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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
Who’s Nutty Now?
There’s a ton of chatter out there right now about how nutty the Tea Party is, most recently with 29 percent of voters saying Tea Party members are “economic…
Media
Read More: Who’s Nutty Now?Education
Yes, Vouchers DO Improve Student Learning
The Philadelphia Inquirer today reports on a “study”—from a group dedicated to protecting the educational status quo and led by a partisan staffer—that claims that school vouchers have…
Media
Read More: Yes, Vouchers DO Improve Student Learning
Pennsylvania’s film tax credit panned, praised
Media Hit
Read More: Pennsylvania’s film tax credit panned, praised
Big Government’s New Bogeyman…and those Other Guys
Media outlets in Pennsylvania have picked up some stories of attack groups “exposing” the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) at their annual meeting in New Orleans this week.
Media
Read More: Big Government’s New Bogeyman…and those Other GuysRegulation
End of PLCB’s Wine Kiosk Perestroika
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s experiment with wine kiosks—dubbed by my colleague Jay Ostrich as the PLCB’s version of Perestroika—may be coming to an end. This comes on…
Media
Read More: End of PLCB’s Wine Kiosk PerestroikaTaxes & Economy
PA Among Least Attractive Places to Drill in the World
According to the Fraser Institute’s 2011 Global Petroleum Survey, Pennsylvania remains one of the least attractive places to drill in the world. The state ranks 65, an improvement of…
Media
Read More: PA Among Least Attractive Places to Drill in the World
Audit: Oracle ERP Project Wracked With Woes
Media Hit
Read More: Audit: Oracle ERP Project Wracked With Woes
PLCB Never Fails to Fail
A hat tip to Fox 29 Philadelphia reporter Dave Schratwieser who helped uncover the tipsy taxpayer-tabbed trailer truth behind the PLCB’s recently discovered waste and mismanagement found in a…
Media
Read More: PLCB Never Fails to Fail
New Pa. website will let taxpayers see where their money goes
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Read More: New Pa. website will let taxpayers see where their money goes
Opposing view: No, drillers already paying their way
Media Hit
Read More: Opposing view: No, drillers already paying their wayTaxes & Economy
Debating a Natural Gas Tax
Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer features two editorials debating a natural gas jobs tax. The Inquirer‘s editorial board begins its article with a straw-man argument, that tax opponents’ claim the industry…
Media
Read More: Debating a Natural Gas TaxRegulation
AG Audit Finds Rampant PLCB Waste and Mismanagement
The Commonwealth Foundation strongly condemned the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board today for systematic waste and abuse of taxpayer money and assets following a scathing Pa. Auditor General audit report…
Press Release
Read More: AG Audit Finds Rampant PLCB Waste and Mismanagement
Privatization panel can get lots of ideas from other states
Media Hit
Read More: Privatization panel can get lots of ideas from other statesRegulation
Michigan Pension Reform Saves $4 Billion
Before 1997, Michigan state employees (like those in Pennsylvania) solely received defined-benefit pensions in which employees are assured an annual retirement income. However in 1997, Michigan shifted…
Media
Read More: Michigan Pension Reform Saves $4 Billion
Commonwealth Foundation outlines environmental “Frack Attack” on gas industry
Media Hit
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation outlines environmental “Frack Attack” on gas industry
Former Chair: PLCB ‘Socialist’ System, Insulting
MOSCOW HARRISBURG (July 27) – A big ushanka (hat) tip goes to the Philadelphia Daily News, William Bender and former PLCB Chairman Jonathan Newman today for calling the babushka ugly. …
Media
Read More: Former Chair: PLCB ‘Socialist’ System, Insulting
Inconvenience stores: Since ’33, LCB has made the purchase of alcohol tough, pricey
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Read More: Inconvenience stores: Since ’33, LCB has made the purchase of alcohol tough, priceyRegulation
Fact of the Day: PA Losing Liquor Sales to West Virginia
Pennsylvania is losing an estimated $3.5 million in revenue annually from state residents crossing into West Virginia to buy their alcohol. A report released earlier this year…
Media
Read More: Fact of the Day: PA Losing Liquor Sales to West Virginia