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Education
New Swing State Poll: PA Voters Evenly Divided, Presidential Election a Toss Up
Harrisburg, Pa., July 26, 2024—Public support for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is evenly divided in Pennsylvania, according to a new statewide survey of Pennsylvania voters, with Harris leading Trump 47%…
Read More: New Swing State Poll: PA Voters Evenly Divided, Presidential Election a Toss Up![shapiro vice president kamala harris](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-6.55.03 PM-900x900.png)
Education
TV Ad Exposes Shapiro as “All Talk, No Results”
Read More: TV Ad Exposes Shapiro as “All Talk, No Results”![shapiro capable of leading](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1244606495-900x692.jpg)
Education
Why is Gov. Shapiro Afraid of His Own Campaign Promises?
Read More: Why is Gov. Shapiro Afraid of His Own Campaign Promises?![shapiro record](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-23-at-11.10.30 AM-900x900.png)
Education
President and CEO Charles Mitchell on Philadelphia’s Morning Answer with Chris Stigall
Read More: President and CEO Charles Mitchell on Philadelphia’s Morning Answer with Chris Stigall
Corbett set to take another shot at dismantling Pa.’s booze system
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Read More: Corbett set to take another shot at dismantling Pa.’s booze system
Corbett is thinking big on liquor privatization
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Read More: Corbett is thinking big on liquor privatizationTaxes & Economy
How Do Pa. Gas Taxes Stack Up?
In the wake of reports Gov. Corbett will unveil a transportation funding plan that includes increasing the cap on the Oil Company Franchise Tax, the Tax Foundation has put…
Media
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Gov. Tom Corbett to renew push for state liquor store privatization
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Read More: Gov. Tom Corbett to renew push for state liquor store privatizationPublic Union Democracy
Union Politics Hinder Prosperity
Businessman Jerry Shenk argues in today’s Harrisburg Patriot-News that tough economic realities forced lawmakers to reexamine union privileges in their traditional strongholds of Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana—and that Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Union Politics Hinder ProsperityHealth Care
Federal Funds Create Perverse Incentives
There’s no such thing as a free lunch, just like there’s no such thing as free money from the federal government. But you wouldn’t know that by reading a recent…
Media
Read More: Federal Funds Create Perverse IncentivesEducation
California School Parents Make History
The win didn’t come easy, but parents at Desert Trails Elementary School in Adelanto, Calif. finally prevailed this week in putting the failing school under new charter school management, becoming…
Media
Read More: California School Parents Make HistoryPublic Union Democracy
Lottery Agreement Better Than Union Guesstimate
AFSCME’s counter proposal to the Pennsylvania Lottery private management agreement (PMA) provides no guaranteed revenue for senior services, no new jobs and no protections for taxpayers if profits fall…
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Ed Reform Radar: PA Group Launches Website Promoting Full Professional…
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Read More: Ed Reform Radar: PA Group Launches Website Promoting Full Professional…Criminal Justice Reform
Milestone Corrections Reform Offers Taxpayer Savings
On the heels of Pennsylvania’s historic decline in prison population—the largest one-year decline in four decades—the Department of Corrections announced today the imminent closure of two older prisons.
Media
Read More: Milestone Corrections Reform Offers Taxpayer SavingsEducation
What’s Behind Pennsylvania’s D+ on Education?
StudentsFirst, a bipartisan education reform group, released report cards for all 50 states evaluating individual state education laws and policies—and the news wasn’t good for Pennsylvania,…
Media
Read More: What’s Behind Pennsylvania’s D+ on Education?Public Union Democracy
Union Attacks Won’t Improve Lottery
AFSCME Council 13, the union representing state lottery employees, released its “Alternatives” to a lottery private management agreement. However, their document doesn’t represent a serious counter-proposal that would…
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Read More: Union Attacks Won’t Improve LotteryTaxes & Economy
“Promised Land” Bombs at Box Office
“Promised Land,” Tinseltown’s recent take on natural gas drilling, opened in theaters across the nation this past weekend. Despite a cast of heavy hitters, including Matt Damon, the film grossed…
Media
Read More: “Promised Land” Bombs at Box OfficeRegulation
Lottery Deal = Guarantees not Gamble
Lottery profits fund programs for senior citizens—but demand for these services is growing faster than Lottery revenue. The private lottery management agreement recently bid out by the…
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Handouts hurt poor, help up a better way
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Read More: Handouts hurt poor, help up a better wayPublic Union Democracy
Government Union Cronies Collude Against Seniors
Here’s a letter to the editor I wrote identifying the connections between special interest groups who oppose a lottery contract, and their motives for undermining a deal that would generate…
Media
Read More: Government Union Cronies Collude Against SeniorsRegulation
PA Tax Loophole Funds Frackaphobic Film
There’s a memorable line in Promised Land, the new Matt Damon movie opening Friday about a gas drilling company buying land rights in a declining farming community. One…
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Filing a Religious Objection to your Fair Share Fee
Once you become a non-union fee payer, you will receive an annual letter every December with supporting documents from your union explaining how it calculates fair share fees. You may…
Media
Read More: Filing a Religious Objection to your Fair Share FeeRegulation
Shocking Shelf Charade Shakes Sultans of Syrah
Is the fix in for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s “in-house” government wine program? Do one-legged ducks swim in circles? Of course, and intrepid Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter Kari Andren has…
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Read More: Shocking Shelf Charade Shakes Sultans of Syrah
Allentown arena authority left to monitor its own spending
Media Hit
Read More: Allentown arena authority left to monitor its own spendingRegulation
Lottery Privatization Process = Full Term Pregnancy
Nine months is a long time…trust me, I’m seven months pregnant. So why are critics arguing the lottery bidding process has been hurried? Far from being secretive…
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Read More: Lottery Privatization Process = Full Term Pregnancy