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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 BenefitsRegulation
CF Study: Booze Border Bleed Loses Billions in Taxes, Sales
The Commonwealth Foundation released today a price comparison study showing average wine prices were cheaper in all Pennsylvania border states…
Press Release
Read More: CF Study: Booze Border Bleed Loses Billions in Taxes, SalesPublic Union Democracy
Big Labor’s Stranglehold in Pennsylvania
Here’s a depressing, if unsurprising, statistic: In a new index assessing whether states favor government union bosses or taxpayers, Pennsylvania ranks 5th worst. The Competitive Enterprise Institute ranked…
Media
Read More: Big Labor’s Stranglehold in PennsylvaniaRegulation
Wine Kiosks: One of These Things is Not Like the Others
Yesterday, Auditor General Jack Wagner released an audit of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s wine kiosk program. Following that, PLCB CEO Joe Conti talked with capitol reporters. In the…
Media
Read More: Wine Kiosks: One of These Things is Not Like the Others
AG Zaps Zinfandel Czar’s Zero
How bad is it for the beleaguered booze bosses these days? So bad Pa. Auditor General Jack Wagner was forced to foil the fermented farce of the great wine…
Media
Read More: AG Zaps Zinfandel Czar’s ZeroEducation
What Do France, Hungary and Pennsylvania Have in Common?
A Hungarian, a Frenchman and a Pennsylvanian walk into a bar…okay, so they may not have the same tastes in beer, but turns out they would have the same ability…
Media
Read More: What Do France, Hungary and Pennsylvania Have in Common?Taxes & Economy
Estimating Marcellus Shale’s Economic Impact
A new study from Penn State’s Marcellus Shale Education & Training Center estimates that natural gas drilling in Marcellus Shale created 24,000 jobs in Pennsylvania and added $3.1 billion…
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State liquor stores’ profit misses state budget target
Media Hit
Read More: State liquor stores’ profit misses state budget targetTaxes & Economy
Alternative Energy Mandates Make Consumers Pay More for Electricity
This month, the PUC released its latest annual report evaluating Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards. The report shows renewable energy continues to take more out of taxpayer's…
Media
Read More: Alternative Energy Mandates Make Consumers Pay More for ElectricityTaxes & Economy
Hiding the Decline of Academic and Scientific Transparency
That’s what University of Virginia continues to do, as my colleague at American Tradition Institute Chris Horner explains today in Washington Examiner. Earlier this week…
Media
Read More: Hiding the Decline of Academic and Scientific TransparencyTaxes & Economy
Scorecard: Toomey Scores, Casey Fumbles for Pa.
Yesterday, Heritage Action released its legislative scorecard for all members of the 112th U.S. Congress. The scorecard can be searched by name, state or even zip code. Current…
Media
Read More: Scorecard: Toomey Scores, Casey Fumbles for Pa.Education
Teacher Strikes
Good afternoon, my name is Pearre Dean and I am Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Commonwealth Foundation, Pennsylvania’s free-market think tank that crafts free-market policies, convinces Pennsylvanians of…
Testimony
Read More: Teacher StrikesTaxes & Economy
Marcellus Shale Local Impact Fee
Good evening. I am Elizabeth Stelle, a Policy Analyst for the Commonwealth Foundation. We are Pennsylvania’s free market think that crafts and promotes free-market policies based on guiding principles like…
Testimony
Read More: Marcellus Shale Local Impact Fee
Wealthy liberals target new drilling techniques
Media Hit
Read More: Wealthy liberals target new drilling techniquesTaxes & Economy
Gov. Corbett’s Budget Guidelines Include Privatizing Yellow Pages, Streamlining
An Administrative Circular sent to state agencies this month outlines Gov. Tom Corbett’s expectation for his 2012-13 Executive Budget. Recognizing the state will be faced with fiscal challenges…
Media
Read More: Gov. Corbett’s Budget Guidelines Include Privatizing Yellow Pages, Streamlining
Marcellus Co-Op members discuss impact fees
Media Hit
Read More: Marcellus Co-Op members discuss impact feesEducation
The Real Crime in Philadelphia’s School District
Last year, we blogged on the hefty $65,000 bonus Philadelphia’s Superintendent Arlene Ackerman collected. Her annual base salary, $348,140, was higher than what superintendents collect in New York City,…
Media
Read More: The Real Crime in Philadelphia’s School District
Walmart Waives Wistful Wine Waste
It appears the wistful wine wizards who wished to foist the fermented farce of their conniving kiosk caper have been brought a big blow to their Big…
Media
Read More: Walmart Waives Wistful Wine WastePublic Union Democracy
When Union Bosses Make Stuff Up, We Offer Facts
In a story by PA Independent, AFL-CIO head honcho Rick Bloomingdale attempts to deny the incredible job growth in right-to-work states like Texas. Bloomingdale comments: “Most likely, the…
Media
Read More: When Union Bosses Make Stuff Up, We Offer Facts
What’s Up With Those Wine Kiosk Machines?
Media Hit
Read More: What’s Up With Those Wine Kiosk Machines?