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Pa. Emergency Powers Amendment Going to People

• Michael Torres
• February 5, 2021

Feb. 4, 2021, Harrisburg, Pa.,— On March 6, 2020, Gov. Tom Wolf proclaimed a disaster emergency in Pennsylvania, granting himself the extraordinary power to supersede many state laws to…

Press Release

State Budget

Wolf’s Big, Bad Budget Leaves Families Behind

• Michael Torres
• February 3, 2021

Feb. 3, 2021, Harrisburg, Pa. —Following Gov. Tom Wolf’s pre-recorded state budget address, Commonwealth Foundation Vice President Nathan Benefield, who has been studying the state budget for more than a…

Press Release

New Report: Rebuilding Pennsylvania’s Economy

• Michael Torres
• January 22, 2021

Jan. 25, 2021, Harrisburg, Pa. — A new Commonwealth Foundation report proposes a series of public policies aimed at helping Pennsylvania recover from the COVID-19 economic downturn. The Race…

Press Release

Constitutional Amendment Would Restore Oversight of Gov.’s Emergency Powers

• Michael Torres
• January 13, 2021

Jan. 13, 2021, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Pennsylvania House State Government Committee has passed House Bill 55, which proposes a constitutional amendment preventing a governor from extending a disaster…

Press Release

Pa. House Committee Passes Taxpayer Protection Bill

• Michael Torres
• January 13, 2021

Jan 13, 2021, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today the House State Government Committee advanced the Taxpayer Protection Act, which would put guardrails on state spending growth to protect Pennsylvanians from…

Press Release

Webinar Feedback

• December 14, 2020

Thank you for your feedback on our webinar! We'd love it if you took a minute to answer just a few more questions: Webinar Feedback…

Media

Earmarks Double to $120 Million in State Budget

• Michael Torres
• December 8, 2020

December 8, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Pennsylvania lawmakers and Gov. Wolf used a shadowy process to bury $120 million of earmarks in the new state budget. That’s double last year’s…

Press Release

Taxes & Economy

Crucial Reforms Needed in End-of-Year Budget

• Nathan Benefield
• November 19, 2020

The recently completed state budget will dig Pennsylvania into a deep hole. Lawmakers passed a 7.5% increase in spending. The General Fund budget, including billions in one-time federal funds, is $36.54 billion—up from $33.98 billion last…

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Erie, PA: The Gateway to Victory in America

• Lenny McAllister
• October 30, 2020

For statewide candidates and presidential contenders, Erie stands as the hidden key for victory in the Keystone State, yet it also is the hidden gem that holds our collective resurgence…

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Philly PD—and all public employees in Pa.—need transparency and accountability

• Jessica Barnett
• October 23, 2020

Philadelphia City Council recently approved an accountability measure for police union contract negotiations, prompting praise from good government officials and a lawsuit from the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5…

Media

Education Stimulus Bill Subject of Senate Hearing

• Colleen Hroncich, Michael Torres
• October 2, 2020

Oct. 5, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, the Senate Education Committee will hold a hearing on a bill that would make a $1,000 per-student stimulus available to eligible families to help…

Press Release

State Halts Unemployment Payments Due to Mass Fraud

• September 28, 2020

Pennsylvania delayed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments after a 300% increase in applications. Over 10,000 inmates were illegally submitting unemployment applications from behind bars.  Once again, the multimillion-dollar modernization project for…

Media

Pennsylvania’s Mail Ballot Fight Could Go to U.S. Supreme Court

• Michael Torres
• September 23, 2020

The Pa. Republican Party has applied for a stay of a controversial Pa. Supreme Court ruling regarding mail-in ballots, indicating that it intends to appeal the case…

Media

Federal Ruling: Wolf Admin Not Above the Constitution

• Michael Torres
• September 14, 2020

  W. Pa. Counties Successfully Counter Wolf’s Shutdown Order  Sept. 14, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa.

Press Release

Wolf Proposes Band Aid for Small Business? Broken Leg

• Michael Torres
• September 11, 2020

Sept. 10, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Governor Tom Wolf called on the legislature to provide more taxpayer funding to bail …

Press Release

Commonwealth Foundation Receives 2020 Biggest Win for Freedom Award

• September 3, 2020

Sept. 3, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Commonwealth Foundation is honored to have earned the 2020 Bob Williams Award: Biggest Win for Freedom, presented by the State Policy Network.

Press Release

Regulation

Lawmakers Try to Stop Restaurant Catastrophe

• Michael Torres
• August 31, 2020

Bars and restaurants in Pennsylvania are sounding the alarm, warning that mass closures are on the horizon due to unnecessarily strict government regulations. A new report from the …

Media

COVID-19 Community Recovery Report

• Michael Torres
• August 13, 2020

Aug 13, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Commonwealth Foundation has released a new report outlining policy solutions that will help to rebuild Pennsylvania’s communities.  Alongside the pandemic, Pennsylvania is facing crises caused…

Press Release

Health Care

Struggling Small Businesses Overwhelm Govt. Lifeline

• Michael Torres
• August 12, 2020

Nearly 50,000 Pennsylvania small businesses applied for COVID relief grants from state government over the last two weeks, catching bureaucrats off guard as local businesses continue to see steep revenue…

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PLCB Makes Pa. National Loser in Liquor Sales & Tax Revenue

• Michael Torres
• August 4, 2020

Aug 4, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — A new report from the National Alcoholic Beverage Control Association (NABCA) shows June spirits sales were up compared to last year in every state the association tracks—except…

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Liquor Poll – Sandwich

• July 29, 2020

Thank you for your input! We'll continue to update you on Pennsylvania's push for liquor reform.

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