Education
Governor Shapiro’s Massive Budget Brings Excessive Spending, New Taxes, and Future Tax Hikes
Video statements for broadcast media are available here. Harrisburg, Pa., February 4, 2025 — Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his 2025 Pennsylvania budget address, proposing a $3.9 billion spending increase.
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Massive Budget Brings Excessive Spending, New Taxes, and Future Tax HikesPennsylvania’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
Analysis: With election nearing, Rendell spreads state cash around
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette highlights the amount of taxpayer cash Rendell is spreading around Allegheny County for “Political Development” under the guise of “economic development.”…
Media
Read More: Analysis: With election nearing, Rendell spreads state cash aroundRegulation
A $2-Trillion Fiscal Hole
Wall Street Journal article estimates the unfunded liabilities of state and local government’s retiree health care plans to be $1.4 trillion, about double the unfunded pension liabilities of $700…
Media
Read More: A $2-Trillion Fiscal HoleRegulation
Pennsylvanias Unlimited Government Equals Limited Economic Growth
In a few months, the tumultuous 2005-06 session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly will come to a close—and will likely do so without further action on the “Taxpayer Fairness Act,”…
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvanias Unlimited Government Equals Limited Economic GrowthGovernment Accountability
EDITORIAL | State judges underpaid?
Williamsport Sun-Gazette editorializes on judges’ pay.
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Read More: EDITORIAL | State judges underpaid?State Budget
Both parties share blame for bloated budget
Read Matthew Brouillette’s commentary in today’s Patriot News.
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Read More: Both parties share blame for bloated budgetGovernment Accountability
‘Smart Talk’ on pay raise
Alison Hawkes summary of Chief Justice Cappy’s defense of the judicial pay raise: “He said judges needed a pay hike because salaries were slipping compared to other states, although…
Media
Read More: ‘Smart Talk’ on pay raiseGovernment Accountability
Pa. courts say judges’ pay will rise with feds
AP Report that court adminstrators say PA judges pay are now tied to federal judges. While this differs from my reading of the court ruling on cost-of-living-adjustments, and…
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Read More: Pa. courts say judges’ pay will rise with fedsState Budget
Pennsylvania growing a gut, We need fiscal corset
Editorial from the Press Enterprise on the need for fiscal restraint in Pennsylvania.
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Read More: Pennsylvania growing a gut, We need fiscal corsetState Budget
How States are Solving the Tax and Spending Problem
An overview of the provisions of various tax and spending limit initiatives on the ballot in other states, from the National Taxpayers Union.
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Read More: How States are Solving the Tax and Spending ProblemGovernment Accountability
Lack of evidence to support raise
Scranton Times-Tribune editorial takes on Chief Justice Cappy’s defense of a judicial pay raise.
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Read More: Lack of evidence to support raiseGovernment Accountability
Chief Justice calls pay raises vital to strong judiciary : The Morning Call Online
Chief Justice Cappy is back to defending the judicial pay raise, calling it his “moral duty to seek pay raises for state judges” in The Morning Call. Read…
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Read More: Chief Justice calls pay raises vital to strong judiciary : The Morning Call OnlineState Budget
Will the GOP learn its lesson on pork?
John Fund in today’s Wall Street Journal.
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Read More: Will the GOP learn its lesson on pork?State Budget
Transportation Pork
Here is the listing of the $706 million in federal Transportation Earmarks for PA cited in my testimony today.
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Read More: Transportation PorkGovernment Accountability
Judicial Pay After Court Ruling
Here is what PA judges will make following the court ruling reinstating the judicial pay raise: http://mail.comfdnprod.wpengine.com/judgespay.pdf…
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Read More: Judicial Pay After Court RulingState Budget
“Pork” database passed
Reuters Story on the passage of legislation that would create a new web database of all pork barrel grants. Hopefully transparency is but the first step in reducing wasteful…
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Read More: “Pork” database passedGovernment Accountability
Judicial pay raise outrage
WHP CBS21 coverage of the pay raise ruling, featuring video of our very own Matthew Brouillette talking with angry callers.
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Read More: Judicial pay raise outrageGovernment Accountability
Summary of Supreme Court Ruling on Pay Raise
The PA Supreme Court Opinion on the pay raise, issued today (view the last two pages for the Conclusion) makes the following decisions: 1) The repeal (Act 72 of…
Media
Read More: Summary of Supreme Court Ruling on Pay RaiseState Budget
Earmark Showdown
Wall Street Journal article on a couple of bills expected to come up in Congress this week that would address pork barrel spending. While these bills wouldn’t reduce spending,…
Media
Read More: Earmark ShowdownRegulation
Getting state legislators to work is costly
Post-Gazette article on the cost to taxpayers of the travel of several state lawmakers. Just another example of a failure of many in cover to be frugal when someone…
Media
Read More: Getting state legislators to work is costlyState Budget
States Looking to Spending Caps
While legislation limiting the growth of state spending in Pennsylvania (the “Taxpayer Fairness Act”) has stalled in the House Rules Committee, at least six states will be having ballot initiatives…
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Read More: States Looking to Spending CapsState Budget
Budgeting in Neverland
Policy Analysis from the Cato Institute on how Congress overspends because they only hear from the spending lobby, not taxpayers, during the budget process. The same can be said…
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Read More: Budgeting in Neverland