Education
2024–25 State Budget Analysis
Key Points Pennsylvania’s $47.6 billion 2024–25 budget creates a $3.6 billion structural deficit. This will exhaust General Fund reserves, which will require draining from the Rainy Day fund—illegally—or raising taxes…
Read More: 2024–25 State Budget AnalysisPennsylvania’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
Murtha Gets Earmark for Murtha Airport
This has been making the rounds, but the Washington Post has a detailed article about how Congressman Jack Murtha has gotten hundreds of millions of dollars over the years,…
Media
Read More: Murtha Gets Earmark for Murtha AirportGovernment Accountability
Schroder Bills to Save PA Taxpayers Over $600 Million
State Rep. Curt Schroder has unveiled a number of legislative proposals which, by his estimates would save Pennsylvania taxpayers well over $600 million annually. House Bill 1056…
Media
Read More: Schroder Bills to Save PA Taxpayers Over $600 MillionState Budget
Oink, Oink
Today, Citizens Against Government Waste released its 2009 Congressional Pig Book. The report identifies over 10,000 pork-barrel projects in the federal budget, costing hard-working American’s over $19 billion. Examples…
Media
Read More: Oink, OinkRegulation
Jobs and the Economy
Testimony of Mathew J. Brouillette, President & CEO, Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives to the Pennsylvania House Majority Policy CommitteeApril 14, 2009 Thank you Chairman Sturla for the…
Testimony
Read More: Jobs and the EconomyState Budget
Updated Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall Projections
Following an Open Records request, the PA Office of the Budget provided us the their latest projections for General Fund revenue collections. The number for media, lawmakers, and policy nerds…
Media
Read More: Updated Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall ProjectionsState Budget
Obama’s Budget: More of the Same You Can Believe In
The Cato Institute’s Chris Edwards has the latest Tax and Budget bulletin, with an updated analysis of spending by president. The bulletin reiterates what Cato has been saying…
Media
Read More: Obama’s Budget: More of the Same You Can Believe InState Budget
Sanford to Refuse Stimulus Funds – Example for Rendell
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has announced he will reject much of the federal stimulus dollars coming to his state. Like Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, he recognizes that…
Media
Read More: Sanford to Refuse Stimulus Funds – Example for RendellState Budget
Pennsylvania Voters: Taxing, Spending Too High
A poll conducted by the NFIB shows that Pennsylvania voters think that taxes are too high – no surprise there, except to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, who…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Voters: Taxing, Spending Too HighState Budget
What do Economists Agree On?
Greg Mankiw posts a selection from his textbook on what economists agree on, from a survey. I am not suprised to see economists overwhelmingly support free trade, as that…
Media
Read More: What do Economists Agree On?Government Accountability
Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009
Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009 identifies $5 billion in unhealthy state spending in FY 2008-09 and offers a series of recommendations to both resolve the current revenue shortfall…
Report
Read More: Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009Regulation
CF Report Finds $5 billion in Gov’t Waste
State gov’t overspending is impeding prosperity and burdening taxpayers HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today released Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009, a report that spotlights how the…
Press Release
Read More: CF Report Finds $5 billion in Gov’t WasteState Budget
Commonwealth Foundation Statement on Gov. Ed Rendell’s Budget Address
HARRISBURG, PA — Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette issued the following statement today in response to Gov. Rendell’s 2009-10 Budget Address: “Gov. Rendell’s reliance on one-time federal…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Statement on Gov. Ed Rendell’s Budget AddressState Budget
PA Budget by the Numbers
The 2009-10 budget is $28.97 billion, rather than the $26.6 billion as is being reported. The difference being that it relies on $2.4 billion in one-time federal “stimulus” money. That…
Media
Read More: PA Budget by the NumbersState Budget
PA budget address liveblog
I’ll be live blog-tweeting Governor Rendell’s budget address, beginning at 10:30 today you can follow the action here.
Media
Read More: PA budget address liveblogState Budget
We Can’t Spend Our Way to Prosperity
John Stossel has an op-ed up on the pork-laden “stimulus” package: President Obama has vowed that no earmarks — special appropriations to benefit particular congressmen — will…
Media
Read More: We Can’t Spend Our Way to ProsperityState Budget
Cronyism Undermines Cargo Airport
It appears the Hazleton Airport project is now dead in the water, after Rep. Todd Eachus (the local sponsor and now Majority Leader) has dropped his support after…
Media
Read More: Cronyism Undermines Cargo AirportState Budget
Even more reasons to oppose the stimulus
NTU’s blog has a long list (via Tom Coburn) of wasteful spending and bad policy in the federal “stimulus” bill, including: $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen,…
Media
Read More: Even more reasons to oppose the stimulusPublic Union Democracy
Putting Taxpayers First?
A group of Pennsylvania House Republicans today announced a series of proposals intended to reduce government spending and revitalize the Pennsylvania economy. Among the proposals: Implementing constitutional or statutory…
Media
Read More: Putting Taxpayers First?State Budget
Rendell to layoff workers, keep rewarding allies
Governor Rendell today announced that he projects Pennsylvania’s revenue shortfall to reach $2.3 billion, updated from $1.6 billion a month ago and $1.9 billion a week ago, suggesting their…
Media
Read More: Rendell to layoff workers, keep rewarding alliesState Budget
Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall Projections
For those who are following Pennsylvania’s revenue shortfall closely, the state Budget Office provided on request (and were kind enough to waive the 25-cent cost) me the monthly…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Revenue Shortfall ProjectionsState Budget
Shovel Ready?
In discussion of a “stimulus” plan/bailout of state and local governments, a lot of has been made of funding “shovel ready” projects – thus leading to governors and mayors putting…
Media
Read More: Shovel Ready?