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Education
Why is Gov. Shapiro Afraid of His Own Campaign Promises?
HARRISBURG, PA., July 24, 2024 — At a press conference Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said the Commonwealth Foundation has “spent years and millions and millions of dollars attacking me.” Shapiro’s…
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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 Stigall![shapiro record](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-17-at-2.38.29 PM-900x900.png)
Education
VP Josh Shapiro? Ad Spotlights Governor’s Failed Leadership
Read More: VP Josh Shapiro? Ad Spotlights Governor’s Failed Leadership![shapiro vice president](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1244670782-900x683.jpg)
Education
Governor Shapiro’s Do-Nothing Record Makes Him a Perfect Fit for Vice President
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Do-Nothing Record Makes Him a Perfect Fit for Vice President
TurnpikeFacts.com Exposes Turnpike Commissions Fiction
Commonwealth Foundation educational campaign explores the costs, benefits, and potential pitfalls of a Turnpike lease HARRISBURG, PA — In anticipation of the upcoming debate in Harrisburg about the merits…
Press Release
Read More: TurnpikeFacts.com Exposes Turnpike Commissions FictionTaxes & Economy
Electricity Deregulation in Pennsylvania
In 2010, PPL rate caps will expire, which is expected to result in a sudden rise in the price of electricity. Ending government regulation signals an end to artificial…
Media
Read More: Electricity Deregulation in PennsylvaniaGovernment Accountability
Smoking Ban shows need for part-time legislature
Nathan Shrader makes the case that the smoking ban – along with other nonsensical legislation – shows why Pennsylvania should move to a part-time, citizen legislature.
Media
Read More: Smoking Ban shows need for part-time legislatureTaxes & Economy
Economic Illiteracy of Presidential Candidates
Here is a good editorial in the Wall Street Journal on the economic illiteracy (or perhaps pandering with economic nonsense) of McCain and Obama. I should mention the author…
Media
Read More: Economic Illiteracy of Presidential CandidatesState Budget
Pennsylvania Senate Proposes Spending Diet
Low-growth budget is a step in the right direction, but will House and Governor agree? HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Senate recently passed a state spending plan for the upcoming…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania Senate Proposes Spending Diet
How many lobbyists does it take to drive a bus?
Mass transit is in trouble, we are told. Despite exposes of waste, legislators and the Governor feel we need to pump more money into transit systems (without reforming them),…
Media
Read More: How many lobbyists does it take to drive a bus?Taxes & Economy
Power surge in Nashville
Shortly after the release of Al Gore’s Academy Award-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, one of our sister think tanks, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, discovered Gore’s home energy…
Media
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Will Markosek ask for return of taxpayer’s money?
Blog readers may recall a study commissioned by House Democrats, championed by Transportation Committee Chair Joe Markosek, paid for with $75,000 of taxpayer funds. The study supposedly said Act…
Media
Read More: Will Markosek ask for return of taxpayer’s money?Taxes & Economy
State Personal Income and Ethanol Policy
The BEA issued their quarterly update of state personal income. Normally, my comments on these reports are limited to how Pennsylvania is lagging behind the national average (true again…
Media
Read More: State Personal Income and Ethanol PolicyTaxes & Economy
Obama: NAFTA not so bad after all
Barack Obama tells Fortune magazine that NAFTA hasn’t been as bad as he said it was. It may have been that he was pandering during the campaign, or it…
Media
Read More: Obama: NAFTA not so bad after allGovernment Accountability
Josephs offers lip service on reform
Tony Phyrillas is the latest to criticize the House State Government Committee chair for single-handedly stalling redistricting reform Joining Phyrillas on that bandwagon – Governor Ed…
Media
Read More: Josephs offers lip service on reformState Budget
Senate Passes Trimmed Down Budget
Tired of waiting for the House Democrats to pass a budget bill, the Senate today passed their own version (as an amendment to supplemental appropriations for last year).
Media
Read More: Senate Passes Trimmed Down Budget
Proposed School Funding Formula Explained
The Morning Call ran a story yesterday, including comments by me, on how Governor Rendell’s proposed funding formula will benefit schools that have raised property taxes rather than schools…
Media
Read More: Proposed School Funding Formula ExplainedRegulation
Pensions ‘spike’ troubles state officials
Deb Erdley has an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on how lawmakers are starting to pay attention to the looming crisis in state pension plans. The only quibble…
Media
Read More: Pensions ‘spike’ troubles state officialsRegulation
Tax credits and stupid Hollywood movies
M. Knight Shyamalan came to Harrisburg yesterday to promote the state’s film tax credit. He basically said, “more money for me is good for you.” The Tax Foundation…
Media
Read More: Tax credits and stupid Hollywood moviesEducation
State pre-K program “getting results”?
The PA Department of Education issued a statement, patting themselves on the back, claiming that the “Pre-K Counts” program was working as intended. They cite an increase in…
Media
Read More: State pre-K program “getting results”?Government Accountability
Limiting political speech won’t create good government
In the latest Democracy Rising Newsletter, Tim Potts takes on two issues: redistricting and campaign finance. On redistricting I agree with him–we should not let those running for…
Media
Read More: Limiting political speech won’t create good governmentRegulation
Smoking bans and individual rights
Given the title, and the link from GrassrootsPA, I expected Eric Heyl’s column on the smoking ban to be a good read. Needless to say, I was disappointed.
Media
Read More: Smoking bans and individual rightsTaxes & Economy
Biofuels Are Indefensible
Scathing editorial by the chairman of Nestle in the Wall Street Journal on the push for biofuels (including massive subsidies and mandates from government) If there’s one certainty,…
Media
Read More: Biofuels Are IndefensibleTaxes & Economy
Economic Benefits of NAFTA
National Center for Policy Analysis has a new analysis on the economic benefits of NAFTA. NAFTA critics most frequently point to the “lost jobs” but here are some facts:…
Media
Read More: Economic Benefits of NAFTATaxes & Economy
Reagonomics Works!
A new comparative study of economic growth among countries finds that big government results in slower economic growth, whereas countries with smaller government have greater growth. They also note that…
Media
Read More: Reagonomics Works!