the ability to furlough teachers and other school…
Media
Read More: Senate Passes Furlough Bill, but Keeps “Last In First Out”Government Accountability
Reining in Spending with Performance-Based Budgeting
The House State Government Committee held a hearing today on reforming the budgeting process. HB 726, sponsored by Rep. Stan Saylor, would institute performance based-budgeting. Today, most of the…
Media
Read More: Reining in Spending with Performance-Based BudgetingPublic Union Democracy
How Labor Unions Politicize Public Schools
Graphic showing how unions politicalize public schoools.
Poll
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School Taxpayer Referendum & Property Tax Relief
Gov. Tom Corbett's FY 2011-12 budget proposal includes $63.6 billion in total operating spending—$27.3 billion in General Fund spending—a reduction of $3.3 billion from FY 2010-11. This budget restores overall…
Fact Sheet
Read More: School Taxpayer Referendum & Property Tax ReliefGovernment Accountability
Atlas Shrugged: Part I Movie Reviews
Friday night, three CF staffers braved sold-out theaters to watch the much anticipated Atlas Shrugged movie, a film that was big on buzz and short on funds. The movie, like the…
Media
Read More: Atlas Shrugged: Part I Movie ReviewsGovernment Accountability
PA House Passes Four Reform Bills this Week
The Pennsylvania State House has been especially productive this week, passing four pieces of key legislation that CF blogged on last week.
Media
Read More: PA House Passes Four Reform Bills this WeekGovernment Accountability
Bring PA Toward the Mainstream in Limiting Lawsuit Abuse
Having defeated a slew of trial-lawyer amendments, Pennsylvania's House of Representatives approved the Fair Share Act for the third time on Monday. The legislation, which has passed both chambers of the…
Commentary
Read More: Bring PA Toward the Mainstream in Limiting Lawsuit AbuseEducation
School Choice and Polling
Yesterday, a slew of acronym organizations who want more taxpayer funding for public schools released yet another survey they commissioned trying to undermine school choice. (This survey contradicts previous polls…
Media
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Millions Funneled to Lobbyists by Public Schools
Harrisburg, PA – The Commonwealth Foundation announced today preliminary results from extensive Open Records Requests that found more than $59 million dollars of taxpayer money is being funneled through…
Press Release
Read More: Millions Funneled to Lobbyists by Public SchoolsPublic Union Democracy
Taxpayers First: The New, New Deal
Today, the average government employee enjoys better health care benefits, better pensions, better job security, and an earlier retirement than the average private-sector worker. To pay for this, however, taxpayers…
Commentary
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