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Commonwealth Foundation Applauds Senate Republicans for Advancing Tax Relief and Expanding Educational Opportunity
Harrisburg, Pa., June 25, 2026 — Today, the Pennsylvania Senate, in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 44 to 6, advanced House Bill 1667, legislation that delivers meaningful tax relief to families and businesses while also expanding access to educational scholarships for thousands of students across the commonwealth. The Senate’s legislative…
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Applauds Senate Republicans for Advancing Tax Relief and Expanding Educational Opportunity
Education
NEW ANALYSIS: Public School Enrollment Declines as State Spending Climbs
Read More: NEW ANALYSIS: Public School Enrollment Declines as State Spending Climbs
Education
New Poll: Pennsylvanians Reject Shapiro’s Budget, Demand More Educational Choice, and Oppose Costly Energy Mandates
Read More: New Poll: Pennsylvanians Reject Shapiro’s Budget, Demand More Educational Choice, and Oppose Costly Energy Mandates
Education
House Democrats Lead Charge to Gut Educational Opportunity
Read More: House Democrats Lead Charge to Gut Educational OpportunityEnergy
Alternative Energy Cost Ratepayers $3.3B in Hidden Subsidies, Research Finds
Harrisburg, Pa., June 18, 2026 — At the start of this month, families and businesses across Pennsylvania saw yet another rate hike hit their electricity bills. What they didn’t see, however, is that Pennsylvania ratepayers…
Press Release
Read More: Alternative Energy Cost Ratepayers $3.3B in Hidden Subsidies, Research FindsEducation
House Education Committee Votes to Cut Scholarships, Leaves 30,000 Students Stranded
Harrisburg, Pa., June 16, 2026 — Today, the Pennsylvania House Education Committee rushed passage of HB 2632 on a party line vote. The bill is an attack on students’ access to educational opportunities. The voting meeting was scheduled at the call of the chair, a move which bypasses the…
Press Release
Read More: House Education Committee Votes to Cut Scholarships, Leaves 30,000 Students StrandedEducation
U.S. Treasury Releases New Guidelines on Federal Scholarship Program
New guidance answers concerns about the federal program and removes excuses for Gov. Josh Shapiro’s indecision. Harrisburg, Pa., June 11, 2026 — Yesterday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury released new guidance regarding the federal scholarship tax credit program, which passed into…
Press Release
Read More: U.S. Treasury Releases New Guidelines on Federal Scholarship ProgramState Budget
Corporate Hand-outs Cost Billions, Yield Minimum Return
Media clips to accompany this release can be downloaded here. Harrisburg, Pa., May 20, 2026 — Under Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget proposal, Pennsylvania would spend $1.7 billion on corporate welfare programs. If lawmakers swapped corporate handouts for tax cuts, taxpayers could reap $530 per family of…
Press Release
Read More: Corporate Hand-outs Cost Billions, Yield Minimum ReturnState Budget
New Report: Less than 1% of Pa. Workers Earn Minimum Wage
Harrisburg, Pa., May 18, 2026 — For the fourth consecutive year, Gov. Josh Shapiro has sought a $15-per-hour minimum wage in his 2026–27 budget proposal. New research from the Commonwealth…
Press Release
Read More: New Report: Less than 1% of Pa. Workers Earn Minimum WageEducation
25 Years of Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)
Harrisburg, Pa., May 14, 2026 — Pennsylvania’s Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) turns 25 this year. Since its creation in 2001, the highly successful program has awarded more than 1 million scholarships in all 67 counties, according to a new…
Press Release
Read More: 25 Years of Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)Education
Public Schools Funding Hits Nearly $24,000 Per Student While Achievement Declines
Harrisburg, Pa., May 11, 2026 — New data reveals funding for Pennsylvania’s public schools spiked to nearly $24,000 per student in the 2024–25 school year. In addition to record-high spending, school districts continue to hoard reserve funds, with an average of $4,649 held for every public-school student. …
Press Release
Read More: Public Schools Funding Hits Nearly $24,000 Per Student While Achievement DeclinesEducation
NY Governor Moves Toward Federal Scholarship Tax Credit as Shapiro Remains Undecided
