Education
Governor Shapiro’s Reckless 2026–27 Budget Proposal
Overview Gov. Josh Shapiro’s unaffordable budget worsens Pennsylvania’s structural deficit. The governor proposes nearly $53.26 billion in general fund spending, a 6.3 percent increase over the 2025–26 enacted budget. He…
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Reckless 2026–27 Budget ProposalPennsylvania’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
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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Human Services Programs Must Deal with Wasteful Spending
Last week, you couldn’t swing a dead cat in the state capitol without hitting someone protesting Gov. Corbett’s welfare spending reductions. The governor proposed combining six human service line items, such…
Media
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Pennsylvania Higher Education Spending
Pennsylvania taxpayers subsidize higher education through appropriations to 14 state-owned universities (Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, or PASSHE), four state-related universities (Penn State, Pittsburgh, Temple, and Lincoln), community colleges,…
Fact Sheet
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Do Government Programs Grow the Economy?
While decades of increased government spending have resulted in economic stagnation, many advocates of increasing government spending claim that their favored program will “grow the economy.” They argue that…
Media
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No School Tax Referendums in Pennsylvania this Year
Remember the gnashing of teeth over “cuts” in state education subsidies (driven by the end of federal stimulus money)? The education establishment and partisan critics of Gov. Corbett insisted this…
Media
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Pennsylvania Government Debt
Today, Pennsylvanians owe $121 billion in state and local government debt. This equates to more than $9,400 for every person, and almost $38,000 for the average family of four in…
Fact Sheet
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Chart of the Day: Pennsylvania Operating Budget since 1970
Pennsylvania’s total state operating budget increased for 40 consecutive years before being reduced last year. The cumulative increase of 151 percent—adjusted for inflation—represents more than $12,000 per family of four…
Media
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Principled, Punchy Pols Are Popular Pols
I’ve written previously in this space about Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who has garnered enormous popularity while governing courageously. Today, with a new Quinnipiac poll about Gov.
Media
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Pennsylvania State and School Pension Costs
Pennsylvania taxpayers fund two statewide pension plans for government employees—the State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) for state employees and the Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) for school employees. PSERS…
Fact Sheet
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Chart of the Day: Welfare Spending
Total welfare spending in Pennsylvania more than tripled from 1991 to 2012, rising 227 percent. During the same period (1991-2011) population rose by a paltry 6.7 percent. It goes without…
Media
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Big Government Limits Economic Growth
Last month, Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget address kicked off state budget negotiations. As lawmakers debate priorities, one thing is crystal clear—low government spending fosters economic growth. The Mercatus Center’s…
Media
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Sounding the Alarm to Save Pennsylvania
A four-alarm fire is engulfing Pennsylvania's economy. If we don't regain control of the state debt, corrections costs, public welfare growth and government employee pensions, our state taxpayers will be…
Commentary
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5 Scary Facts about Pennsylvania’s Welfare Spending
Welfare spending in Pennsylvania is out of control. The Department of Public Welfare is now the largest department in the state. It will continue to crowd out education, environmental…
Media
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Pennsylvania K-12 Education Spending
Pennsylvania's K-12 education revenue increased from $13 billion in 1995-96 to $26 billion in 2009-10. Adjusted for inflation, that represents a 44% increase in revenue per student. …
Fact Sheet
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Pennsylvania Welfare Spending
The FY 2011-12 total operating budget of $63.4 billion, which included $27.1 billion in General Fund spending, represented the first year-to-year reduction in state spending in at least 40 years.
Fact Sheet
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