Fairness
Election Reform in Pennsylvania
Summary Ahead of the 2020 election, Pennsylvania allowed no excuse mail-in voting for the first time. Officials overwhelmed with millions of ballot requests, last-minute state guidance, and litigation resulted in…
Read More: Election Reform in PennsylvaniaThe 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
Gov. Wolf’s Self-Created Constitutional Conflict
Rep. Bill Adolph accused the Wolf administration of creating a budget crisis during Thursday's final House Appropriations Committee budget hearing. In an op-ed published Friday,…
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The Price of Secret Negotiations
The cost of compensating the state's workforce is nearly $93,000 per public employee. This illustrates why Pennsylvania’s collective bargaining process, which permits the politically powerful to operate in secret, must be reformed to…
Media
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A Tale of Two School Districts
North Allegheny School District and Pittsburgh School District are barely a dozen miles apart, but their budgeting approaches for the next fiscal year are worlds apart. Thanks to rising pension…
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Taxpayer-Funded Union Politics in Philadelphia
It's no secret that the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) plucks teachers out of the classroom to work as full-time union operatives. These individuals are known as ghost teachers—and their…
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Wolf to Pension Commission: ‘You’re Fired!’
Wolf to Pension Commission: “You’re Fired!” Governor’s Pattern of Eliminating Opposition Defies Claims of Accountability February 3, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—The latest casualty of Gov. Tom Wolf’s “my…
Press Release
Read More: Wolf to Pension Commission: ‘You’re Fired!’Government Accountability
Wolf to PERC: “You’re Fired!”
Gov. Wolf has a history of trying to fire individuals who won’t kowtow to his agenda. He tried to remove Erik Arneson as head of the independent Office of Open…
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Read More: Wolf to PERC: “You’re Fired!”Government Accountability
Shhh… State’s Fiscal Code Hides Earmark Secrets
Shhh… State’s Fiscal Code Hides Earmark Secrets Budget Companion Bill Picks Winners at Lobbyists’ Behest January 14, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—On Tuesday, the Pa. House passed a “fiscal code” which…
Press Release
Read More: Shhh… State’s Fiscal Code Hides Earmark SecretsGovernment Accountability
Fiscal Code Packed with Earmarks
Pennsylvania's fiscal code is intended to provide lawmakers with instructions for spending funds appropriated in the state budget. But it is also ground-zero for a host of earmarks that funnel limited…
Media
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Governor Wolf’s Budget Hostages
Tom Wolf finally admitted he held school children hostage in hopes of higher taxes: “We're now at a point where I don't want to hold the children of Pennsylvania hostage.” But…
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State Budget Should Consider Pa. Freedom Index
State Budget Should Consider Pa. Freedom Index Commonwealth Ranks Mediocre 21st in Economic Freedom December 16, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Pennsylvania may be home to the cradle of liberty, but…
Press Release
Read More: State Budget Should Consider Pa. Freedom IndexGovernment Accountability
PA Fails Integrity Test
There is a clear need for improved governmental accountability and transparency in Pennsylvania, but how does the commonwealth compare to the rest of the country? According to the Center…
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For Property Tax Relief, Give Voters Control
Should voters have the right to approve property tax increases? This is a central point of contention within a rumored budget framework that purports to provide Pennsylvanians with property tax…
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Union Political Spending in the 2015 Pennsylvania Elections
The problem isn't that unions give a lot, or even that they dominate political spending. The problem is that government union dues and campaign contributions are collected at taxpayer expense…
Memo
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Union Dues fund SuperPAC Attack Ads
Pennsylvanians for Judicial Reform—a new “SuperPAC” (technically an “Independent Expenditure Committee”) registered in August—has spent about $2.5 million on attack ads in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race. Who…
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Read More: Union Dues fund SuperPAC Attack AdsGovernment Accountability
A Revolving Door of Corruption
The revolving door of politics—when top government officials change careers and become consultants for the industry they once regulated—is alive and well in Pennsylvania. Except in the case of the…
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Read More: A Revolving Door of CorruptionCriminal Justice Reform
Audio: Guilty Until Proven Innocent?
In Pennsylvania, civil asset forfeiture laws allow law enforcement agents to legally seize property without convicting an individual of a crime. These laws turn justice on its head, allowing police…
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Three Reforms that Transcend Party Lines
Budget gridlock is hamstringing Harrisburg, but when it comes to transparency and accountability, a bipartisan majority of Pennsylvanians support three key reforms. Paycheck protection, transparency in government union contract negotiations,…
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The Last to Know
Last week the Crestwood Area School Board tentatively agreed to a new contract with the school district’s local union leadership. In keeping with the prevailing trend across the…
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Taxpayers Deserve a Debate
A dispute in the Scranton School District over the cost of a teachers’ contract is another example of why the collective bargaining process must become more transparent. According to the…
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Poll: Large Majorities Back Transparency & Accountability Reforms
Poll: Large Majorities in PA Back Transparency & Accountability Reforms Paycheck Protection, Contract Transparency, Spending Limits Get High Marks October 13, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Critical transparency and accountability measures…
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Read More: Poll: Large Majorities Back Transparency & Accountability ReformsGovernment Accountability
Secret Contract Leaves Taxpayers in the Dark
In a special Friday night voting session, board members in Monessen School District unanimously approved a new teachers’ contract, which runs through 2018. The terms of the contract, including…
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