Education
Here’s some friendly advice to the new Pennsylvania general assembly
Originally published at The Patriot-News Pennsylvania lawmakers swore their oath of office in Harrisburg, and a new legislative session is upon us. As two former…
Read More: Here’s some friendly advice to the new Pennsylvania general assemblyThe state government is ultimately held accountable to the people through the electoral process—but that should not be the only line of defense against government overreach or waste. Taxpayers deserve a transparent government that works for them. Reforms are needed to reduce corruption and limit the scope of government to its constitutional authority. Additionally, reforms that ensure a transparent budgeting process, a fair electoral process, and a streamlined regulatory process should be pursued to increase the government’s integrity.
Government Accountability
Severance Tax Legislation: The Process Stinks Too
The Pennsylvania House amended legislation to impose a severance tax on natural gas last night, and will likely vote on the bill tonight. We wrote yesterday about the merits…
Media
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Grassroots Activists Battle Special Interest Agenda
Earlier this year, we blogged on HB 2246, which would have allowed trial lawyers in auto cases to suggest the amount of compensation their plaintiffs should receive for their…
Media
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Making PA Budgets Honest
American governments are built around the power of legislatures to challenge administrations through public debate. From this debate come better policy decisions. However, if one side has a monopoly on…
Commentary
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State to CF: Transparency Denied
A couple months ago, we requested the salary information of state employees for our new openPAgov database (if you missed the launch, we currently have Pennsylvania school district…
Media
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Pennsylvania Has Been Collecting Info on Citizens for Years
There has been a hullabaloo over the discovery that the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security (under the Emergency Management Agency), has been paying a private company to put together details about protests…
Media
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A Slap in the Face to Pennsylvania Taxpayers
The Tribune Review revisits the Rendell Administration’s leasing tens of thousands of acres of state forest lands via no-bid contracts. State records the Tribune-Review obtained show that, in…
Media
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Corrupt Courts Refuse Transparency
The Scranton Times reports that the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR) is appealing a court ruling extending an exemption to open records to the judiciary branch. (HT…
Media
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More Taxpayer Funded Propaganda
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has an email newsletter on Marcellus Shale (see PA Indy story). I, of course, signed up to see how my tax dollars were…
Media
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You Can Be Gov. Rendell’s Speechwriter
Want to write Gov. Rendell’s next speech? Just fill out the form below. Write…
Media
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Philly Superintendent’s $65K Bonus Criteria Released
Welcome to part two on Philadelphia school Superintendent Arlene Ackerman’s bonus. (If you missed “Unethical Philly Superintendent Leeching Taxpayers Dry,” click here.) The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that, though…
Media
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Non-Competitive Contracts Don’t Compute
The PA Revenue Department’s main computer system was installed in 1975. The outdated system’s technological language, COBOL, is not even taught in universities anymore, narrowing the number of applicants…
Media
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Lawmakers Call for Public Integrity Commission
In the wake of convictions, indictments, and investigations of Pennsylvania lawmakers and staff, several legislators have called for a new Public Integrity Commission. The Commission would replace the current…
Media
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I&R: Our Inalienable Right to Reform
It is clear our government will not reform itself. Article I, Section 2 of the Pennsylvania Constitution recognizes the right of the citizens to "alter, reform or abolish their government…
Commentary
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PA House GOP Unveils Policy Agenda
Earlier this month, the PA House GOP put out a Policy Agenda for Pennsylvania. Not everything gets Commonwealth Foundation Approval – e.g., the “jobs package”, praise for…
Media
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BP-Funded PennFuture Attacks the Messenger
PennFuture’s Jan Jarrett launches a tirade against the Commonwealth Foundation’s exposé of PennFuture’s lobbying. For starters, she repeatedly labels it a “smear campaign” (and even includes…
Media
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Pennsylvania’s Million Dollar Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Failure
From 1998-2002, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania spent no money on lobbying the federal government (although independent agencies – the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the Higher Education Assistance Agency –…
Media
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Gubernatorial Candidates Criticize RCAP
In a somewhat welcome surprise, both candidates for governor (Onorato and Corbett) criticized Rendell’s RCAP projects in the budget amounting to some $300 million dollars. The political legacy projects are the…
Media
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Unethical Philly Superintendent Leeching Taxpayers Dry
Last school year, taxpayers gave Philadelphia School District Superintendent Arlene Ackerman $65,000 (in addition to her salary of $325,000, which could be close to $500,000 next year). But…
Media
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PennFuture: Harrisburg’s Lobbying Launderers
According to its website, PennFuture claims to have secured stronger pollution rules in state agencies; convinced legislators to pass several laws; won $80 million in utility rate cases; and convinced…
Commentary
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Pennsylvania Leads in Spending Taxpayer Money to Lobby Congress
A new analysis from Open Secrets finds that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (i.e., our state government) led all states in spending taxpayer money on federal lobbying in the first…
Media
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PennFuture’s Hypocritcal, Unethical, and Possibly Illegal Lobbying
Harrisburg, PA – The Commonwealth Foundation today released a report on the activities and claims of PennFuture (a.k.a. Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future), the organization founded by current Pennsylvania Secretary…
Press Release
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