Education

Year of School Choice…and Beyond

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 27, 2012

The Alliance for School Choice released its latest School Choice Yearbook highlighting the developments in school choice in 2011, as well as each of the programs in the United…

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Government Accountability

Does Pennsylvania Need Fewer Legislators?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 26, 2012

A proposal to reduce the Pennsylvania State House from 203 representatives to 153 will be voted on in the coming weeks by the House. The proposal is certainly…

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Taxes & Economy

Frack Attacker Exposed

  • January 26, 2012

Prof. Robert Howarth is known for controversial, anti-fracking studies declaring natural gas as one of the worst environmental polluters. Yesterday, former PA Department of Environmental Protection secretary John…

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Education

Bill Cosby Explains How to Really Educate a Child

  • Priya Brannick
  • January 25, 2012

We're in the middle of National School Choice Week, which means the word “education” is hot on the lips of its advocates across our state and country. Schooling is…

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Taxes & Economy

SNAP Back to Reality, Senators

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 24, 2012

Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Senate Democrats’ Twitter, @PaSenateDems, comes some high-stakes rhetoric during a Capitol press conference today. In reaction to the Pa. Department of Public Welfare’s decision to reapply…

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Education

School Choice: The ABC’s

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 23, 2012

In time for National School Choice Week, the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice released its 2012 ABC’s of School Choice. The new guide gives an overview of what…

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Taxes & Economy

Is the EPA Frackophobic?

  • January 23, 2012

The Environmental Protection Agency is now delivering water to homes in Dimock, Pa., even though Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection says it’s not needed. Here’s the background: In…

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Criminal Justice Reform

Fiscal Outlook for Pennsylvania: Not Too Rosy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 20, 2012

This week the new Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office held its first annual seminar on the state economy and revenue. After a series of presentations on the state of the…

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Criminal Justice Reform

Corrections Reform: Another Sacred Cow?

  • January 20, 2012

Our friends at Reason.org have called out Pennsylvania lawmakers’ opposition to prison healthcare reform, calling it yet another public sector union sacred cow. At issue is House…

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Education

Want to Help PA’s Kids?

  • January 19, 2012

With the 10-year anniversary of No Child Left Behind recently passing, the $20.7 million bailout for Chester-Upland School District, and students in Neshaminy sitting at home while…

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Frothing Frackaphobes Fermenting Fear

  • January 18, 2012

Courtesy of John Micek’s daily must-read blog Capitol Ideas comes a post on an Esquire magazine article articulating the latest lunacy foisted by phobic fracking fact foes furiously fomenting…

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Education

Ponderous PSEA, Virulent Violence Verified

  • Priya Brannick
  • January 18, 2012

Last December, the Commonwealth Foundation urged lawmakers to offer kids in Pennsylvania’s worst violent, failing schools a lifeline, and give them school choice for Christmas. We delivered bouquets of 17…

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Taxes & Economy

Impact Fee: Compromise on Details, not Principles

  • January 18, 2012

Capitolwire reports (subscription required) on the negotiations between the House and Senate Marcellus Shale impact fee bills — HB 1950 and SB 1100. Here’s a recap: The fee…

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Taxes & Economy

Will Anti-Gas Political Climate Prevent 10,000 Jobs?

  • January 17, 2012

U.S. Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey, along with Gov. Tom Corbett, have been lobbying for Shell to invest their petroleum chemistry plant, known as a “cracker”…

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Criminal Justice Reform

Time for Pennsylvania to Get Right on Crime

  • January 17, 2012

Last week on NPR, former U.S. Attorney General and Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburgh joined Adam Gelb, director for Pew’s Public Safety Performance Project, to discuss criminal justice…

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