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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 OpportunityTaxes & Economy
More comments on the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac takeover
Cato’s Ed Crane writes Fannie and Freddie: Socialist from the Start. His colleague, David Boaz, notes:…
Media
Read More: More comments on the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac takeoverGovernment Accountability
Past Time to Clean Up Harrisburg
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review has a couple of stories on corruption in the Capitol. One is a query about the $10 million in taxpayer grants directed to the Beaver…
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Read More: Past Time to Clean Up HarrisburgTaxes & Economy
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Avoiding the Next Big Mistake
As the feds propose a government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Heritage Foundation has a new WebMemo on what to do an what not to…
Media
Read More: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Avoiding the Next Big MistakeTaxes & Economy
New Facts and Resources on Transportation Funding
We have revised our PolicyPoints on Act 44 and Transportation Funding More Resources: Turnpike Lease/BidTurnpikeFacts.comFull Concession Agreement – Governor’s OfficeSynopsis of Lease Requirements/Limits…
Media
Read More: New Facts and Resources on Transportation FundingGovernment Accountability
Does Government Need to Fund R&D?
An interesting query on the role of government in research and new technologies from OpenMarket.org. The insight is relevant both for topics like bio-fuel research and stem-cell research, but…
Media
Read More: Does Government Need to Fund R&D?Health Care
McCain and Obama on Health Care
While health care policy won’t get the level of media coverage as Sarah Palin’s teenage daughter or Barack Obama’s crazy pastor, some people might be interested in looking at the candidates proposals…
Media
Read More: McCain and Obama on Health CarePublic Union Democracy
Todd Palin is Bankrolling Efforts to Defeat His Wife
If you saw this blog title and thought there was something out whack, as I did, well you are right, but not because Todd Palin is deliberating undermining his wife.
Media
Read More: Todd Palin is Bankrolling Efforts to Defeat His WifeEducation
Schools failing, but don’t give students choices
Tribune-Review article highlights chronically failing schools in the Pittsburgh area (see our report on school perfomance for more how schools are doing), and the No Child Left Behind mandate…
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Read More: Schools failing, but don’t give students choicesTaxes & Economy
End of the “Second Whiskey Rebellion”?
The Allegheny Institute writes that a court ruling, disallowing a referendum on the Allegheny County drink tax, will likely be overturned on appeal, because is so shoddy. Pittsburgh…
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Read More: End of the “Second Whiskey Rebellion”?Taxes & Economy
Compare the Presidential Candidates Tax Plans
The Tax Foundation has a tool offering side-by-side comparisons of tax proposals Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader. For all you policy wonks, you can also…
Media
Read More: Compare the Presidential Candidates Tax PlansTaxes & Economy
Turnpike lease would be model for investing in infrastructure
Patriot News editorial notes that the proposed Turnpike lease deal would make PA a model for the nation. It’s not that the public-private partnership concept being pushed…
Media
Read More: Turnpike lease would be model for investing in infrastructureTaxes & Economy
Offshore drilling to being on October 1?
A Heritage Foundation webmemo articulates the fact that all Congress needs to do allow offshore drilling is not extend the moratorium – set to expire on Sept. 30. They…
Media
Read More: Offshore drilling to being on October 1?Taxes & Economy
Turnpike Commission Triples Act 44 Debt from $14 Billion to $44 Billion
Unpaid debt increases from $0 to $73 billion under PTC’s revised plans HARRISBURG, PA — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation presented an analysis of the proposed debt under the Pennsylvania…
Press Release
Read More: Turnpike Commission Triples Act 44 Debt from $14 Billion to $44 BillionRegulation
Corporate Welfare 101
Philadelphia Inquirer story on how the Lancaster Convention Center project has spun out of control – with dramatic cost increases (from an initial $30 million to over $100 million),…
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Read More: Corporate Welfare 101Taxes & Economy
Can the Feds Save the Housing Market?
He is a good read from The Freeman offering a primer on how the US housing market came to be in such bad shape, and why federal bailouts is…
Media
Read More: Can the Feds Save the Housing Market?Government Accountability
Push for reform coming up short
Here is one of the most disheartening articles I have read about reform in Harrisburg. (HT: Grassroots PA). Not only do some Pennsylvania lawmakers think that the…
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Read More: Push for reform coming up shortTaxes & Economy
PA ranks low among US and Canadian Labor Markets
For Labor Day, the Fraser Institute has a new report on state and Canadian provinces labor markets. It may stun some in the Rendell administration, but not…
Media
Read More: PA ranks low among US and Canadian Labor MarketsPublic Union Democracy
The Card-Check Party
The Wall Street Journal’s John Fund notes that the Democrats almost committed a major blunder on one of their key labor union campaign issues — ending the use…
Media
Read More: The Card-Check PartyHealth Care
Conservatives should care about health care
Philip Klein has a must read article about why conservatives should care about health in the The American Spectator. He makes the case that it is not enough to…
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Read More: Conservatives should care about health careGovernment Accountability
BonusGate update and questions
The Democracy Rising PA Newsletter raises some interesting points about a pronouncement by Attorney General Tom Corbett that he wouldn’t make announcements about indictments leading up to Nov.
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Read More: BonusGate update and questionsTaxes & Economy
Indiana newspaper reflects on toll road lease
Editorial from The Indianapolis Star citing Pennsylvania’s consideration of leasing the Turnpike. Here’s the last five paragraphs with some of [OUR COMMENTARY] included: Indiana’s lease has enabled…
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