Government Accountability

Will the Budget Include an Independent Fiscal Office?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 1, 2010

With much to jeer in this year’s budget one silver lining is the proposed Independent Fiscal Office.  That is, if House Democrats don’t kill the proposal. Language to create…

Media

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Education

Penn State Clears “Award-Winning” Mann in Climategate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 1, 2010

Unsurprisingly, Penn State’s second investigation into its own faculty member, Michael Mann, cleared him of any scientific misconduct charges today. Among the reasons for clearing Mann, the report notes:…

Media

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Regulation

Another Budget Trick Revealed

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 1, 2010

During our PA Budget Chat yesterday, we were commenting on how the the line item for School Employees’ Retirement – i.e., the state’s contribution to teacher’s pensions – was…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Wind Power May Kill You

  • July 1, 2010

With the recent fatalities resulting from disasters at the Deep Water Horizon drilling rig and Massey’s Upper Big Branch coal mine, many may begin to think that such…

Media

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State Budget

PA Senate Passes State Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 30, 2010

Today, the the Pennsylvania Senate passed the state budget by a vote of 37-13. The no votes were: Alloway, Argall, Earll, Eichelberger,…

Media

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State Budget

Ten Facts about the PA Budget Deal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 30, 2010

Legislative leaders and Gov. Rendell reached an agreement on a PA state budget deal yesterday. Here are some facts about the $28.05 billion new spending plan: Lawmakers were able…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

2010 Budget Deal Fails to Plan for Future

  • June 30, 2010

Harrisburg, PA – Commonwealth Foundation president and CEO Matthew Brouillette released the following statement in response to the announced Pennsylvania state budget deal: “It’s difficult to negotiate a sane budget…

Press Release

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Public Union Democracy

When Unions get Violent

  • June 30, 2010

Last Wednesday, men clutching baseball bats attacked construction workers at the King of Prussia mall outside Philadelphia. Workers arriving to the site of the new Toys-R-Us store found their…

Media

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Education

Politics Making a Mess of Education

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 29, 2010

It appears Gov. Rendell has succeeded in getting an increase in education spending for the FY 2010-11 budget. Despite the fact that enrollment is down across the Commonwealth…

Media

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Regulation

Privatizing Workers’ Compensation

  • June 29, 2010

Leonard Gilroy of the Reason Foundation recently highlighted the trend to privatize workers’ compensation. Some of the experimentation occurring in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Arizona began before…

Media

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Regulation

Allentown & the Failure of Sports Venue Subsidies

  • June 29, 2010

The $80 million taxpayer-funded hockey arena in Allentown will have to wait a couple years, as in addition to the stadium, it requires a multi-million new highway. Allentown is…

Media

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Government Accountability

PA Senate Commission IDs Spending Cuts

  • June 28, 2010

In February, the Senate established a bipartisan commission to identify cost-savings measure for the Pennsylvania state budget could save money. David Argall, the chairman of…

Media

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State Budget

Latest PA Budget Update from Sen. Pileggi

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 28, 2010

PA Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi was the speaker at today’s Press Club in Harrisburg, offering some updates on the budget negotiations, and some comments on the fiscal cliff Pennsylvania…

Media

Read More: Latest PA Budget Update from Sen. Pileggi