Education
Governor Shapiro’s Massive Budget Brings Excessive Spending, New Taxes, and Future Tax Hikes
Video statements for broadcast media are available here. Harrisburg, Pa., February 4, 2025 — Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his 2025 Pennsylvania budget address, proposing a $3.9 billion spending increase.
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Massive Budget Brings Excessive Spending, New Taxes, and Future Tax HikesPennsylvania’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.
State Budget
A Blueprint for a Prosperous Pennsylvania
We have been warned: Pennsylvania is on a path to higher taxes, fewer jobs, more debt, and a lower standard of living if the state does not rein in…
Media
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Tax Cuts To Blame for Pennsylvania’s Budget Deficit?
As we have pointed out in the past, Pennsylvania’s legacy of overspending has created a looming deficit, threatening to destroy our fiscal house. Yet, some lawmakers and public officials…
Media
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S&P Worried About Pennsylvania’s Overspending
Standard & Poor’s is sounding the alarm, once again, on Pennsylvania’s record of overspending. A new S&P report singles out the commonwealth for not putting our fiscal house in order,…
Media
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Almost $2 Billion in Welfare Waste Weeded Out
Lottery winners on welfare, millionaires on food stamps and supervisors that turn a blind eye to fraud; these are the stories that drive Pennsylvanians crazy. But the…
Media
Read More: Almost $2 Billion in Welfare Waste Weeded OutRegulation
A Look at Job Growth in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s economy is beginning to recover from the 2007 recession, according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since 2010, Pennsylvania has added 86,400 jobs, ranking…
Media
Read More: A Look at Job Growth in PennsylvaniaState Budget
Gov. Rendell Left Pennsylvania a Big Deficit
Recent headlines have former Gov. Ed Rendell challenging Gov. Tom Corbett on the issue of the deficit he left the current administration. Gov. Corbett has campaign ads stating he closed…
Media
Read More: Gov. Rendell Left Pennsylvania a Big DeficitState Budget
Pennsylvanians Are Losing Economic Freedom
Pennsylvanians are losing economic freedom according to the Fraser Institute’s annual report, Economic Freedom of North America 2013. The commonwealth is slowly losing ground ranking 33rd in 2009 and…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvanians Are Losing Economic FreedomState Budget
5 Facts About the State Budget Proposal
The 2014-15 Pennsylvania State Budget proposal is more than 1000 pages, but we’ve boiled it down to five facts taxpayers you need to know 1. State Spending is at an All-Time…
Media
Read More: 5 Facts About the State Budget ProposalState Budget
State Budget Déjà Vu
Ceremonies in Punxsutawney have come and gone, but every year Groundhog Day reminds me of the film of the same name—in which Bill Murray lives the same day over and over…
Commentary
Read More: State Budget Déjà VuState Budget
Governor’s Budget Right on Priorities
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact:717-671-1901 Governor's Budget Right on Priorities February 4, 2014, HARRISBURG, Pa—In response to Governor Corbett’s budget address this afternoon, Matthew J. Brouillette,…
Press Release
Read More: Governor’s Budget Right on PrioritiesRegulation
Blueprint for a Prosperous Pennsylvania
Over the past six fiscal years, the commonwealth has spent more than it has taken in. This fiscal gap is projected to widen as expenditures are on pace to grow…
Report
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Pennsylvania’s Fiscal Condition is Critical
Pennsylvania ranks 42nd in overall fiscal condition, according to a report by Sarah Arnett of the Mercatus Center. The report, State Fiscal Condition: Ranking the 50 States, analyzes states’ abilities…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Fiscal Condition is CriticalState Budget
Budget Burdens Bring Consequences
Know that feeling a month after Christmas when the credit card statement shows you blew your holiday budget? Imagine the pain you’d experience after six consecutive years of spending beyond…
Commentary
Read More: Budget Burdens Bring ConsequencesHealth Care
Pennsylvania’s Bleak Budget Future
Pennsylvania’s fiscal outlook looks bleak according to a detailed report examining state revenue and spending released by the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) last week. The agency projects a general…
Media
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A Sign of Things to Come?
Cancelled health care plans, an unusable exchange website—do we still trust the federal government to deliver on its health care promises? In what could be a sign of what’s to…
Media
Read More: A Sign of Things to Come?Government Accountability
PLCB Annual Report: I Read it So You Don’t Have To!
This week, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board released its annual report. In case reading a 56-page government document isn’t in your weekend plans, here are my notes: Their stated…
Media
Read More: PLCB Annual Report: I Read it So You Don’t Have To!Regulation
We Just Lowered the Debt Ceiling
Yesterday, House and Senate leaders came together to negotiate a deal—that passed with bipartisan support in both chambers—to reduce our debt ceiling. If that sounds unbelievable, I should…
Media
Read More: We Just Lowered the Debt CeilingState Budget
New Video: Budget Season Wrap Up
Gov. Corbett signed a more than $28 billion budget at the end of June—but was it a win for you the taxpayer? CF policy experts offer answers on this and…
Media
Read More: New Video: Budget Season Wrap UpPublic Union Democracy
Government Unions Torpedo Agenda
The state budget deadline came and went without passage of any of the “Big Three” policy items—liquor store privatization, pension reform, or transportation tax and fee increases. It was clear…
Media
Read More: Government Unions Torpedo AgendaHealth Care
Lawmakers Stand up for Taxpayers, Reject Medicaid Expansion
Yesterday, 108 House Representatives voted to protect taxpayers from an expansion of the broken and unaffordable Medicaid program. You can thank them here. Medicaid expansion is an optional part of…
Media
Read More: Lawmakers Stand up for Taxpayers, Reject Medicaid ExpansionPublic Union Democracy
Disappointing Budget Shows Need to Keep Fighting
This past weekend was not for the political faint of heart. Special interests, led by government union bosses and crony capitalists, prevented real liquor privatization and effective pension reform from…
Media
Read More: Disappointing Budget Shows Need to Keep Fighting