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Government Accountability
Pa. Supreme Court Protects Private Property in New Ruling
Harrisburg, Pa., July 22, 2026 — In a 7–0 unanimous decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in Punxsutawney Hunting Club v. Pennsylvania Game Commission, sided with Pennsylvania landowners and ruled against warrantless searches on open fields. Under previous case law, the open…
Read More: Pa. Supreme Court Protects Private Property in New Ruling
Education
Commonwealth Foundation Releases Analysis on 2026-27 Budget Deal
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Releases Analysis on 2026-27 Budget Deal
Education
Pa. Lawmakers Pass 2026-27 State Budget, Blocking Shapiro’s Tax Hikes and Preserving Emergency Savings
Read More: Pa. Lawmakers Pass 2026-27 State Budget, Blocking Shapiro’s Tax Hikes and Preserving Emergency Savings
Education
Commonwealth Foundation Applauds Senate Republicans for Advancing Tax Relief and Expanding Educational Opportunity
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Applauds Senate Republicans for Advancing Tax Relief and Expanding Educational OpportunityRegulation
No “Property Tax Relief” This Year?
Sharon Smith writes that the slots taxes may not generate enough revenue to trigger property relief this year. By law, the Property Tax Relief Fund must have $570 million…
Media
Read More: No “Property Tax Relief” This Year?Taxes & Economy
Spending Under President George W. Bush
The Mercatus Center has a final analysis of spending under the Bush presidency – including the growth in spending, comparisons to Clinton and previous spender, pork projects, and growth…
Media
Read More: Spending Under President George W. BushEducation
Bailouts and Bull
John Stossel’s latest 20/20 special on bailouts and bull debunks numerous big-government myths, including the bailout mentality. Stosell also tackles toll road privatization, universal Pre-K, medical marijuana, the border…
Media
Read More: Bailouts and BullTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania Turnpike Chair Target of FBI
KYW Radio reports that Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Chairman Mitch Rubin is now the target of an FBI Corruption probe. This should not be a surprise, following the conviction…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Turnpike Chair Target of FBITaxes & Economy
More on the AIG Bonuses
Greg Mankiw notes that the AIG bonuses, which seem to be such a focus of Congressional leaders these days, amount to 0.001% of GDP – a pretty trivial amount…
Media
Read More: More on the AIG BonusesTaxes & Economy
Does Pennsylvania Need to Fund Public TV?
The Allegheny Institute has an excellent post on state funding of public television. The local Pittsburgh station – WQED – is asking viewers to contribute “their two cents”; not…
Media
Read More: Does Pennsylvania Need to Fund Public TV?Government Accountability
More Taxpayer Money Wasted on Promotions and Marketing
I’m not sure if readers are aware of this, but Congress recently passed something called a “stimulus” bill a few weeks ago. In order to publicize the stimulus funding,…
Media
Read More: More Taxpayer Money Wasted on Promotions and MarketingEducation
School Choice Battles Wage On
Mary Katherine Ham has an excellent article on the battle over the DC Scholarship Program.The Philadelphia Bulletin also has a recent article, noting an Obama spokesman has said…
Media
Read More: School Choice Battles Wage OnRegulation
Gaming Control Board Under Fire
Sen. Jane Orie, Rep. Mike Vereb, and a few other Republican lawmakers teed off on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control board, for their travel habits during a travel ban. …
Media
Read More: Gaming Control Board Under FireEducation
Rendell Tells PSU to Cut Costs
Yesterday, the Governor met with the Pennsylvania Tuition Coalition, a student group lobbying the state to include state-related schools, like PSU, in the Governor’s tuition relief scheme. Rendell told…
Media
Read More: Rendell Tells PSU to Cut CostsTaxes & Economy
Who’s Really “Nuts” on Economic Policy?
We posted yesterday on the Turzai-Quigley proposal to cut state spending and tax rates. Today Governor Rendell called Turzai “nuts” and his plan “ludicrous“. Rendell has previously lambasted…
Media
Read More: Who’s Really “Nuts” on Economic Policy?
Benefield to Casey: Stop Rewarding Failure
I received an email from my Senator, Bob Casey, with the subject “Casey to AIG: Do the Right Thing“, in which he asked for constituents to submit their thoughts. …
Media
Read More: Benefield to Casey: Stop Rewarding FailureGovernment Accountability
Term Limits Needed in Pennsylvania
John Baer writes that the recent Vince Fumo conviction – the latest in a long history of corruption by long-time Pennsylvania lawmakers – is another reason why Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Term Limits Needed in PennsylvaniaRegulation
Representatives Propose Putting State Government on a Diet
State Representatives Mike Turzai and Tom Quigley unveiled a plan to cut about $170 million wasteful spending from the Pennsylvania state budget ($130 million relative to Gov. Rendell’s proposed…
Media
Read More: Representatives Propose Putting State Government on a DietPublic Union Democracy
AFL-CIO Pledges Votes for Specter in Quid Pro Quo
Our good friend Bill George, head of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, has promised to help out Sen. Arlen Specter, if and only if he votes for “card check”, the…
Media
Read More: AFL-CIO Pledges Votes for Specter in Quid Pro Quo
AIG Execs Deserved Their Bonuses
Despite the anger many people – including President Obama – feel over AIG giving out $156 million in bonuses, I have to say they earned it, as I’ve…
Media
Read More: AIG Execs Deserved Their Bonuses
Tea Party Competition!
Thank you once again to all who attended the Harrisburg Tea Party last Saturday. Here is a view of the crowd: Obviously, more…
Media
Read More: Tea Party Competition!Education
Dormitory Construction Boom
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review has an article on the enormous rise in spending on university buildings, which touches on the current debate in higher ed funding:…
Media
Read More: Dormitory Construction Boom
Vouchers Improve Public Schools
A new review of studies by Greg Forster of the Friedman Foundation finds that public school systems have benefited from voucher programs: “Contrary to the widespread claim that…
Media
Read More: Vouchers Improve Public SchoolsEducation
Pennsylvania’s Charter School Law
Testimony of Nathan A. Benefield to the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee, March 12, 2009 Good afternoon. I am Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation. We…
Testimony
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Charter School LawRegulation
State Employees Take Taxpayer-Funded Trips
Team 4 has an amazing exposé of taxpayer-funded travel by Pennsylvania state employees, in particular the gaming control board–after a travel ban was implement. Here are some of the…
Media
Read More: State Employees Take Taxpayer-Funded Trips