Government Accountability
Pennsylvania Needs Genuine Election Integrity Reform
Originally published by Broad + Liberty. Imagine that you are at the liquor store but forgot your ID. Don’t worry, your friend can sign an affidavit saying you’re over 21.
Read More: Pennsylvania Needs Genuine Election Integrity ReformThe 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
CF Blog Roundup
Here are some recent CF mentions in the blogosphere. Reason Out-of-Control notes many of the same concerns we have with giving the Turnpike Commission carte blanche to toll I-80…
Media
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There is No Defense for WAMs
Among the many faults with WAMs, perhaps the most egregious is that taxpayers can never figure out where this money is going. For example,…
Media
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Auditor General Says No-Bid Contracts are Costing State Taxpayers
Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner issued a scathing rebuke of the Rendell administration’s use of no-bid contracts, specifically in relation to over a half-billion dollars given to Deloitte for…
Media
Read More: Auditor General Says No-Bid Contracts are Costing State TaxpayersGovernment Accountability
Common Sense on Legislative Size
Paul Jacob’s latest “Common Sense” deals with the size of the Pennsylvania Legislature. Jacob advises: [D]on’t cut the size of the legislature. But by all means cut the…
Media
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Why Tort Reform is Ignored in the Health Care Debate
The discussion surrounding tort reform is often subdued when talking about health care costs. Trial lawyers, like the American Association for Justice, claim that undermine litigation costs as a part…
Media
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Weekly Blog Roundup
The uproar over the budget this week has spurred many bloggers to look to CF research and analysis: Grassroots PA and Sights on Pennsylvania give links to Nate…
Media
Read More: Weekly Blog RoundupGovernment Accountability
What Voters Think of PA Judges and Courts
A recent statewide public opinion survey conducted by The Federalist Society – in advance of November’s judicial elections – showed Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly support our system of judicial selection…
Media
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Wither Spending Transparency in PA?
Over the past few years, and throughout the state budget debate, the Commonwealth Foundation and other state and national groups have called for state…
Media
Read More: Wither Spending Transparency in PA?Government Accountability
Pennsylvanians Divided by Soda
Pennsylvanians seem divided by geography on a key debate. No, not the state budget, or national health care (well, those too), but on whether it should be called ‘Soda’, or…
Media
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Shrink or Grow the Size of Legislature
NCSL’s blog, The Thicket, has a post up about debating reducing or growing the size of the legislature. Pennsylvania serves on the shrinking size, as that is an oft-cited…
Media
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The ACORN Hangs From Many Branches
The U.S. House Republican Committee on Oversight and Government Reform recently released an in depth investigative report on the activities of the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, more…
Media
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Weekly Blog Roundup
Here are some of the latest bloggers citing Commonwealth Foundation work: PA Water Cooler highlights our look into how much state money ACORN is getting and on Matt Brouillette’s…
Media
Read More: Weekly Blog RoundupGovernment Accountability
The Continuing Saga of Corruption and Patronage in Pennsylvania
Another of former Senator Fumo’s aides was indicted yesterday, for taking contracts from the Pennsylvania Senate, but doing no work – except favors to Sen. Fumo. Of course, Palermo…
Media
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How did the PA Budget Process Get So Broken?
Dale Davenport had an excellent editorial in the Patriot over the weekend, noting how annual budgeting and the move to a full-time, professional legislature altereed Pennsylvania’s state budget forever: …
Media
Read More: How did the PA Budget Process Get So Broken?Government Accountability
Reforming the Budget Process in Pennsylvania
In the political world, 2009 will be remembered as the year that Pennsylvania went longer than any other state without a budget. The Commonwealth went months past the June 30th…
Commentary
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Scare Tactics in the Budget
John Baer writes – albeit a bit late – on how politicians use scare tactics, i.e. the “Washington Monument Ploy” to…
Media
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Blog Roundup
The Commonwealth Foundation has made it around the blogs this weekend; here are some recent citations: Tony Phyrillas, PA Water Cooler, and Pennsylvania Guardian give us some…
Media
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Recaps of 9/12 March on DC
Here is some coverage of 9/12 protest in Washington DC from Pennsylvania (and some national) bloggers and attendeed: PA WaterCooler has a photo essay from John Lewandowski, who went…
Media
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CF Blog Roundup
Here are some of the most recent Commonwealth Foundation citations from Pennsylvania blogs: Capitol Ideas gives us some linkage on health care reform and on flying cars. GrassrootsPA…
Media
Read More: CF Blog RoundupGovernment Accountability
Follow PA Lawmakers and Politics on Twitter
I recenlty learned of a tool – not sure if it is new or not – to compile lists of Twitter users that anyone can follow with a single click. …
Media
Read More: Follow PA Lawmakers and Politics on TwitterGovernment Accountability
Legislative Staff and Term Limits
Following up on our blog post and Brad Bumsted’s article about Pennsylvania having the most legislative staff, I took another look at the…
Media
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