State Budget
Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax Reform
Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Today is Tax Day. Each year, April 15th reminds us of the costliness of government spending – and why lawmakers must reduce this financial burden on…
Read More: Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax ReformHigh taxes make for a slow-growing economy. And communities feel the pinch of high taxes as more and more native Pennsylvanians leave the Keystone State to prosper elsewhere. To remain economically competitive, Pennsylvania must lower state taxes and ensure businesses have the opportunity to succeed. Lower taxes will incentivize more individuals to call Pennsylvania their home, ultimately spurring our statewide economy forward.
State Budget
Childcare Affordability Continues To Plague Pennsylvanians
Harrisburg, Pa., March 11, 2026 — Pennsylvania is one of the most overregulated states for childcare. And despite more than $50 million in additional state funding since 2023, too many families continue to find childcare…
Press Release
Read More: Childcare Affordability Continues To Plague PennsylvaniansEducation
[MEDIA] Andrew Lewis on ‘Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words’
Pennsylvania’s Policy Battles: Energy Independence, School Choice, and America 250 Andrew Lewis, President & CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, joins “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” to discuss why…
Media Hit
Read More: [MEDIA] Andrew Lewis on ‘Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words’Energy
Blue-State Energy Mandates and Deficit Spending Undermine Democrats’ Affordability Claims
Originally published by The Washington Times. Democrats have a new buzzword: “affordability.” Democratic strategists say “moderates” will lead the way to a more affordable cost of…
Media Hit
Read More: Blue-State Energy Mandates and Deficit Spending Undermine Democrats’ Affordability ClaimsState Budget
Yes, Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Raises Taxes
Originally published by PennLive. In his campaign-style budget address, Gov. Josh Shapiro claimed his budget neither enacts any new taxes nor requires future tax…
Media Hit
Read More: Yes, Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Raises TaxesState Budget
Has Governor Shapiro Actually Cut Taxes?
Gov. Josh Shapiro desperately wants Pennsylvanians to believe he isn’t a run-of-the-mill tax-and-spend Democrat. “The Governor has cut taxes seven times,” claims one of his latest…
Blog
Read More: Has Governor Shapiro Actually Cut Taxes?State Budget
Pennsylvania is Shrinking. We Need More Workers
Originally published by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. New migration reports show that last year more people moved out of Pennsylvania than moved in, marking the commonwealth’s…
Media Hit
Read More: Pennsylvania is Shrinking. We Need More WorkersEducation
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…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Reckless 2026–27 Budget ProposalState Budget
National Rankings Reveal Pennsylvania’s Subpar Economy
A video companion of this press release for broadcast use is available here. Harrisburg, Pa., January 28, 2026 — Recent comments about Pennsylvania have left pundits asking, “Is the commonwealth’s economy ‘mediocre’?” According…
Press Release
Read More: National Rankings Reveal Pennsylvania’s Subpar EconomyState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Economy is Struggling to Compete Nationally
Overview Over the past few months, Gov. Josh Shapiro and his administration have routinely touted Pennsylvania’s supposed economic success, portraying the commonwealth’s economy as “…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Economy is Struggling to Compete NationallyState Budget
Shapiro Talks Affordability, but Pennsylvanians Pay the Price
Originally published by The Pottstown-Mercury. Gov. Josh Shapiro has made a habit of criticizing President Donald Trump over rising prices and “affordability.” Yet under Shapiro’s leadership,…
Media Hit
Read More: Shapiro Talks Affordability, but Pennsylvanians Pay the PriceState Budget
It’s the Spending, Stupid
Originally published by Delco Times. Every year, Pennsylvanians hear the same warning from lawmakers in Harrisburg: “The state doesn’t have enough money.” And every year, they’re…
Media Hit
Read More: It’s the Spending, StupidEducation
What Pennsylvania Lawmakers Must Prioritize in 2026
Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Pennsylvania stands at a pivotal moment. Families are stretched thin by higher costs, and employers are weighing whether to invest here or elsewhere. We can’t…
Commentary
Read More: What Pennsylvania Lawmakers Must Prioritize in 2026Education
The Top Five Policy Victories of 2025—and a Look Ahead to 2026
Pennsylvania saw no shortage of controversies and political battles in 2025, including a four-month-long budget impasse. But this year also saw lawmakers enact several pro-growth policies—from expanding educational choice to…
Blog
Read More: The Top Five Policy Victories of 2025—and a Look Ahead to 2026Education
Despite Shapiro’s Failed Leadership, 2025-26 Budget Secures Key Permitting Wins, Ends Threat of RGGI
Harrisburg, Pa., November 12, 2025 — Despite Gov. Josh Shapiro’s failed leadership and a 135-day stalemate, Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a compromise budget for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. The Commonwealth Foundation has released…
Press Release
Read More: Despite Shapiro’s Failed Leadership, 2025-26 Budget Secures Key Permitting Wins, Ends Threat of RGGIEducation
What You Need to Know About Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 State Budget
Summary Four months late, Gov. Josh Shapiro and state lawmakers agreed on a state budget deal. The agreement spends $1.4 billion less than Shapiro’s reckless, extreme proposal, and uses excessive…
Backgrounder
Read More: What You Need to Know About Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 State BudgetEnergy
New Report: Shapiro’s ‘Get Sh*t Done’ Slogan Doesn’t Match His Record
Gov. Josh Shapiro remains Pennsylvania’s least legislatively productive governor in the past 50 years. Harrisburg, Pa., November 10, 2025 — As presidential ambitions of Pennsylvania’s 48th governor become increasingly…
Press Release
Read More: New Report: Shapiro’s ‘Get Sh*t Done’ Slogan Doesn’t Match His RecordEducation
Josh Shapiro: Least Productive Pennsylvania Governor in at Least 50 Years
Summary Nearly three years in office, a Commonwealth Foundation analysis finds Gov. Josh Shapiro’s first term is the least productive of any Pennsylvania gubernatorial term in at least 50 years.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Josh Shapiro: Least Productive Pennsylvania Governor in at Least 50 YearsState Budget
Shapiro’s “Spooky” Spending Spree
It is trick-or-treat time—but Gov. Josh Shapiro is hoarding the treats for himself while he tricks Pennsylvanians. As everyday Pennsylvanians struggle to afford the ever-increasing cost of living in the…
Blog
Read More: Shapiro’s “Spooky” Spending SpreeState Budget
Corporate Welfare in Governor Shapiro’s Fiscal Year 2025–26 Budget Proposal
Summary Pennsylvania’s economy lags behind other states, hindered by high taxes and burdensome regulations. As a result, the state suffers from continued outmigration, with residents leaving for better opportunities in…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Corporate Welfare in Governor Shapiro’s Fiscal Year 2025–26 Budget ProposalState Budget
Commonwealth Foundation Urges Legal Protection of State’s Rainy Day Fund
Letter calls on Treasurer Garrity to withhold any transfer from the budget stabilization reserve fund, pending legal adjudication. Harrisburg, Pa., September 8, 2025 — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Urges Legal Protection of State’s Rainy Day FundEducation
New Poll: Inflation, Economy, Taxes, and Crime Top Voter Concerns, Pennsylvanians Hold Shapiro Responsible for Budget Impasse
Harrisburg, Pa., September 3, 2025 — Fewer than 4-in-10 Pennsylvania voters believe the state is on the right track, according to new polling released today by the Commonwealth Foundation.
Press Release
Read More: New Poll: Inflation, Economy, Taxes, and Crime Top Voter Concerns, Pennsylvanians Hold Shapiro Responsible for Budget Impasse