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
Education
A Taxpayer’s Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania
A Taxpayer's Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania identifies opportunities to cut over $4 billion in wasteful state spending in Gov. Rendell's proposed FY 2010-11 budget. The report also offers…
Report
Read More: A Taxpayer’s Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for PennsylvaniaEducation
The True Beneficiaries of Education Subsidies
Gov. Rendell's budget once again demands significant increases in public school spending. Ostensibly, these increases are "for the children," but a close examination of education spending and policy proposals reveals…
Commentary
Read More: The True Beneficiaries of Education SubsidiesGovernment Accountability
Rendell Requests Another Federal Bailout
Gov. Ed Rendell is at it again, lobbying the federal government for “Stimulus 4” (following the 2008 Bush stimulus, the 2009 Obama stimulus, and the 2010 “jobs bill”) demanding another…
Media
Read More: Rendell Requests Another Federal BailoutState Budget
More Tricks to Balance the PA Budget?
Rumors are circulating the state capitol that Pennsylvania lawmakers will take money out of the Tobacco Settlement Fund to balance this year’s state budget. This is not only a…
Media
Read More: More Tricks to Balance the PA Budget?Regulation
Are Pennsylvania Taxes “Money Well Spent?”
Gov. Rendell proposes balancing the state budget with a combination of new and higher taxes, another federal bailout, and additional state borrowing. When confronted by opposition to additional taxes on…
Commentary
Read More: Are Pennsylvania Taxes “Money Well Spent?”State Budget
Severance Tax Wish List
Legislators are justifying the enactment of a natural gas severance tax by claiming the revenue will go towards environmental impacts. In reality, the environment is just one of a host…
Media
Read More: Severance Tax Wish ListState Budget
National Groups Weigh in on Pennsylvania Tax Hike
The National Taxpayers Union send a recent letter to Pennsylvania lawmakers on proposed tax hikes to balance the PA state budget. John Stephenson, NTU…
Media
Read More: National Groups Weigh in on Pennsylvania Tax HikeState Budget
Lay Off the Private Sector with Public Sector Layoffs
Gov. Rendell is threatening once again to lay off state government employees if the General Assembly refuses to go along with his spend-more, tax-more budget proposals. But should the public…
Commentary
Read More: Lay Off the Private Sector with Public Sector LayoffsRegulation
Why Taxing Natural Gas Won’t Solve PA Budget Woes
Here is a letter I sent in to the Scranton Times Tribune (a slightly edited version was printed today) on the proposed natural gas severance tax and the Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Why Taxing Natural Gas Won’t Solve PA Budget WoesState Budget
Rendell Ends Taxpayer Funded Legacy Project
Reported here earlier, the Rendell administration had been paying a public relations guru to research the “successes” of Rendell’s policies, to be used to lobby for higher taxes. Today.
Media
Read More: Rendell Ends Taxpayer Funded Legacy ProjectState Budget
How Many State Workers Will Get Laid Off for the “Legacy Project”?
“We’ve cut state government to the bone” Gov. Rendell likes to claim, while demanding higher taxes, decrying cuts to key services, and threatening to lay off state workers. But…
Media
Read More: How Many State Workers Will Get Laid Off for the “Legacy Project”?Regulation
Video: Fiscal Lessons for Pennsylvania
In a new video, Maurice McTigue, Vice President at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and a former member of the New Zealand Parliament, speaks about how…
Media
Read More: Video: Fiscal Lessons for PennsylvaniaState Budget
The State and Local Government Debt Mess
While investment guru Warren Buffett is pulling out of municipal bonds, Gov. Rendell says Buffett doesn’t know what he is talking about, and that there is no problem with…
Media
Read More: The State and Local Government Debt MessRegulation
Why PA Corporations Don’t Pay Taxes
Gov. Rendell and his allies and shills that call on higher taxes for businesses like to claim that 70% of Pennsylvania corporations don’t pay…
Media
Read More: Why PA Corporations Don’t Pay TaxesRegulation
More Evidence on Privatizing Liquor
Don Boudreaux and Julia Williams have an op-ed arguing for privatization of Virginia’s state liquor stores, noting little difference between control and license state in alcohol-related deaths, binge drinking,…
Media
Read More: More Evidence on Privatizing LiquorRegulation
Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Tobacco Taxes
Gov. Rendell proposed a tax of 30% on the retail price of cigars and smokeless tobacco products, in hopes of collecting $42 million in the upcoming fiscal year.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Tobacco TaxesState Budget
Pennsylvania State Budget Resources
Pennsylvania faces a projected General Fund tax revenue shortfall of at least $1 billion. Governor Rendell proposed a $29 billion General Fund budget for 2010-11 that increases businesses taxes, imposes…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania State Budget ResourcesState Budget
Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Unemployment Compensation
Pennsylvania has borrowed over $3 billion from the federal government to keep its unemployment compensation fund solvent. Only California, with three times the population and a much higher unemployment rate,…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget Facts 2010: Unemployment CompensationState Budget
Welfare Fraud and Abuse
Good afternoon, my name is Elizabeth Stelle, and I am a research associate with the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, a non-partisan educational institute based in Harrisburg. Thank you…
Testimony
Read More: Welfare Fraud and AbuseState Budget
Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: June 2010
Following May’s tax collections, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue reports that state General Fund revenues are $1.2 billion below estimate for the 2009-10 fiscal year. Tax collections have…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: June 2010Regulation
Tobacco Tax Fact Check
The misinformation that comes out of the Policy and Budget Center (PBC) amazes me. Here is the first post of a two-part fact-checking on taxing smokeless tobacco products…
Media
Read More: Tobacco Tax Fact Check