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
The Best And Worst Ways To Eliminate A Budget Deficit
John Nothdurft of The Heartland Institute wrote this last February… Anybody listening in Harrisburg? Legislatures in at least 39 states will have to take steps by the end of…
Media
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PA House Approves More Debt for Pork
Lost in the shuffle over the Pennsylvania state (operating) budget was a vote over the weekend over the state capital budget, which was approved by the Pennsylvania House. The…
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“Big Helicopter” and Big Hollywood
While debating their myriad of tax increases (which was eventually approved by the chamber), Pennsylvania House Democrats continued to demonize “Big…
Media
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Calls to Action on Protecting School Choice in Pennsylvania
As reported earlier, the tax bill put out by Pennsylvania House Democrats would cut the state’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit by…
Media
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What’s in the PA House Democrats Tax Bill?
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House Rules Committee approved a “gut-and-replace” amendment to HB 1531 – which had previously been a bill to extend tax relief for military families – which…
Media
Read More: What’s in the PA House Democrats Tax Bill?State Budget
Pennsylvania Revenue Collections Fall Short Again
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released their revenue estimates for September. The collections were $119 million below estimates for the month, and $300 million less than collected one year…
Media
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October Surprise: Rush to Vote on Tax Hikes
I’ve just received word that Democrats are planning to rush a tax increase vote in the state House of Representatives tomorrow! Specifically, House Democrats are going to hold a vote on legislation…
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Governing “Responsibly”
Lowman Henry has another good commentary on the Pennsylvania state budget “deal” over at PA Town Hall: I find it interesting that when Democrats stick to…
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Pennsylvania Budget Deal Appears Dead
The news service Capitolwire (subscribers only) is reporting that PA House Democrat leaders are admitting they don’t have enough votes to pass the state budget deal, give all of…
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An Honest Budget Debate
Gov. Rendell and many lawmakers continue to push higher taxes in Pennsylvania, using the rhetoric that if we don’t, students won’t learn,…
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Re-examine Public Welfare Spending
Pennsylvania has, as of this writing, gone 90 days without a budget, longer than any other state. The impasse has been driven by Gov. Rendell's demand for higher spending and…
Commentary
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Is Gov. Rendell “for the Kids” at All?
On Friday, the REACH Foundation hosted a rally at the state capitol in defense of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit, which…
Media
Read More: Is Gov. Rendell “for the Kids” at All?State Budget
PA Budget Deal Undone?
It would seem that the reported Pennsylvania state budget ‘deal’ is in jeopardy: GrassrootsPA reports at least 5 Senate Republicans will…
Media
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PA Budget Impasse Can’t Stop Another Million Dollar Consulting Deal
John Micek of the Morning Call reports that the Pennsylvania state Treasurer has awarded a $928,000 consulting contract for marketing of the prepaid college tuition program – a program…
Media
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Higher Taxes to Buy More Nintendo Wii’s?
A PA House GOP staffer dug up this little item of pork barrel spending, courtesy State Representative Jesse White: The Wii challenge came about after I helped…
Media
Read More: Higher Taxes to Buy More Nintendo Wii’s?Education
Will Lawmakers Put Hollywood Before School Children?
Governor Rendell and three legislative caucuses are kicking low-income children out of their classrooms to fund handout to Big Hollywood studios. This is beyond bad policy – it’s blatant…
Media
Read More: Will Lawmakers Put Hollywood Before School Children?Government Accountability
How did the PA Budget Process Get So Broken?
Dale Davenport had an excellent editorial in the Patriot over the weekend, noting how annual budgeting and the move to a full-time, professional legislature altereed Pennsylvania’s state budget forever: …
Media
Read More: How did the PA Budget Process Get So Broken?State Budget
Understanding the Single Sales Factor
Philly.com Blogger Ben Waxman has a post about moving Pennsylvania to a single-sales factor on corporate income taxes, calling it a “big tax break for corporations”, based on…
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Stupid Quote of the Day
Sen. Jake Corman tells the Associated Press that a proposal to charge the sales tax to performing arts and museums is a “user fee”: A plan to extend…
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Historical Follies Set the Stage for Out-of-Control Debt
A new commentary in American Enterprise Institute’s journal, The American, highlights a seemingly “perfect storm” of historical events that have facilitated the out-of-control spending of…
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Read More: Historical Follies Set the Stage for Out-of-Control DebtGovernment Accountability
Reforming the Budget Process in Pennsylvania
In the political world, 2009 will be remembered as the year that Pennsylvania went longer than any other state without a budget. The Commonwealth went months past the June 30th…
Commentary
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