Media

11th Most Influential Blog

• Nathan Benefield
• July 23, 2007

PolicyBlog debuts as the Pennsylvania’s 11th most influential political blog on the Blognetnews.com rankings. Tony Phyrillas (#5) comments that we are moving up fast (though technically we are…

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Financial Impact of Public Charter Schools

• Nathan Benefield
• July 23, 2007

Report from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools looks at the fiscal impact of charter schools and the myths propogated by school districts. Among their conclusions: Districts get…

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Reforming the Budget Process

• Nathan Benefield
• July 23, 2007

The Commonwealth Foundation will be joining with other members of the reform coalition (today at 11 am) to discuss the budget process in the “era of reform,” and an alternative…

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Uninsured in America

• Nathan Benefield
• July 23, 2007

Great video titled “Uninsured in America”, produced by Free Market Cure.

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‘Pre-K Counts’ Does Not Apply To Religious Schools

• Nathan Benefield
• July 20, 2007

The Evening Bulletin on the effect of “Pre-K Counts” on private, religious preschools.

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Vouchers could desegregate schools better than buses

• Nathan Benefield
• July 20, 2007

Some new data on yet another benefit of school choice – desegregation. Summary from NCPA…

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Pretend funding plan

• Nathan Benefield
• July 20, 2007

Two days late and a dollar short, the Patriot News declares that “Turnpike borrowing and tolls for Interstate 80 come up short to finance statewide road needs.”…

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Two against 48

• Nathan Benefield
• July 20, 2007

Dimitri Vassilaros column in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Senators Eichelberger and Folmer (the two in the 2 vs. 48) who voted against the budget. Vassilaros also discussesthe intricacies of state…

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Another Anti-Cyber Assault by School Boards

• Nathan Benefield
• July 19, 2007

School boards continue to attack public cyber schools and call for limiting their spending (you never hear anyone calling for school districts to limit their spending) in the Pittsburgh…

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State flunks in financial disclosure

• Nathan Benefield
• July 19, 2007

Brett Lieberman in the Patriot News on Pennsylvania’s failing grade for disclosure of public official’s financial interests The full report is here. The disclosure documents for the…

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Toll Roads News on the Transportation Deal

• Nathan Benefield
• July 19, 2007

Penn Pike’s Joe Brimmeier trumps state Governor – comes out of fight with growing road portfolio, from Toll Roads News.

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The Best States For Business

• Nathan Benefield
• July 18, 2007

This is about a week old, but Forbes’ lastest Best States For Business ranks PA near the bottom, coming in at 39 this year. I’m sure with the Film…

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Edifice Complex Charts and Resources

• Nathan Benefield
• July 18, 2007

Below are charts, source data, and statistical results results (as promised) from our report Edifice Complex: Where Has All the Money Gone Charts used at News Conference (PDF)…

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Turnpike Wheeling and Dealing

• Nathan Benefield
• July 18, 2007

Brad Bumsted’s assessment of the Turnpike Commission’s deal to expand their power and protect their fiefdom. The Turnpike Commission may have gotten enough House votes for their borrowing and…

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Milton Friedman Resolution Passes!

• Nathan Benefield
• July 17, 2007

Without drawing much attention, given all the attention going to the state budget and the transportation funding plan, we scored a legislative victory of sorts. Late last night…

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Pittsburgh schools drop ‘public’ from name to boost image

• Nathan Benefield
• July 17, 2007

Oddity on the education front – since “public” schools carry a negative connotation the Pittsburgh Public Schools will now be known simply as the Pittsburgh Schools. We think…

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Edifice Complex at Central Dauphin?

• Nathan Benefield
• July 17, 2007

Yesterday we released a report titled The Edifice Complex, which looks at school district spending (as well as contrasting that with cyber schools), finding that school districts suffer from…

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Taxes & Economy

PAs Coming Transportation Taxes: When a user fee is a tax

• July 17, 2007

HARRISBURG, PA — Lawmakers in Harrisburg are hailing a budget without tax increases, but the Commonwealth Foundation noted that the effect of the transportation funding proposal will be a significant…

Press Release

Changing the rules

• Nathan Benefield
• July 16, 2007

We’ve been called out on GrassrootsPA for “trying to re-write the rules at the end of the process. But I thinkeveryone can see the shell game…

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Eichelberger Speaks Out on Budget

• Nathan Benefield
• July 16, 2007

Senator Eichelberger’s floor statement on why he could not support the budget. (Eichelberger was one of only two “no” votes in the Senate, joining Senator Folmer).

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Education

The Public School Edifice Complex: New report assesses spending on buildings vs. instruction

• July 16, 2007

HARRISBURG, PA — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation released a policy report, Edifice Complex: Where Has All the Money Gone?, which examines the spending in public education in Pennsylvania and the…

Press Release