Harrisburg, Pa., May 8, 2026 — Yesterday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul expressed her intention to opt into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC). While Hochul has yet to formally submit her opt-in form to the IRS, New York would mark the thirtieth…
Media Hit
Read More: NY Governor Moves Toward Federal Scholarship Tax Credit as Shapiro Remains UndecidedEnergy
Pennsylvania Lost $5 Billion in Energy Investment and Power Supply Under RGGI
Harrisburg, Pa., May 4, 2026 — Last fall, Pennsylvania lawmakers removed the Keystone State from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) after six years of legal battles. According to new…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Lost $5 Billion in Energy Investment and Power Supply Under RGGIEducation
[MEDIA] Andrew Lewis Addresses Pennsylvania Press Club
Andrew Lewis, President & CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, addressed the Pennsylvania Press Club on Monday afternoon. In his speech, Lewis outlined the path forward to make Pennsylvania the leading…
Media Hit
Read More: [MEDIA] Andrew Lewis Addresses Pennsylvania Press ClubPublic Union Democracy
Even in an Off-Year, Unions Spend Millions in Pennsylvania in 2025
Harrisburg, Pa., April 22, 2026 — Despite 2025 being an off-year election, Pennsylvania still saw heavy political spending by unions, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Foundation. The…
Press Release
Read More: Even in an Off-Year, Unions Spend Millions in Pennsylvania in 2025
Megan Martin Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award as a Leader in Law
Harrisburg, Pa., April 15, 2026 — Central Penn Business Journal has honored Megan Martin, chief operating officer and general counsel of the Commonwealth Foundation, with the Lifetime Achievement Leaders…
Press Release
Read More: Megan Martin Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award as a Leader in LawState Budget
[MEDIA] Megan Martin Talks State Budget on PCN’s ‘Capitol Watch’
In February, Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a $53.26 billion budget that will worsen the state’s deficit to over $6.5 billion while failing to address key issues like educational choice and…
Media Hit
Read More: [MEDIA] Megan Martin Talks State Budget on PCN’s ‘Capitol Watch’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’Education
[MEDIA] Nathan Benefield Talks Education Spending on ‘Erie News Now’
Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed record-high education funding in his 2026 budget address. The entire proposal, totaling $53.26 billion, would force a $2,100 tax hike on families of four. Nathan…
Media
Read More: [MEDIA] Nathan Benefield Talks Education Spending on ‘Erie News Now’State Budget
Commonwealth Foundation Releases Analysis on Governor Shapiro’s 2026 Budget Plan
Harrisburg, Pa., February 4, 2026 —Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2026 budget proposal, totaling $53.26 billion, is “completely unaffordable and will cost $2,100 per family of four in looming tax hikes” according to …
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Releases Analysis on Governor Shapiro’s 2026 Budget PlanEducation
Governor Shapiro Presents Unaffordable State Budget
Gov. Josh Shapiro returns to Pennsylvania to pitch spending plan families cannot afford. Harrisburg, Pa., February 3, 2026 — In a campaign-style speech that doesn’t address the needs of Pennsylvanians, Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his 2026 state budget address, proposing a $3.2 billion spending…
Press Release
Read More: Governor Shapiro Presents Unaffordable State Budget
Commonwealth Foundation Introduces the Pennsylvania Judicial Scorecard
Harrisburg, Pa., January 30, 2026 — Since 2020, total appeals in front of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court have risen by more than 50 percent. Increased cases mean more decision-making on…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Introduces the Pennsylvania Judicial ScorecardState 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 EconomyPublic Union Democracy
David Osborne Joins The Guy Benson Show on Fox News Radio
Government unions spent over $900 million in political spending in the 2024 election cycle, funded almost entirely by members’ dues. David Osborne, Sr. Director of Labor Policy at the Commonwealth…
Media Hit
Read More: David Osborne Joins The Guy Benson Show on Fox News Radio