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Fairness
New Analysis Reveals Striking Partisanship of Government Union Spending
Government unions spent more than $33 million on political causes and only 5.2 percent of PAC contributions went to non-Democratic candidates. Harrisburg, Pa., April 16, 2025 — Government unions…
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Prosperity
Independent Fiscal Office Exposes Shapiro’s Overinflated Revenue Projections
Read More: Independent Fiscal Office Exposes Shapiro’s Overinflated Revenue Projections
Education
Senate Republicans School Shapiro Administration, Stand up for Students and Taxpayers
Read More: Senate Republicans School Shapiro Administration, Stand up for Students and Taxpayers
Commonwealth Foundation Announces Promotion of Elizabeth Stelle to Vice President of Policy
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Announces Promotion of Elizabeth Stelle to Vice President of PolicyTaxes & Economy
Financing and Managing Transportation in PA
Commonwealth Foundation report recommends Public-Private Partnerships Harrisburg, PA — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation released a new report, The Emerging Paradigm: Financing and Managing Pennsylvania’s Transportation Infrastructure and Mass Transit, which…
Press Release
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PHEAA’s use of state plane saves money, CEO claims
Dick Willey argued to the Patriot News that using the state plane to fly PHEAA board members (almost all of whom are state legislators) to retreats across the US…
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Socialized pensions
Richard Rowland of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees illustrates just how wrong-headed Governor Rendell’s “Cover All Pennsylvanians” is, in a Patriot News Editorial. Rowland argues that not only…
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Mandating Health Care?
A debate on making health insurance mandatory, from the Des Moines Register. Jack Hatch, a state senator from Iowa, takes the “pro” position, Michael Tanner of Cato the “con”,…
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Legislative Spending
Tribune Review article looks at the overall growth in the PA General Assembly’s budget, and the improvement of amenities for lawmakers. The Herald Standard points out that many…
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Turnpike Politics
Post-Gazette article examines some of the patronage jobs handed out under the Turnpike Commission.
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No more lawmaker graft?
Speaker O’Brien wants to end funding of members’ non-profits, the Post-Gazette reports. The opening line says it all: Legislators would no longer be able to quietly steer tax dollars…
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Selective School Choice
Clint Bolick Commentary in today’s WSJ on how the leading Democrat contenders think school choice should be limited to the rich (i.e. themselves).
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Spending Limits & the Budget
Budget Secretary Michael Masch had some interesting comments about government spending and the proposed Taxpayer Protection Act during yesterday’s Appropriation Committee hearing, courtesy of PLS Committee Summary (subscription):…
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PHEAA reveals spending records
After a lengthy legal battle, the Patriot News finally got some financial records from PHEAA, a state agency which had claimed to be exempt from open records laws. Though…
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Payoff to Big Labor
Rep. John Boehner on the union-led efforts to pass legislation that eliminate secret-ballot elections to unionize. Boehner misses the point when he compares union leaders to Hugo Chavez and…
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House Reform Group Issues Recommendations
Tracie Mauriello reports in the Post-Gazette on the reforms recommended by the PA House Reform Commission. Of course, since any recommendation had to be supported by 3/4ths of both…
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Army of Accountants?
When Governor Rendell proposed a new tax on oil profits, he claimed the cost “would not be passed on to consumers,” and that the Attorney General would have the power…
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Jackpot for Gambling Staff
WGAL’s Ben Simmoneau is reporting that Gaming Control Board Staff make hefty salaries, higher than most make in other state jobs. The Gaming Board tries to justify its higher…
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School Spending Data
The NCES released a report today titled An Historical Overview of Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education, by State: Fiscal Years 1990–2002. The full report is…
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Taking Oil Profits
If Governor Rendell is looking for another way to take more of oil companies’ profits, maybe he should look to Hugo Chavez, who announced the Venezuelan government would be…
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Show on the Road
Robert Poole of the Reason Foundation in today’s Wall Street Journal on the potential of public-private toll roads to revilatize our highway system.
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Welfare state growing
Associated Press story on the growth of Welfare rolls. While TANF cash grants have declined nationally under welfare reform, Medicaid and other programs have grown. Today, one in six…
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RomneyCare on Life Support
The Massachusetts healthcare mandates – dubbed RomneyCare after former Governor Mitt Romney – was supposed to ensure universal health insurance for all, save money on “uncompensated care,” and keep the…
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Private vs. Gov’t Response to Crisis
The News of Delaware County editorial poses an interesting question: “Would corporate America have handled last week’s Interstate 78 disaster any worse or better than Pennsylvania government officials?”…
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