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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 BenefitsTaxes & Economy
DRBC Moratorium Puts Residents’ Property Rights in Limbo
Wayne County land owners in favor of natural gas drilling are fed up with the Delaware River Basin Commission’s baseless moratorium on fracking. The commission has suspended natural…
Media
Read More: DRBC Moratorium Puts Residents’ Property Rights in LimboRegulation
State Liquor Stores’ Soviet-style Socialism Fails
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board once again proves it does not know how to manage a business, and its Soviet-style socialist control fails to satisfy customers. More than a month…
Media
Read More: State Liquor Stores’ Soviet-style Socialism FailsEducation
Busting the Myth That State Subsidies Prevent College Tuition Rising
Universities consistently blame state budget cuts for rising tuition, but in reality, tuition has risen regardless of state subsidies. Here’s…
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Read More: Busting the Myth That State Subsidies Prevent College Tuition RisingTaxes & Economy
Report Finds Pennsylvania Welfare System Unsustainable, Hurting Poor
The Commonwealth Foundation released today an alarming new report on Pennsylvania public welfare that finds widespread abuse of tax dollars, with spending growing faster than the economy and exceeding education…
Press Release
Read More: Report Finds Pennsylvania Welfare System Unsustainable, Hurting PoorEducation
Attacking Cyber School Funding
The House Education Committee held an informational hearing today with administrators from several of Pennsylvania’s cyber schools. The school officials mainly addressed myths about cyber school funding and performance,…
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Read More: Attacking Cyber School FundingTaxes & Economy
Which County will be Duped into Imposing Marcellus Tax?
On Monday, Gov. Tom Corbett signed House Bill 1950, the Marcellus Shale impact tax, into law. The funding formula funnels the first $23 million in revenue to statewide programs. Local…
Media
Read More: Which County will be Duped into Imposing Marcellus Tax?Public Union Democracy
Will the Union Party Win Again?
On Tuesday, everyone in the Capitol anticipated a final vote in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on a bill to increase the “prevailing wage” threshold for public construction…
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Read More: Will the Union Party Win Again?Public Union Democracy
Who Would Oppose Reforming a Costly, Unnecessary Law?
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives may vote today on a bill to reform the 1961 prevailing wage mandate. The prevailing wage requires government to pay higher wages and benefits for…
Media
Read More: Who Would Oppose Reforming a Costly, Unnecessary Law?Health Care
CF Joins More than 400 State Lawmakers in Brief on Health Care Law
The Commonwealth Foundation joined 17 other organizations and 333 state legislators from across the country in an amicus curiae brief challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act passed…
Media
Read More: CF Joins More than 400 State Lawmakers in Brief on Health Care LawPublic Union Democracy
House Moves Unemployment Compensation Reform
More Unemployment Compensation reform is moving through the Pennsylvania House. Yesterday, HB 1754 sponsored by Rep. Ron Miller, and HB 1852 sponsored by Rep. Seth Grove, cleared the…
Media
Read More: House Moves Unemployment Compensation ReformRegulation
Reforming State Borrowing for Corporate Welfare
Since 1986, state lawmakers have authorized more than $4 billion in borrowing for the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (or RACP). This is effectively debt for corporate welfare and…
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Read More: Reforming State Borrowing for Corporate WelfareCriminal Justice Reform
Government Union Jeopardizes Criminal Justice Reform
As Pennsylvania takes a hard look at reforming its criminal justice system, prepare for the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association’s fear-mongering campaign against reducing prison populations. The officers’ union opposition…
Media
Read More: Government Union Jeopardizes Criminal Justice ReformEducation
School Choice Gives Students Hope
Chester-Upland School District in the Philadelphia area is in deep financial trouble, and it made news recently for suing the state for emergency funding to keep going. In a…
Media
Read More: School Choice Gives Students HopeEducation
It’s Not About Tuition, It’s About Mo’ Money
Over at PA Independent, Stacy Brown has an important story on the ongoing fight over Gov. Corbett’s budget proposal. There, Duquesne University professor Antony Davies, a member of CF’s…
Media
Read More: It’s Not About Tuition, It’s About Mo’ Money
Harrisburg International Airport dangles $500,000 for nonstop Denver flights
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Read More: Harrisburg International Airport dangles $500,000 for nonstop Denver flightsTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Shale Bill Summarized
Gov. Corbett is expected to sign HB 1950, a comprehensive bill addressing Marcellus Shale. What’s inside the bill? The Marcellus Shale impact tax included in HB 1950 falls short of…
Media
Read More: Marcellus Shale Bill SummarizedPublic Union Democracy
Turn on the Fiscal Fire Hose
Since Gov. Corbett unveiled his 2012-13 budget Tuesday, we’ve noted how it reduces overall spending for only the second time in 40 years. We’ve also explained that despite…
Media
Read More: Turn on the Fiscal Fire HoseTaxes & Economy
PA House Roll Call Vote on Marcellus Shale Billl
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House passed the HB 1950 Conference Committee Report by a 101-90 margin with 99 Republicans and 2 Democrats FOR it and 10 Republicans and 80 Democrats AGAINST…
Media
Read More: PA House Roll Call Vote on Marcellus Shale BilllState Budget
5 Facts about Gov. Corbett’s Budget Proposal
Here are five things everyone should know about Gov. Corbett’s proposed Pennsylvania state budget. Reduces overall spending. Both the General Fund and the total operating budgethave been cut – for…
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Read More: 5 Facts about Gov. Corbett’s Budget Proposal