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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…
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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 Helps Liquor Privatization Cause in Virginia
In order to drum up support for liquor store privatization in Virginia, Gov. Robert McDonnell is using the Commonwealth Foundation report Government-Run Liquor Stores to show that moving…
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New Report Card on American Education
ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, today released their latest Report Card on American Education. The annual report looks at both student performance and inputs into the education system, evaluating…
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Read More: New Report Card on American EducationGovernment Accountability
A Slap in the Face to Pennsylvania Taxpayers
The Tribune Review revisits the Rendell Administration’s leasing tens of thousands of acres of state forest lands via no-bid contracts. State records the Tribune-Review obtained show that, in…
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Dan Onorato’s Natural Gas Tax
Gubernatorial Candidate Dan Onorato held a press conference yesterday announcing he supports a tax on natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania (and that he kinda-sorta opposes other tax…
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PA Unemployment Fraud Adding to Already-Bankrupt System
As PA Independent reports today, Pennsylvania had $374 million in overpayments for Unemployment Compensation (UC) last year, including $227 million in fraudulent claims, according to the US Department of…
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Read More: PA Unemployment Fraud Adding to Already-Bankrupt SystemTaxes & Economy
Solar Subsidies Sink State
Harrisburg, PA – The Commonwealth Foundation expresses its displeasure with Gov. Rendell’s pronouncement today of awarding more taxpayer funds for solar energy projects and advocating an increase in a mandate…
Press Release
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Should Higher Taxes be a “Priority”?
Here is a letter I sent the Patriot News on a natural gas jobs tax: Your August 31 editorial states that a natural gas tax should be the…
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Barring speakers may backfire on West Chester board
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PPL’s Distribution Rate Increase and Electric Choice
Earlier this year, we put out an electricity guide for citizens and businesses explaining why electricty rates were increasing, and how Pennsylvanians can to shop for the best…
Media
Read More: PPL’s Distribution Rate Increase and Electric ChoiceTaxes & Economy
Coal Faces an Onslaught of New Regulations
Debate over new regulations by the EPA puts the Pennsylvania coal industry at a crossroads. Last week, experts met in Philadelphia to discuss a new ruling known as the Clean…
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The Imagined Effect of the Stimulus
Louis Woodhill writes on Real Clear Markets how the CBO’s estimated impact of the stimulus is a fantasy. In fact, the CBO readily admits it is simply plugging…
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Activists take sides on looming retirement system crisis
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Read More: Activists take sides on looming retirement system crisisRegulation
Understanding PSERS’ Gains
Pennsylvania’s pension fund for school employees, PSERS, reported significant gains in the past year — a 14% return on investment. This is higher than the national average, and nearly…
Media
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Pennsylvanians Have Good Reasons to Oppose Higher Fuel Taxes
Grove City College economist Tracy Miller explains why Pennsylvania drivers are resistant to a higher gasoline tax. In contrast to prior periods when the tax was viewed as a…
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Read More: Pennsylvanians Have Good Reasons to Oppose Higher Fuel TaxesTaxes & Economy
Municipalities Gain Authority to Regulate Drilling
Previously, local municipalities could not impose restrictions on gas drilling separate from those required by the state. However, several Pennsylvania court decisions have begun to give local officials additional regulatory…
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Virginia ponders losing ABC stores; studies conflict on privatizing liquor sales
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County school districts make difficult decisions as they try to maintain high level of education.
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Read More: County school districts make difficult decisions as they try to maintain high level of education.