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Education
Senate Education Committee Approves Bipartisan PASS Scholarships, Offering Lifeline to Students in Need
Harrisburg, Pa., May 6, 2025—Today, the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee approved legislation to establish Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) Scholarships. Similar to the popular Lifeline Scholarship proposal, PASS would…
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 Benefits
Education
Andrew Lewis on ‘This Week in Pennsylvania’
Read More: Andrew Lewis on ‘This Week in Pennsylvania’
Prosperity
Stephen Bloom joins RJ Harris in the Morning to Talk Tax Reform
Read More: Stephen Bloom joins RJ Harris in the Morning to Talk Tax ReformTaxes & Economy
Let’s Shoot for “Maximum Wages” All Around
My family knows first-hand the effects of the minimum wage—on consumers and workers alike. In January 2014, New Jersey raised its minimum wage, and workers celebrated their increased wages. However,…
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Read More: Let’s Shoot for “Maximum Wages” All AroundTaxes & Economy
Nuclear Subsidies: Grabbing Defeat from the Jaws of Victory
Sales pitches often downplay the cost of the product, so smart buyers have to look beyond the advertised price. For instance, when you purchase a home, you consider the sales…
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Read More: Nuclear Subsidies: Grabbing Defeat from the Jaws of VictoryTaxes & Economy
Which Pa. Counties are Attracting Residents?
How many people are moving into and out of Pennsylvania counties? New data on county population estimates released by the US Census Bureau last week answer that question. Much…
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Read More: Which Pa. Counties are Attracting Residents?Criminal Justice Reform
Moving Toward Efficient, Effective Criminal Justice
The economy is growing, but Pennsylvania just keeps sinking deeper into debt. Since 1970, we’ve tripled our overall operating budget—but our population has grown only 8 percent. Even adjusting for…
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Read More: Moving Toward Efficient, Effective Criminal JusticeEducation
Future Ready Index: A Tool That Can’t Be Used
The Data Quality Campaign recently released “Show Me the Data,” a comparison of state report cards in which Pennsylvania’s new Future Ready PA Index fared well. Released…
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Read More: Future Ready Index: A Tool That Can’t Be UsedEducation
Florida Scholarship Program Boosts College Enrollment, Graduation
Getting into college isn’t easy. It takes grit, good grades, and for some? Bribes. Across the nation, celebrities are being indicted for participating in a bribery scheme to get their…
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Read More: Florida Scholarship Program Boosts College Enrollment, GraduationTaxes & Economy
Guest Post: How Philly’s Brutal Tax Policies Drive Away Jobs
Businesses and people vote with their feet. As a long-time Philadelphian, I have unfortunately witnessed my neighbors taking their livelihoods to the suburbs—or beyond. Politicians cast the blame here and…
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Read More: Guest Post: How Philly’s Brutal Tax Policies Drive Away JobsEducation
Gov. Wolf Blinded to Benefits of School Choice
Gov. Wolf’s 2019 budget promotes public and private options for pre-K and post-secondary education. He calls Pennsylvania’s post-secondary institutions “laboratories for innovation.” Most remarkably, the governor touts Pennsylvania Higher…
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Read More: Gov. Wolf Blinded to Benefits of School ChoicePublic Union Democracy
Guest Post: Shattering Myths About Government Unions
As a former public school teacher, I can tell you: plenty of false messages circulate about union membership. Is union membership required? Why do government employees belong to unions and…
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Read More: Guest Post: Shattering Myths About Government UnionsCriminal Justice Reform
Fighting Poverty can be a Bipartisan Effort
Here's a letter I submitted to the Philadelphia Daily News on how Pennsylvanians of any ideology can share good intent, and work toward a common goal. I was disappointed…
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Crucial Reform Needed from Harrisburg as Tax Day Approaches
April 11, 2019, Harrisburg, Pa.—Tax Day may be April 15th, but Americans will be working one more day before they’ve earned enough to pay their national, state, and local tax…
Press Release
Read More: Crucial Reform Needed from Harrisburg as Tax Day ApproachesPublic Union Democracy
The Facts about Pa.’s Employee Rights Notification Act
The Employee Rights Notification Act (HB 785) is exactly what its name suggests: notifying employees of their existing rights. So what are these rights, and why must workers be…
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Read More: The Facts about Pa.’s Employee Rights Notification ActTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania, Let’s Make our Taxes an Investment
What do we get for our taxes in Pennsylvania? The question is rarely asked—because the answer is just too painful. But as Tax Day approaches, it's time for taxpayers to…
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Read More: Pennsylvania, Let’s Make our Taxes an InvestmentState Budget
It’s Time to Tackle Debt
An ostrich burying its head in the sand is a classic analogy for avoiding difficult decisions. Though this is a mischaracterization—their heads are buried to protect their eggs from predators—the metaphor…
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Read More: It’s Time to Tackle DebtPublic Union Democracy
PSEA Flouts SCOTUS Ruling, Bargains for Unconstitutional ‘Fair Share’ Fees in Teacher Contracts
In open disregard for the U.S. Supreme Court’s Janus v. AFSCME decision, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) is bargaining to impose “fair share” fees on non-union member teachers in…
Press Release
Read More: PSEA Flouts SCOTUS Ruling, Bargains for Unconstitutional ‘Fair Share’ Fees in Teacher ContractsPublic Union Democracy
Lawsuits by Trapped Union Members Piling Up
Curtis Thompson loves his school, his district, and helping students succeed. He considers his job as an education aide for at-risk students in the Cumberland Valley School District “an opportunity to…
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Read More: Lawsuits by Trapped Union Members Piling UpEducation
New Workforce Skills Won’t Come from an Outdated Education System
In his budget address earlier this year, Gov. Wolf cited “workforce concerns” as the reason Amazon rejected Philadelphia for its new headquarters—despite Pennsylvania offering a $4.6 billion dollar…
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Read More: New Workforce Skills Won’t Come from an Outdated Education SystemEducation
Time to Start Treating Philly Charter Families Like First Class Citizens
Our children deserve the best, most individually-tailored education available. Sadly, most students in urban districts cannot access educational opportunities. It's a paradox: Pennsylvania schools are receiving more funds than ever—ranking…
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Read More: Time to Start Treating Philly Charter Families Like First Class Citizens
Anti-Worker Legislation Introduced in Pa. House
Rep. Maureen Madden (D-Monroe) and Rep. Thomas Mehaffie (R-Dauphin) have proposed anti-worker legislation that would strip government workers of privacy rights in workplace elections and give union leaders workers’ personal…
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Read More: Anti-Worker Legislation Introduced in Pa. HouseTaxes & Economy
New Evidence Shows Work is the Path to Prosperity
Poverty and unemployment are vicious cycles. The longer you remain unemployed, the harder it is to find work—and poverty becomes more entrenched. As the Urban Institute puts it, “long-term…
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Read More: New Evidence Shows Work is the Path to ProsperityEducation
Military ESAs an Important Part of any Education Plan for Servicemembers
Last month, Governor Wolf introduced a proposal to offer college benefits for families of Pa. National Guard members—like a GI Bill for Pennsylvania. He intends his plan to “show that we…
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