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New Swing State Poll: PA Voters Evenly Divided, Presidential Election a Toss Up
Harrisburg, Pa., July 26, 2024—Public support for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is evenly divided in Pennsylvania, according to a new statewide survey of Pennsylvania voters, with Harris leading Trump 47%…
Read More: New Swing State Poll: PA Voters Evenly Divided, Presidential Election a Toss Up
Education
TV Ad Exposes Shapiro as “All Talk, No Results”
Read More: TV Ad Exposes Shapiro as “All Talk, No Results”
Education
Why is Gov. Shapiro Afraid of His Own Campaign Promises?
Read More: Why is Gov. Shapiro Afraid of His Own Campaign Promises?
Education
President and CEO Charles Mitchell on Philadelphia’s Morning Answer with Chris Stigall
Read More: President and CEO Charles Mitchell on Philadelphia’s Morning Answer with Chris StigallRegulation
Will Tourism Collapse Without Taxpayer Subsidies?
Letter sent from the Commonwealth Foundation to Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Tourism Mickey Rowley Dear Mr. Rowley: I am writing to respond to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office's recent…
Media
Read More: Will Tourism Collapse Without Taxpayer Subsidies?Education
Philadelphia Limits Choices for School Children
Brad Vasoli has a troubling article in The Bulletin about how the Philadelphia School District is trying to limit the enrollment of charter schools in the district. District officials…
Media
Read More: Philadelphia Limits Choices for School ChildrenEducation
Teachers Union vs. Taxpayers and Students (Draft)
The Blackhawk Education Association sparked ligation costing taxpayers in the Blackhawk School District over $160,000. The district was paying tutors the rate of substitute teachers, but the union had…
Media
Read More: Teachers Union vs. Taxpayers and Students (Draft)Taxes & Economy
Will Government Motors be a Partisan Operation?
With the federal government taking control over Chrysler and GM, ill-conceived ideas are sure to ensue. The planned restructuring of GM (soon be renamed Government Motors?) is one…
Media
Read More: Will Government Motors be a Partisan Operation?Taxes & Economy
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to Reapply to Toll I-80
Tom Barnes in the Post-Gazette has a story on how some Pennsylvania lawmakers, who hail from nowhere near the I-80 corridor, want the Turnpike Commission to reapply to toll…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to Reapply to Toll I-80Health Care
Will Obama Embrace Real Health Care Reform?
Congressional Republicans unveiled an alternative health care reform proposal last week. Grace Marie Turner and Joseph Antos offer a glowing review of the plan. John Goodman offers a…
Media
Read More: Will Obama Embrace Real Health Care Reform?Taxes & Economy
Lose-Lose on Biofuels?
The American Magazine features an update on misguided ethanol and biofuel mandates, from a recent EPA report: While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analysis suggests that the switch…
Media
Read More: Lose-Lose on Biofuels?Taxes & Economy
Department of Defense Saves Money with Electricity Deregulation
Last month, the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) signed a five-year deal with the Hess Corporation to supply electricity for its 21 agencies in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.
Media
Read More: Department of Defense Saves Money with Electricity DeregulationTaxes & Economy
“Taxing the Rich” Won’t Help Pennsylvania
The Wall Street Journal has an article today on how Maryland’s higher taxes on “the rich” drove millionaires to move to other states. Last week, the NY Post had…
Media
Read More: “Taxing the Rich” Won’t Help PennsylvaniaState Budget
Need to Review Speed Limits in PA?
The Tribune Review has an article today noting that Pennsylvania is one of few states, and the only one of our neighbors, that doesn’t have a speed limit greater…
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Read More: Need to Review Speed Limits in PA?Education
Private Funding for Public Schools
Several Pennsylvania school districts, such as Upper Moreland, are considering proposals to sell advertising space on district school buses as a means to raise additional revenue. Rather than turning…
Media
Read More: Private Funding for Public SchoolsGovernment Accountability
Texting While Driving: Everyone Does It, So Make it Illegal
A new study finds that 25% of individuals admit they send text messages while driving. Astonishingly, however, 83% want to make it illegal to do so. I am…
Media
Read More: Texting While Driving: Everyone Does It, So Make it IllegalGovernment Accountability
Conservative Intellectualism vs. Populism
The discussion between Jerry Taylor, Dan Mitchell, and Brink Lindsey on the Cato Institute blog (and NRO’s Corner) on Rush Limbaugh, tea parties, and conservative thought have been…
Media
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Commonwealth Foundation Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee on Senate Budget Plan
HARRISBURG, PA — Commonwealth Foundation president and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette testified today before the House Appropriations Committee that the Senate’s budget plan (SB 850) is a step toward putting…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee on Senate Budget PlanTaxes & Economy
Louisiana Adds 33,000 Natural Gas Jobs
Through increasingly stringent environmental regulations and the desire for a new severance tax, Governor Rendell has undermined Pennsylvania’s budding natural gas industry. Drilling companies are beginning to leave Pennsylvania due…
Media
Read More: Louisiana Adds 33,000 Natural Gas JobsRegulation
Now is the Time to Practice Fiscal Restraint
Testimony of Mathew J. Brouillette President & CEO, Commonwealth Foundation, to the PA House Appropriations Committee Thank you for the invitation to share the Commonwealth Foundation’s analysis and perspective on…
Testimony
Read More: Now is the Time to Practice Fiscal RestraintState Budget
Budget Hearings a Taxpayer-Funded Sham?
The Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee is holding hearings on the vesion of the state budget passed by the Senate (see here for more on that) today and tomorrow. Yet…
Media
Read More: Budget Hearings a Taxpayer-Funded Sham?State Budget
Pennsylvania Budget in Focus
The Commonwealth Foundation will be testifying on the state budget today. Here are some quick facts on the budget: PA Senate Budget by the Numbers Pennsylvania Deficit…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget in FocusGovernment Accountability
Judicial Selection Revisited
John Baer has an interesting column on judicial elections, noting that, when looking at a list of yesterday’s election winners, that “Nobody’s heard of these people” and cites a…
Media
Read More: Judicial Selection RevisitedRegulation
The Horrors of Private Sponsorship?
NBC Philadelphia reported that due to proposed budget cuts, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission may be forced to turn to private sponsorship in order to maintain such historic…
Media
Read More: The Horrors of Private Sponsorship?Taxes & Economy
Why Government Can’t Run a Business
John Steele Gordon has a good op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on why government attempts to run a business always fall short – whether that be health care,…
Media
Read More: Why Government Can’t Run a Business