Media

Public Union Democracy

Pa. Union Membership Declines Post-Janus

• Jessica Barnett
• July 24, 2019

In the year following Janus v. AFSCME, which stopped unions from charging nonmembers “fair share fees,” a central question emerged: how would this ruling impact total union membership? Official reports…

Media

State Budget

Pennsylvania is NOT Taking Care of Business

• July 24, 2019

Pennsylvania is the 5th worst state to start a business, according to a new study by Wallethub. Only Connecticut, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Rhode Island fare worse. Then,…

Media

Education

Last Rites for Blaine Amendments?

• July 22, 2019

The election of President John F. Kennedy was a milestone that went a long way in sealing the tomb on anti-Catholic sentiments. With the election of an Irishman from Massachusetts,…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Tax Data Agrees, Everyone Wins from Tax Reform

• Tirzah Duren
• July 22, 2019

Who benefits from tax reform? That question has been a hot topic since the 2017 passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), and the answer is everyone.  However,…

Media

Regulation

Government-Run Booze Losing Across the Nation: Will Pa. be Next?

• July 18, 2019

The Supreme Court delivered several high-profile rulings this summer on issues including partisan gerrymandering and the census citizenship question. A lesser-known case, Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association v. Thomas, will also…

Media

Education

How to Help Harrisburg Students, Right Now

• July 16, 2019

There’s plenty of fights and rule-breaking going on in Harrisburg School District. But I’m not talking about the kids: it’s the adults who perpetrate this conflict and corruption. Meanwhile, the…

Media

Regulation

Only Six Months in and Pension Reform Is Already Making a Difference

• Tirzah Duren
• July 16, 2019

Planting a fruit tree. Saving up for a cruise. Raising kids. Good results take time and patience. That’s definitely been true for pension reform. Passed back in 2017, the impacts…

Media

State Budget

Applause for ‘Mature’ Debt Reform, but More Needed

• Andrew Abramczyk
• July 15, 2019

Good policy isn’t always controversial. House Bill 24, which was signed into law on July 2, caused no floor theatrics, mass tweeting, or activist howls. The bill, proposed by Rep. John Lawrence…

Media

Criminal Justice Reform

School Choice on Behalf of Pa.’s Poorest Should Be a Bipartisan Issue

• Colleen Hroncich
• July 14, 2019

In Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and throughout the country, Republicans and Democrats have come together to pass smart criminal justice reforms that help people achieve independence and prosperity…

Media

Government Accountability

Budget Earmarks: Sneaky and Unconstitutional

• Andrew Abramczyk, Jessica Barnett
• July 12, 2019

A wise buyer should always read the fine print, but it isn’t easy. Documents like cell phone contracts and software user agreements can be hard to read, often by design. The dense language…

Media

Government Accountability

A Look Inside New Government Union Contracts

• Jessica Barnett
• July 10, 2019

Government union leaders recently reached multi-year contract agreement with the Wolf Administration, including 18% compensation increases over four years. Even though taxpayers foot the bill, they are still waiting to know…

Media

A New Licensing Reform Makes Moving to Pa. a Little Easier

• July 10, 2019

The Fourth of July is always a busy time at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. There’s nothing more American than visiting America’s birthplace on her birthday. With a plethora of historical locations…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Heavy Tax Burdens Weigh Down Job Growth

• Tirzah Duren
• July 9, 2019

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is expected to create 1.2 million jobs across the country in its first decade. I recently wrote about the ongoing benefits Pennsylvania is reaping thanks…

Media

Education

Getting Real About Education Spending

• Colleen Hroncich
• July 8, 2019

Another budget season has come and gone in Harrisburg.  As usual, education spending was one of the hottest topics. Constant demands for “more money” by teachers’ unions and their…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Those are Drilling Rigs, Not Money Trees

• Gordon Tomb
• July 5, 2019

“Money doesn’t grow on trees,” my mother regularly declaimed in her impromptu lessons on financial literacy. Too bad she’s not with us to explain this to Governor Wolf: neither the Marcellus…

Media

Education

Kids Claim Victory in Pa. Budget

• Marc LeBlond
• July 2, 2019

Thanks to school choice heroes like Speaker Mike Turzai and Senator Mike Regan, Pennsylvania students will benefit from a $30 million increase in tax credit scholarships. The agreed upon…

Media

Criminal Justice Reform

Does Justice Reinvestment Work?

• Jessica Barnett
• July 1, 2019

One of the foremost, data-driven efforts in the nation to make criminal justice truly fair and effective is under consideration in the Pennsylvania House after a unanimous vote in the…

Media

One Year After Janus

• Jessica Barnett
• June 28, 2019

One year ago, Pennsylvania government workers like William, Megan, Shalea, Curtis, and Francisco weren’t planning to taking their union to court. Yet, they are among…

Media

State Budget

This Year’s Budget Continues Past Trends

• Tirzah Duren
• June 28, 2019

The 2019-2020 budget spending bill is on the governor’s desk and lawmakers are claiming it represents an increase of only 1.8 percent over last year. If this were true, it would…

Media

State Budget

Budget Spares Taxpayers, Boosts School Choice, but Leaves Much Undone

• June 28, 2019

June 28, 2019, Harrisburg, Pa.—Today, lawmakers put the finishing touches on a state budget that spares Pennsylvanians from tax hikes, grows the state’s beleaguered Rainy Day Fund, and boosts school…

Press Release

Education

Common EITC and OSTC Misconceptions

• Colleen Hroncich
• June 26, 2019

“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” This saying is even more true in the internet age. Case in point: recent falsehoods…

Media