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
Rendell’s No-Bid State Forest Lease
Last week, Gov. Rendell announced 32,896 acres of state forest land had been leased to Anadarko Petroleum for drilling for $120 million. The no-bid deal was for land previously…
Media
Read More: Rendell’s No-Bid State Forest LeaseGovernment Accountability
How Rendell Gets Shills
In each of their “budget updates” (see: this one or this one) the Department of Public Welfare ends with this line “For information on…
Media
Read More: How Rendell Gets ShillsGovernment Accountability
Fact Checking Special Interests’ Attack on Natural Gas
Misinformation spewed continually at Common Cause’s press conference on natural gas campaign contributions (see CF News Release) held today at the Capital. Here are…
Media
Read More: Fact Checking Special Interests’ Attack on Natural GasPublic Union Democracy
Public vs. Private Employment & Pay
Pennsylvania's private sector lost 113,600 jobs while state and local governments added 40,200 positions between 2000 and 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At the same time, public-sector…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Public vs. Private Employment & PayPublic Union Democracy
Special Interests Denounce “Special Interests”
HARRISBURG, PA (05.11.10) — The Commonwealth Foundation expressed disappointment today that special interest groups which demand taxpayer subsidies for certain energy companies are attacking Pennsylvania’s natural gas companies for simply…
Press Release
Read More: Special Interests Denounce “Special Interests”Government Accountability
CF In the Blogs
Here’s who’s blogging about the Commonwealth Foundation in the past week: Page 13 News, Capitol Ideas, GrassrootsPA, and Capitol Punmanship all make…
Media
Read More: CF In the BlogsPublic Union Democracy
State & Local Fiscal Reforms
Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute recently presented a paper to the Federal Reserve of St. Louis on state and local government fiscal reforms. Edward’s four main themes were:…
Media
Read More: State & Local Fiscal ReformsGovernment Accountability
First and Second Amendments Lose; LiveFreePA Postponed
Statement by Commonwealth Foundation and President Matthew J. Brouillette: “In the 11th hour, under intense pressure from those who…
Press Release
Read More: First and Second Amendments Lose; LiveFreePA PostponedGovernment Accountability
Does Legislative Size Matter?
Good morning. I am Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation. We are a nonprofit, independent public policy research and educational institute based in Harrisburg. I…
Testimony
Read More: Does Legislative Size Matter?Government Accountability
21 Reasons Free-Market Think Tanks are Effective
Is it certainly self-serving of me to say this, but here is an excellent article by a former think tank CEO giving 21 reasons think tanks are more effective…
Media
Read More: 21 Reasons Free-Market Think Tanks are EffectiveGovernment Accountability
The Event Anti-Freedom Politicians Don’t Want You to Attend
I invited gubernatorial candidate Joe Hoeffel to share his views with CF supporters in a couple weeks…and to help us celebrate our Second Amendment rights. Now, he — along with others who…
Media
Read More: The Event Anti-Freedom Politicians Don’t Want You to AttendGovernment Accountability
Poll Shows Voters Support Pension Reform, I&R, and Spending Limits
HARRISBURG, PA – The Commonwealth Foundation today released results of a recently commissioned statewide poll measuring Pennsylvanians’ opinion of three landmark reforms. The survey of 700 registered voters was conducted by…
Press Release
Read More: Poll Shows Voters Support Pension Reform, I&R, and Spending LimitsGovernment Accountability
What Would a PA Constitutional Convention Include?
At the PA Leadership Conference, my former colleague, and now Executive Director of the Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania, Joe Sterns touted the need for a state Constitutional Convention. In…
Media
Read More: What Would a PA Constitutional Convention Include?Government Accountability
PA Leadership Conference Wrap-Up
Here are some news stories and blogs from the PA Leadership Conference: William Cinfici’s blog: focusing on Dick Morris’s speech and the panels on polling and government corruption. John…
Media
Read More: PA Leadership Conference Wrap-UpGovernment Accountability
Live from PA Leadership Conference (#PALC)
For those of you unable to attend the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference this year, most of the sessions will be carried live on PCN TV. You can also listen…
Media
Read More: Live from PA Leadership Conference (#PALC)Education
PA Public School Staff Grows As Enrollment Declines
Despite stagnation in qualitative measures of school performance, cries for additional spending in public schools have not subsided. In fact, Gov. Rendell says…
Media
Read More: PA Public School Staff Grows As Enrollment DeclinesPublic Union Democracy
Cost-Saving Ideas for Pennsylvania State Budget
Testimony of Nathan A. Benefield, Director of Policy Research, Commonwealth Foundation to the Pennsylvania Senate Government Management and Cost Study Commission, April 12, 2010 Good morning; I am Nathan…
Testimony
Read More: Cost-Saving Ideas for Pennsylvania State BudgetGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania Tax Day Tea Parties
We’ve been getting a lot of calls from folks who want to attend a tax day tea party. Tea Party Patriots has a good list of the events taking…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Tax Day Tea PartiesEducation
Ten Tips to Balance the Budget
Contrary to Gov. Rendell's rhetoric, there are a plethora of reforms and cuts that can balance the budget without taking more from the pockets of Pennsylvania taxpayers. Here are ten…
Commentary
Read More: Ten Tips to Balance the BudgetGovernment Accountability
Rendell: Everyone Supports Higher Taxes
At his press conference announcing that the lawyers at the Federal Highway Administration were all less intelligent that his staff, based on their decision to reject I-80 tolls, Gov. Rendell…
Media
Read More: Rendell: Everyone Supports Higher TaxesEducation
Gov. Rendell Learned His Lesson
Last year, Gov. Rendell went on a bus tour across Pennsylvania, at taxpayer expense, to lobby for more education spending. Rendell was…
Media
Read More: Gov. Rendell Learned His Lesson