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
Regulation
The Phony “Surplus”
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released May General Fund tax collection data, and many lawmakers are clamoring to spend this “surplus”. But the idea there is any “surplus” is…
Media
Read More: The Phony “Surplus”Public Union Democracy
Pennsylvania’s State Union Contracts
On June 30, 2011, 15 of the state's 19 government union contracts expire, with two more expiring in August. These 19 public sector unions represent 62,271 state employees, whose compensation…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s State Union ContractsRegulation
Have Casinos Hurt Lottery Sales?
According to a new report from the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, the presence of casinos does not have a negative impact on state lottery revenues. At the same…
Media
Read More: Have Casinos Hurt Lottery Sales?State Budget
Is Gas Drilling Behind the Surplus?
A reader asks if natural gas drilling is behind April’s higher than estimated tax revenues — what legislators are now calling a “budget surplus.” It would be difficult to definitively make that claim,…
Media
Read More: Is Gas Drilling Behind the Surplus?State Budget
PA House Passes Fiscally Responsible Budget
Last night, the Pennsylvania House passed a $27.3 billion General Fund budget bill (HB 1485). The fiscally responsible proposal includes no new taxes, prioritizes resources and maintains the…
Media
Read More: PA House Passes Fiscally Responsible BudgetHealth Care
Rescuing the States from Medicaid
State Medicaid spending has increased four times faster than elementary and secondary education spending and nine times faster than transportation spending over the past two decades. In Pennsylvania,…
Media
Read More: Rescuing the States from MedicaidState Budget
PA House GOP Outlines Budget Proposal
The House Republicans unveiled their Pennsylvania State Budget Proposal yesterday, HB 1485. The bill is set for an Appropriations Committee vote this week, and a full House vote…
Media
Read More: PA House GOP Outlines Budget ProposalRegulation
A Penny Saved or a Penny Burned?
For any family, saving a few dollars for the future and paying off credit card bills would be the fiscally prudent path. Likewise, state lawmakers should resist the temptation to…
Commentary
Read More: A Penny Saved or a Penny Burned?Education
Bad Economists and Good Budget Cuts
Yesterday in the Patriot-News, yet another Penn State administrator campaigned against Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed cuts to the generous subsidies our public universities receive from taxpayers (many of which…
Media
Read More: Bad Economists and Good Budget CutsEducation
On School Spending “Cuts”
A reader writes in, noting that a school board member is pushing the “stop the billion dollar cut” campaign, and asking for some info. Here are some quick facts.
Media
Read More: On School Spending “Cuts”Government Accountability
Reining in Spending with Performance-Based Budgeting
The House State Government Committee held a hearing today on reforming the budgeting process. HB 726, sponsored by Rep. Stan Saylor, would institute performance based-budgeting. Today, most of the…
Media
Read More: Reining in Spending with Performance-Based BudgetingRegulation
A Half-Billion Saved is a Half-Billion Earned
After April’s General Fund tax collections came in at 9 percent above forecasts, some lawmakers are clamoring to spend any surplus Pennsylvania has at the end of the…
Media
Read More: A Half-Billion Saved is a Half-Billion EarnedEducation
PSU: Progress Seems Underway
On March 8, Gov. Tom Corbett started a statewide conversation about higher education through his budget address, in which he proposed significant cuts in the subsidies Pennsylvania public universities receive…
Media
Read More: PSU: Progress Seems UnderwayEducation
When Bell Bottoms Were Cool…And PSU Charged $675
I just sent the following to a student at Penn State who is writing a paper on Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed cuts to the subsidies our public universities receive from…
Media
Read More: When Bell Bottoms Were Cool…And PSU Charged $675Education
A Pitt Student’s Take on Corbett’s Budget Proposal
As a Pitt student, I will not be joining in those manufactured protests, nor will I be participating in lobbying activities like Pitt's yearly "Harrisburg Day" when the University spends…
Commentary
Read More: A Pitt Student’s Take on Corbett’s Budget ProposalEducation
Provost Spins Unsuccessfully
I used to be one of those people who have Google Alerts set for their names. I’m not anymore, so it’s come to my attention only belatedly that on April…
Media
Read More: Provost Spins UnsuccessfullyEducation
On Higher Ed, Will Legislators Choose the ObamaCare Approach?
This week in the Wall Street Journal, columnist William McGurn had an excellent piece on higher education (subscription required). He wrote mostly about federal policy—and on that point…
Media
Read More: On Higher Ed, Will Legislators Choose the ObamaCare Approach?Education
The Really Devastating Thing Would Be a Tax Increase
My wife and I returned to Pennsylvania last year, and boy, are we feeling welcome right now. The warm fuzzies really took over earlier today when my wife called to…
Media
Read More: The Really Devastating Thing Would Be a Tax IncreaseState Budget
Pennsylvania State & Local Taxpayer Debt
Gov. Tom Corbett's FY 2011-12 budget proposal includes $63.6 billion in total operating spending—$27.3 billion in General Fund spending—a reduction of $3.3 billion from FY 2010-11. This budget restores overall…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania State & Local Taxpayer DebtState Budget
Spending Increases by Department
Gov. Tom Corbett's FY 2011-12 budget proposal includes $63.6 billion in total operating spending—$27.3 billion in General Fund spending—a reduction of $3.3 billion from FY 2010-11. This budget restores overall…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Spending Increases by DepartmentEducation
Can’t Cut, Can We?
While Pennsylvania’s public universities continue to cry poverty, pesky facts keep proving otherwise. Here’s a snippet from a piece by Debra Erdley in yesterday’s Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Professors at…
Media
Read More: Can’t Cut, Can We?