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Education
Commonwealth Foundation Releases Analysis on 2026-27 Budget Deal
Harrisburg, Pa., July 13, 2026 — Pennsylvania’s 2026–27 state budget deal is an “improvement over Gov. Josh Shapiro’s reckless proposal, but it still spends too much and leaves taxpayers facing an even larger long-term…
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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 Opportunity
Education
NEW ANALYSIS: Public School Enrollment Declines as State Spending Climbs
Read More: NEW ANALYSIS: Public School Enrollment Declines as State Spending Climbs
Interest to lease turnpike is broad
Philadelphia Inquirer on the interest in leasing the Turnpike. List of companies completing RFQ is included (several companies entered joint proposals – thus there are 34 companies listed, but…
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Read More: Interest to lease turnpike is broad
Spain constructors eye 21.2 bln eur Pennsylvania highway privatisation
Thomson Financial on potential Spanish bidders on a Turnpike lease (RFQs were due today). Once you get past the British spelling (“privatisation”) , you need to covert Euros…
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No time for energy conservation when PR is at stake
Rendell’s energy plan calls for a whole host of subsidies and tax credits to end our “dependence on foreign oil”. Cutting taxpayer-funded bus tours to promote his energy plan…
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FHWA responds on I-80 tolls
Toll Roads News posts and analyzes a letter from the Federal Highway Administration to the Turnpike Commission on tolling I-80. The letter doesn’t say much other than the…
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Federal Energy Tax Policy
This research paper from 2006 offers a good summary of current federal tax policy – taxes and tax credits – toward energy. Things I learned reading it include:…
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Crisis of the Uninsured: 2007
NCPA Brief Analysis breaks down who is insured, who is uninsured, and why.
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RIP John Berthoud
John Berthoud, president of the National Taxpayers Union, died yesterday at 47. John was a long-time defender of taxpayers and a champion of liberty. NTU ask anyone wishing to pay…
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A Law Best Left Behind
Wall Street Journal looks at the No Child Left Behind Act – facing reauthorization – noting how the adminstration has not enforced or pushed the school choice provision. Under…
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PHEAA CEO to get $360,000 annual pension
Jan Murphy on the pension retiring PHEAA CEO Dick Willey will receive. The pension is so elevated because his $180,000 bonus counts toward the pension calculation. Of course, he…
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Do we need Special Session on Baseball Bats?
Philadelphia Inquirer story on the controversy over a bill to ban metal bats in baseball and softball from Little League through High School. The claim is that balls come…
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Wal-Mart Reduces Cost of Prescriptions; State Increases Costs
Wal-Mart press release indicates they saved Pennsylvania residents $18 last year on prescription drugs through their “$4 prescription drug” program. However, state law doesn’t let Wal-Mart sell their drugs…
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Do Green Mandates and Subsidies Create Jobs?
Testimony of Dick Armey on the economic impacts of energy mandates and subsidies. Needless to say, he doesn’t agree with Governor Rendell that taxpayer-funded handouts to politically selected companies…
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Read More: Do Green Mandates and Subsidies Create Jobs?
Rendell: Show me the money and I’ll pull plan for I-80 tolls
Morning Call Story on Governor Rendell’s announcement he would support a repeal of Act 44 if legislators found an alternative funding stream. A Turnpike lease remains at…
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Read More: Rendell: Show me the money and I’ll pull plan for I-80 tolls
SCHIP Information Center
New Website from the NCPA provides a collection of information on the SCHIP program, including recent research, commentary, and blogs.
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Read More: SCHIP Information Center
Push for “Distracted Drivers” legislation
Legislation to ban hand held cell phones and text messages – aimed at curbing “distratcted drivers” – is being pushed as a top priority by House Democrats. In the…
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PHEAA CEO to step down
PHEAA CEO Dick Willey announced he will resign at the end of the year. Possible reasons include a better paying job in the private sector, belief that Governor…
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Read More: PHEAA CEO to step down
Tax Poor to Fund Middle Class
NCPA Report on SCHIP Expansion finds that If SCHIP is expanded as Congress now proposes, says the paper, people making under 200 percent of the poverty line…
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Read More: Tax Poor to Fund Middle Class
Many reasons to oppose the collecting of tolls on Interstate 80
Rep. Kerry Benninghoff on the need to repeal Act 44.
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Read More: Many reasons to oppose the collecting of tolls on Interstate 80
Defend America, Buy More Iranian Oil
This Reason Foundation Commentary explains why “Energy independence isn’t a good national security strategy,” in spite of Governor Rendell’s use of the “189 Pennsylvanians killed in Iraq and…
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Read More: Defend America, Buy More Iranian Oil
Steyn: Nurse Hillary knows best
Mark Steyn on HillaryCare (and other proposed health insurance mandates)and freedom. From now on, everyone in America will have to have health insurance. Hooray! And,…
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Read More: Steyn: Nurse Hillary knows best