Media

State Budget

We Need a People’s Budget

• May 9, 2007

Good morning. Let me begin by thanking Chairman Turzai and the members of this committee for the invitation to be with you this morning. We are here today because Governor…

Testimony

Education

School Choice Saves Money

• May 9, 2007

New report identifies $144 M in savings from Educational Improvement Tax Credit HARRISBURG, PA — Giving parents and children school choices saves taxpayers’ money. This is the finding of a…

Press Release

Everything you need to know about Act 1

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2007

Tony Phyrillas says: “If you don’t spend much time at the Commonwealth Foundation’s Web site, shame on you”. This in reference to our Policy Point on Act 1.

Media

Legislative sponges soak up tax dollars

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2007

Tony Phyrillas on the top uses of “Public Services Announcements” – i.e. taxpayer-funded advertising – in the Pennsylvania House.

Media

Scranton’s attack signals budget battle

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2007

Post-Gazette piece on Former Lt. Governor (and Commonwealth Foundation board member) Bill Scranton’s testimony on the budget. Look for the full testimony on our website tomorrow.

Media

Term Limits Fails in Committee

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2007

The Senate State Government Committee rejected, by a 2 to 9 vote, reporting John Eichelberger’s constitutional amendment on legislative term limits, to the full Senate (Sen. Eichelberger discussed his…

Media

Where the Jobs Went

• Nathan Benefield
• May 7, 2007

The Skeptical Optimist offers a “Bar Chart of Where the Jobs Went” – i.e. changes in the number of jobs by category over the last year. That is followed…

Media

Healthy state pension fund brings pressure for benefit increases

• Nathan Benefield
• May 7, 2007

Mark Scolforo in the Morning Call on proposed reforms (and benefit increases) to the state pension system.

Media

Act 1 Tax Shift Coverage

• Nathan Benefield
• May 7, 2007

Tribune-Review: Voters to decide Act 1 tax trade off. Allentown Morning Call: Act 1 is an awful law, it will divide communities Post-Gazette: Voters Guide 2007: School…

Media

Pittsburgh: America’s Most “Leavable” City

• Nathan Benefield
• May 4, 2007

Bill Steigerwald in Reason Magazine: Pittsburgh is in a death spiral. It’s bankrupt. Its school district spends $16,000 a year per kid. Its parking tax is the highest…

Media

Lawmakers reaped $50K-plus in freebies in ’06

• Nathan Benefield
• May 4, 2007

Mark Scolforo reports on the gifts and other financial interests report by lawmakers. Not suprisingly, legislative leaders cashed in (even while claiming they were not): House Majority Leader…

Media

Turnpike Disavows “Mystery letter”

• Nathan Benefield
• May 4, 2007

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission denies that a letter from an unknown organization PA Coalition for Sound Transportation Policy is really a front for turnpike officials (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story).

Media

Assembly’s Slow Pace Frustrates Reformers

• Nathan Benefield
• May 3, 2007

Jim Panyard in The Evening Bulletin on the push for a Constitution Convention and the Senate State Government Committee’s plan to look at five proposed constitutional amendments at a…

Media

Lawmakers Accused Of Abusing PSAs Part II

• Nathan Benefield
• May 3, 2007

More from WGAL on lawmakers making use of taxpayer financed “Public Service Announcements” including samples of ads and their price tag.

Media

Government Accountability

Taxpayers Need Protection

• May 3, 2007

Delivered on Thursday, April 26, 2007 Good morning Chairman Corman, Senator Regola, and Senator Folmer. It is indeed a pleasure and an honor to be able to come before you…

Testimony

Lawmakers Use Your Money, PSAs As Campaign Tool

• Nathan Benefield
• May 2, 2007

WGAL NBC 8 story on the use of taxpayer funds for “Public Service Announcements” around election time. The poll with the story indicates that a whopping 7% don’t feel…

Media

Articles on the Budget

• Nathan Benefield
• May 2, 2007

The Northeast PA Business Journal has four articles on the Rendell budget and related issues, all quoting me; the fourth article also features Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow Rick Dreyfuss:…

Media

Environmental “watchdog” feeds off taxpayers

• Nathan Benefield
• May 1, 2007

Capitolwire reports that the neo-socialist environmental group PennFuture received over $1 million in state grants from the Ministry of Propoganda Departments of Environmental Protection and Conservation & Natural Resources.

Media

School Choice Works!

• Nathan Benefield
• May 1, 2007

In today’s Appropriations Committee hearing on education Sen. Pat Browne questioned Andy LeFevre of the Reach Foundation on the academic achievement effects of school choice. There has in…

Media

Groups argue merits of proposed pre-K state funding hike

• Nathan Benefield
• May 1, 2007

From Capitolwire.com (subscription): Two private school groups told the state Senate Appropriations Committee Tuesday not to support $75 million in new state funding for pre-kindergarten classes. State support…

Media

Attacking Charter Schools

• Nathan Benefield
• May 1, 2007

This Philadelphia Inquirer article about the Chester-Upland school district’s proposed cap on charter school enrollment was brought to my attention. I now found that they did vote to…

Media