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Education
Public Schools Increased Spending to $23,000 Per Student, Ballooned Reserves While Enrollment Declined
Harrisburg, Pa., May 15, 2025 — Pennsylvania school districts increased overall revenue collected in 2023–24 to $23,000 per student, while expanding general fund reserves to $7.4 billion, according to new…
Read More: Public Schools Increased Spending to $23,000 Per Student, Ballooned Reserves While Enrollment Declined
Energy
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on RGGI
Read More: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on RGGI
Education
Senate Education Committee Approves Bipartisan PASS Scholarships, Offering Lifeline to Students in Need
Read More: Senate Education Committee Approves Bipartisan PASS Scholarships, Offering Lifeline to Students in Need
Prosperity
New Report: Gig-Workers Prefer Flexibility of Portable Benefits
Read More: New Report: Gig-Workers Prefer Flexibility of Portable Benefits
PA property tax under new attack in legislature
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Read More: PA property tax under new attack in legislatureHealth Care
Medicaid Waivers & the Looming Fiscal Crisis
In the waning days of 2008, the state of Rhode Island secured a global waiver for its Medicaid program. The waiver exempted the state from many federal rules and mandates in exchange for a…
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Read More: Medicaid Waivers & the Looming Fiscal CrisisState Budget
Welfare Sec. Alexander Discusses Mending the Safety Net on the BOX
On the latest edition of The BOX, Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Secretary Gary Alexander takes time to discuss proposed welfare reforms. Despite accusations of wanting to “throw the…
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Read More: Welfare Sec. Alexander Discusses Mending the Safety Net on the BOXEducation
I’m Bringing Some Gumbo to the State Capitol
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal refused to let government unions push him around. His reward? A sweet victory not just for himself, but for the taxpayers, parents, and students of…
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Read More: I’m Bringing Some Gumbo to the State CapitolRegulation
Lottery Contract Could Make Everyone a Winner
The lottery is on the minds of those in Harrisburg this week, but it has nothing to do with the $656 Mega Millions jackpot won by three lucky ticket…
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Read More: Lottery Contract Could Make Everyone a WinnerRegulation
Schools Get Property Tax Referendum Exemptions for Pension Costs
Last year, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed, and Gov. Corbett signed, legislation reducing the number of exemptions to the school tax referendum requirement. But as noted this…
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Read More: Schools Get Property Tax Referendum Exemptions for Pension CostsTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Shale: Pennsylvania’s Manna From Heaven
Yesterday, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council hosted a forum on the benefits of natural gas for Pennsylvania’s manufacturing sector. David Taylor of the…
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Read More: Marcellus Shale: Pennsylvania’s Manna From HeavenPublic Union Democracy
Time for Prevailing Wage Reform | Support HB 1329
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives may soon vote on legislation that will update the half-century-old Prevailing Wage Law that adds zero value to the taxpayers but costs us a bundle…
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Read More: Time for Prevailing Wage Reform | Support HB 1329Taxes & Economy
PA to Copy Missouri’s Failed Land Banking Policy
Pennsylvania is close to adopting Missouri’s 40 year old failed land banking policy. House Bill 1682, which has already passed the House and the Senate’s Urban Affairs and…
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Pennsylvania exploring lottery privatization
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Read More: Pennsylvania exploring lottery privatizationPublic Union Democracy
Six Ways Prevailing Wage Increases Taxpayers’ Costs
This week, the Pennsylvania House is set (yet again) to consider basic reforms to Pennsylvania’s outdated prevailing wage law, which mandates that union-scale wages be paid on taxpayer-funded construction projects…
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Read More: Six Ways Prevailing Wage Increases Taxpayers’ CostsState Budget
Human Services Programs Must Deal with Wasteful Spending
Last week, you couldn’t swing a dead cat in the state capitol without hitting someone protesting Gov. Corbett’s welfare spending reductions. The governor proposed combining six human service line items, such…
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Taxpayers to Unions: We Won’t Get Fooled Again
So Pennsylvania taxpayers, lawmakers and Pete Townshend walk into a bar… ouch! Seriously though, this week in Harrisburg could produce one heck of a punch line as lawmakers…
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Read More: Taxpayers to Unions: We Won’t Get Fooled Again
Conservatives working to repeal prevailing wage law
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Read More: Conservatives working to repeal prevailing wage lawHealth Care
Not Why I’m Here
“Why am I here?” That’s an excellent question to ask yourself if you work in Harrisburg. This week, as I read a piece by Karen Langley in the Pittsburgh…
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Read More: Not Why I’m Here
Education funding article ignores important facts
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Read More: Education funding article ignores important facts
Unions Nailed on Prevailing Wage
To hear the union boss of the Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council tell it from his cushy offsite confines, prevailing wage is all about helping local communities…
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Read More: Unions Nailed on Prevailing WageState Budget
Do Government Programs Grow the Economy?
While decades of increased government spending have resulted in economic stagnation, many advocates of increasing government spending claim that their favored program will “grow the economy.” They argue that…
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Read More: Do Government Programs Grow the Economy?
Central Pennsylvania residents weigh in on Affordable Care Act: Is it a blessing or curse?
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Read More: Central Pennsylvania residents weigh in on Affordable Care Act: Is it a blessing or curse?Education
School Choice in Milwaukee Increases Graduation Rates
The latest analysis of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program finds that students receiving scholarships to attend the school of their choice are more likely to graduate from high…
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Read More: School Choice in Milwaukee Increases Graduation Rates