Education
New Survey Shows Overwhelming Support for Bipartisanship in Pa. Budget Process
Harrisburg, Pa., July 2, 2024 — As Gov. Josh Shapiro failed to enact the 2024–25 Pennsylvania budget by the June 30th deadline, voters overwhelmingly support increased bipartisanship in the budget process,…
Read More: New Survey Shows Overwhelming Support for Bipartisanship in Pa. Budget ProcessPennsylvania’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
State Budget
Limit Growth of Government to Protect Taxpayers
We must face a simple fact: The General Assembly will act only when it has no alternative. Therefore, the only way to restrain spending and avoid hitting the fiscal iceberg…
Commentary
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Getting Rich Off the Poor: Examining Welfare Abuse
Over the past few years, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare conducted a series of audits and uncovered many questionable practices among state contractors. Some providers of welfare…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Getting Rich Off the Poor: Examining Welfare AbuseState Budget
Taxpayer Protection Act for Smarties
The Taxpayer Protection Act (TPA) would reasonably limit future growth in state government spending to inflation plus population growth, require the government to prioritize spending, create a Rainy Day Fund…
Poll
Read More: Taxpayer Protection Act for SmartiesState Budget
Appropriations Chair Endorses Spending Limits
Last week in his remarks at the Pennsylvania Press Club, Sen. Jake Corman endorsed the idea of spending limits for Pennsylvania state government. Corman expressed support for Sen. Mike Folmer’s proposed…
Media
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Readers Ask, We Answer: Education Spending
A reader asked us to help clarify the claims of Yinzercation blog on state education subsidies. The blogger claims the Corbett administration is being disingenuous about state K-12 education…
Media
Read More: Readers Ask, We Answer: Education SpendingEducation
$27B + $15K = What?
The Pennsylvania Department of Education recently released school financial data for the 2010-11 school year. The latest data shows public school spending and revenue increased yet again in 2011,…
Media
Read More: $27B + $15K = What?Education
Cal U Waste Begs for Higher Ed Reform
The Senate’s budget included more funding for state universities than Governor Corbett proposed, but new discoveries of wasteful spending should give lawmakers pause. Gov. Corbett proposed a 30 percent cut…
Media
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Chart: School District Fund Balances Nearly Tripled in 14 Years
PA Independent reported on Monday that Pennsylvania school districts’ fund balances reached $3.2 billion in 2011 (they compiled the data from the PA Department of Education’s (PDE)…
Media
Read More: Chart: School District Fund Balances Nearly Tripled in 14 YearsState Budget
State Budget vs Spending Limits
Last week, the Pennsylvania State Senate passed a budget representing $27.66 in General Fund spending. How does that stack up against inflation and population growth? If…
Media
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Chart of the Day: General Fund Spending and Revenue
Yesterday, the Pa. Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a budget (the full Senate is expected to vote on it today) that includes $27.65 billion in General Fund spending. Unfortunately, this…
Media
Read More: Chart of the Day: General Fund Spending and RevenueState Budget
CF Applauds Pa. Senate Budget Use of TPA Index
HARRISBURG, PA (05.08.12) – The Commonwealth Foundation applauded Pennsylvania Senate leadership today for using the Taxpayer Protection Act index – inflation plus population growth – to compose their fiscal year 2012-13…
Press Release
Read More: CF Applauds Pa. Senate Budget Use of TPA IndexState Budget
Why Pennsylvania Needs Spending Limits
In a Capitolwire story (subscription), Senate Appropriations Chair Jake Corman notes that the proposed version of the state budget the Senate will take up this week increases spending by…
Media
Read More: Why Pennsylvania Needs Spending LimitsState Budget
This is the Change You’ve Been Looking For
I had the opportunity to hear Scott Rasmussen speak last week. The theme of his speech was “change”—as in how policy change happens. The lesson he gave was that policy…
Media
Read More: This is the Change You’ve Been Looking ForState Budget
Good April Tax Collections, but State is Spending More Than Revenue
Two new reports show that Pennsylvania’s fiscal crunch for the current year is not a dire as previously thought. Pa. Department of Revenue monthly reports on tax collections shows…
Media
Read More: Good April Tax Collections, but State is Spending More Than RevenueState Budget
GAO Sounds the Fiscal Alarm on State Medicaid Costs
The U.S. Government Accountability Office has a new report on state and local government finances. Of greatest concern are the expected increases in Medicaid spending and health care for…
Media
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Chart of the Day: Pennsylvania School Revenue per Student
Critics of state spending cuts claim there is a lack of funding for public schools. But from the 1995-96 school year through 2009-10 (the latest year with data available…
Media
Read More: Chart of the Day: Pennsylvania School Revenue per StudentState Budget
Chart of the Day: Pennsylvania State Debt Payments
The chart of the day shows the growth in Pennsylvania General Fund Debt service over the past decade: from $350 million in fiscal year 2002-03 to $1.1 billion in Gov.
Media
Read More: Chart of the Day: Pennsylvania State Debt PaymentsRegulation
Government-run Golf a Taxpayer Double Bogey
Believe it or not, local governments, i.e., taxpayers, own 49 golf courses in Pennsylvania. One of the poorest performers is Dauphin Highlands Golf Course, owned by Dauphin County taxpayers, which…
Commentary
Read More: Government-run Golf a Taxpayer Double BogeyState Budget
State Spending Limits for Pennsylvania
Prior to 2011-12, Pennsylvania's total operating budget had increased for at least 40 consecutive years. The Taxpayer Protection Act (TPA) would force lawmakers to limit government spending during boom years,…
Fact Sheet
Read More: State Spending Limits for PennsylvaniaState Budget
Welfare Sec. Alexander Discusses Mending the Safety Net on the BOX
On the latest edition of The BOX, Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Secretary Gary Alexander takes time to discuss proposed welfare reforms. Despite accusations of wanting to “throw the…
Media
Read More: Welfare Sec. Alexander Discusses Mending the Safety Net on the BOXEducation
Education Spending: The Rest of the Story
Since Gov. Corbett's budget proposal, those who profit from Pennsylvania's $26 billion a year public school system have been gnashing teeth over what they claim is an "underfunding" of the…
Commentary
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