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.
Education
Pennsylvania Education Spending
Pennsylvania's education spending increased from $4 billion in 1980 to over $25 billion in 2009-a 133% increase in per-pupil spending, after adjusting for inflation. School construction and debt spending has…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania Education SpendingGovernment Accountability
PA Senate Commission IDs Spending Cuts
In February, the Senate established a bipartisan commission to identify cost-savings measure for the Pennsylvania state budget could save money. David Argall, the chairman of…
Media
Read More: PA Senate Commission IDs Spending CutsState Budget
Latest PA Budget Update from Sen. Pileggi
PA Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi was the speaker at today’s Press Club in Harrisburg, offering some updates on the budget negotiations, and some comments on the fiscal cliff Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Latest PA Budget Update from Sen. PileggiState Budget
RE: Balancing the PA Budget with Gimmicks
Lawmakers have found new opposition to their plan to taked money from other funds to balance the budget. The Executive Director of Renew Growing Greener, Andrew Heath, encouraged…
Media
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Balancing the PA Budget with Gimmicks
The temperature is in the 90s in Harrisburg this week, and most folks are wearing short sleeves. One exception is budget negotiators, who are still keeping plenty of tricks up…
Media
Read More: Balancing the PA Budget with GimmicksGovernment Accountability
How to Discourage Accounting Gimmicks in the Budget
The Rendell administration celebrated the end of the tax amnesty program bringing in $261 million, well above projected revenues. But Capitolwire (subscription only) reminds us the Governor was originally…
Media
Read More: How to Discourage Accounting Gimmicks in the BudgetState Budget
Time for A Taxpayer’s Budget
HARRISBURG, PA —The Commonwealth Foundation today released A Taxpayer’s Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania, a report identifying $4 billion in…
Press Release
Read More: Time for A Taxpayer’s BudgetEducation
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 Taxes