Latest Content
Education
Public Schools Increased Spending to $23,000 Per Student, Ballooned Reserves While Enrollment Declined
Harrisburg, Pa., May 15, 2025 — Pennsylvania school districts increased overall revenue collected in 2023–24 to $23,000 per student, while expanding general fund reserves to $7.4 billion, according to new…
Read More: Public Schools Increased Spending to $23,000 Per Student, Ballooned Reserves While Enrollment Declined
Energy
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on RGGI
Read More: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on RGGI
Education
Senate Education Committee Approves Bipartisan PASS Scholarships, Offering Lifeline to Students in Need
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 BenefitsGovernment Accountability
Fumo: fighting to keep slavery outlawed
State Senator Vince Fumo said Tuesday that “If we introduced a bill on slavery, it might pass …I know some people up here, especially on a secret ballot, it would…
Media
Read More: Fumo: fighting to keep slavery outlawedEducation
Edifice Complex Video
Here is the video from yesterday’s lucheon on public school spending and cyber schools. (The Commonwealth Foundation report referenced can be found here.) Visit EdificeComplex.org for…
Media
Read More: Edifice Complex VideoRegulation
House Committee Votes to Increase Pensions/Property Taxes
The House State Government Committee passed a Pension COLA bill – AP Story here – which would require a dramatic increase in spending (on top of the expected higher…
Media
Read More: House Committee Votes to Increase Pensions/Property TaxesRegulation
Two opportunities to shrink state government
Williamsport SunGazette on the deliver on the promise of smaller government by privatizing the Turnpike Commmission and the Liquor Control Board. Also read Matt Brouillette’s commentary on those…
Media
Read More: Two opportunities to shrink state governmentEducation
The Who, What, Why, How of PAs Cyber Schools
New report addresses myths and facts about online learning HARRISBURG, PA — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation released A Primer on Pennsylvania’s Cyber Schools, a policy brief which answers the…
Press Release
Read More: The Who, What, Why, How of PAs Cyber SchoolsRegulation
Smoke Freedom Day II
CBS 21 has a video of “Smoke Freedom Day” protest in Harrisburg. That’s me in the video, absorbing second-hand smoke to make a political statement, like Sam Adams.
Media
Read More: Smoke Freedom Day IITaxes & Economy
Federal Stimulus Rebate Calculator
Since federal “stimulus” tax rebates will start going out electronically this week (and checks will be mailed in the next few weeks), I thought I’d repost this calculator for…
Media
Read More: Federal Stimulus Rebate CalculatorEducation
Tails. You’re Fired!
Most everyone know that public school teachers get paid, tranfered, hired and fired in accordance with union-developed rules of seniority. But what happens when that seniority is equal? Answer:…
Media
Read More: Tails. You’re Fired!Taxes & Economy
PA Leadership Conference Round-up
The PA Leadership Conference this past weekend was a great success. Of the keynote speakers, I thought Michael’s Steele gave the best (and funniest) spech (the videos will be…
Media
Read More: PA Leadership Conference Round-upTaxes & Economy
Pittsburgh-area man arrested for complaining about government
A Bridgeville man was arrested for harassment for doing too much complaining to, and about, his government officials. “In section 2709 of the Pennsylvania crimes code, dealing with…
Media
Read More: Pittsburgh-area man arrested for complaining about governmentTaxes & Economy
The Truth About Oil and Gasoline
API has produced a nifty primer on oil, gasoline, and other energy sources. Among the interesting graphs: where does each dollar spent on gasoline go (pg 9 in the…
Media
Read More: The Truth About Oil and GasolineTaxes & Economy
State and Local Business Tax Report
The Council On State Taxation has released their 2008 summary of state and local business taxes, with the national picture, state-specific and industry-specific data. Click here for the summary…
Media
Read More: State and Local Business Tax ReportEducation
President Bush Praises EITC
From the REACH Foundation: President Bush spoke about the need to make a good education for every child a national priority. The President then highlighted Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit…
Media
Read More: President Bush Praises EITCEducation
The Economics of College
Thomas Sowell has a three part (so far) series on Townhall.com on the economics of college: Part 1 covers the perverse incentives of taxpayer subsidies for college,Part…
Media
Read More: The Economics of CollegeEducation
School Choice Saves
What percentage of the $22 Billion taxpayers spent on public schools went to Pennsylvania cyber schools? A.
Press Release
Read More: School Choice SavesGovernment Accountability
Show Me the Spending, PA
Sen. Browne has introduced legislation that would create a free, online database of state spending (contracts and grants over $25,000) along with details about individual line items in the…
Media
Read More: Show Me the Spending, PATaxes & Economy
Election Reflection from Democracy Rising
Tim Potts over at Democracry Rising has an analysis of the election that features a roundup of results, (Grassroots PA has the full rundown), but also raises the…
Media
Read More: Election Reflection from Democracy RisingTaxes & Economy
Tax Freedom Day: The Music Video
Here is a something a bit lighter for anyone with an election day hangover: Tax Freedom Day: The Music Video The national Tax Freedom Day is today, as calculated…
Media
Read More: Tax Freedom Day: The Music VideoGovernment Accountability
One of these people is going to be president
Jonathan Garthwaite points out that the three leading presidential candidates all made their last attempt to reach out to the “common man” in advance of today’s PA primary by…
Media
Read More: One of these people is going to be presidentEducation
The teachers’ union still hates school choice
The head of the PSEA, the largest teacher union in the state, takes me to task for in a letter to the editor for proposing “private school vouchers” as…
Media
Read More: The teachers’ union still hates school choiceHealth Care
Q& A on State Health Care Reform
The NCPA has a new report on State Health Care Reform: Key Questions and Answers, highlighting many of the key policy questions, including “Does universal health coverage lower health…
Media
Read More: Q& A on State Health Care Reform