Education
2024–25 State Budget Analysis
Key Points Pennsylvania’s $47.6 billion 2024–25 budget creates a $3.6 billion structural deficit. This will exhaust General Fund reserves, which will require draining from the Rainy Day fund—illegally—or raising taxes…
Read More: 2024–25 State Budget AnalysisPennsylvania’s complex state budget has enabled policymakers to keep taxpayers in the dark when it comes to state spending. Year after year, some elected officials use budget gimmicks to both make the budget appear balanced and to secure their own agendas. Pennsylvanians deserve reforms that bring true transparency to the budgeting process. We must limit spending growth to a sustainable rate, ensuring the state government—like hardworking taxpayers—live within its means.
2024 state budget resources
Regulation
Gov. Wolf’s So-Called Compromise
Gov. Wolf proposed a new “compromise” on pensions and the budget last week, according to news reports. Here is what that compromise includes: A defined contribution plan for new…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf’s So-Called CompromiseState Budget
Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Budget Blindspot
CF’s Nate Benefield joins Dom Giordano on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT to discuss the budget impasse and Gov. Wolf’s misleading claims. During their conversation, Nate shed light on Gov.
Media
Read More: Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Budget BlindspotState Budget
A Way Out of Budget Gridlock
With budget traffic at a standstill, how do we press through the roadblock to a resolution that benefits all Pennsylvanians?…
Commentary
Read More: A Way Out of Budget GridlockState Budget
Listen: Telephone Townhall on PA Budget and More
Matt Brouillette and Rich Zeoli of Talk Radio 1210 WPHT answer questions about the Pennsylvania budget during a telephone town hall. Matt explains how Gov. Wolf's tax plan that would smack…
Media
Read More: Listen: Telephone Townhall on PA Budget and MoreState Budget
Silly Talk with Gov. Wolf
Gov. Tom Wolf appeared on Radio Smart Talk yesterday morning. He mostly danced around host Scott LaMar's questions—claiming “You don't know what I’ve been supporting” on pension reform, and…
Media
Read More: Silly Talk with Gov. WolfEducation
Truth Lacking on ‘Schools That Teach’ Tour
Gov. Wolf’s 'Schools That Teach' public relations tour and statewide ad campaigns supporting him aren’t telling voters the truth about the budget impasse or the governor's tax proposal.
Commentary
Read More: Truth Lacking on ‘Schools That Teach’ TourRegulation
Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto Warns Wolf on Pension Bonds
This week, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto criticized Gov. Wolf’s plan to sell $3 billion in pension obligation bonds. In a meeting with editors and reporters from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,…
Media
Read More: Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto Warns Wolf on Pension BondsState Budget
Which States Have the Biggest Tax Increases?
Previously, we blogged on how Gov. Wolf’s tax proposal raises more revenue than the tax proposals in the 49 other states combined. To put this another way, Wolf’s $4.6 billion tax increase is nearly $4 billion more…
Media
Read More: Which States Have the Biggest Tax Increases?State Budget
Pay No Attention to Those Tax Increases!
The liberal Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center—an arm of the union-funded Keystone Research Center—has a new claim that Gov. Wolf's “property tax relief” is similiar to that in a bill passed…
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Read More: Pay No Attention to Those Tax Increases!State Budget
When Will Gov. Wolf Compromise?
My letter to the editor in the Times Leader today takes Gov. Wolf to task for claiming to compromise, while still insisting on his sales and income tax increases—the largest tax…
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Read More: When Will Gov. Wolf Compromise?State Budget
Harrisburg is Ignoring the Biggest Budget Buster
Pop quiz: What’s the largest spending increase in Governor Tom Wolf’s budget proposal? You might assume education, as the governor has repeatedly insisted the state must reinvest in public schools.
Commentary
Read More: Harrisburg is Ignoring the Biggest Budget BusterState Budget
Wolf Truth Squad: Property Tax Relief Now
In a Patriot News story, Gov. Wolf’s spokesman Jeff Sheridan commented on need for immediate “property tax relief”—comments that don’t jibe with Gov. Wolf’s actual budget proposal. “Pennsylvanians don’t need property…
Media
Read More: Wolf Truth Squad: Property Tax Relief NowState Budget
Audio: Severance Tax Hurts All
Nearly two weeks into the new fiscal year, and Pennsylvania is still without a budget after Gov. Wolf vetoed the Republicans’ proposal last month. The governor, whose own…
Media
Read More: Audio: Severance Tax Hurts AllRegulation
Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Vetoes Keep the Status Quo Alive
Gov. Wolf promised to be a governor who would eliminate Pennsylvania’s destructive status quo. So how did he respond when state legislators put a budget without tax increases, a bill…
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Read More: Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Vetoes Keep the Status Quo AliveEducation
Fixated on Tax Increases
At the end of last month, Gov. Wolf vetoed the Republicans’ budget, criticizing it for failing to meet his lofty goals of closing the structural deficit, increasing education funding…
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The Illustrated Pennsylvania State Budget
There’s a lot of misinformation being thrown around about the Pennsylvania state budget and education spending. While folk are entitled to their own opinions, they aren’t entitled to their own…
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Read More: The Illustrated Pennsylvania State BudgetPublic Union Democracy
Wolf’s ‘My Way or the Highway’ Approach Blocks Progress
In his 2015 budget address, Gov. Tom Wolf urged dissenters, “If you don’t agree with my ideas, here is my request: please come with your own ideas. It's not good…
Commentary
Read More: Wolf’s ‘My Way or the Highway’ Approach Blocks ProgressGovernment Accountability
Transparency 10 Years after the Pay Raise
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the midnight pay raise. Although it was ultimately repealed, the pay raise was a dark hour in Pennsylvania political history. Over the…
Media
Read More: Transparency 10 Years after the Pay RaiseState Budget
Wolf Plays Politics of the Past with Budget Veto
Wolf Plays Politics of the Past with Budget Veto Governor’s Own Plan Grossly out of Step with 49 Other States July 1, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Within hours of receiving the…
Press Release
Read More: Wolf Plays Politics of the Past with Budget VetoState Budget
Legislature Passes Responsible No-Tax-Hike, Pro-Growth Budget
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: John Bouder, 570-490-1042 Legislature Passes Responsible No-Tax-Hike,Pro-Growth Budget Taxpayer-Friendly Alternative to Gov. Wolf’s Tax-And-Spend Plan June 30, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today,…
Press Release
Read More: Legislature Passes Responsible No-Tax-Hike, Pro-Growth BudgetState Budget
Audio: Wolf’s Tax Increase Dwarfs All Other States
Compared to the 49 other states, Gov. Wolf’s budget inflicts a tax increase that dwarfs all others–in fact, it’s 8 times larger than the state with the next highest tax…
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Read More: Audio: Wolf’s Tax Increase Dwarfs All Other States