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Education
VP Josh Shapiro? Ad Spotlights Governor’s Failed Leadership
Harrisburg, Pa., July 22, 2024 — Some political pundits say Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro would provide the Democratic presidential ticket a boost in a critical battleground state. That will only be…
Read More: VP Josh Shapiro? Ad Spotlights Governor’s Failed Leadership![shapiro vice president](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1244670782-900x683.jpg)
Education
Governor Shapiro’s Do-Nothing Record Makes Him a Perfect Fit for Vice President
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Do-Nothing Record Makes Him a Perfect Fit for Vice President![shapiro record](https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-17-at-2.38.29 PM-900x900.png)
Education
New Ad Highlights Shapiro’s Historic Ineffectiveness
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Education
New TV/Digital Ad Holds Gov. Shapiro Accountable for Turning His Back on Vulnerable Families
Read More: New TV/Digital Ad Holds Gov. Shapiro Accountable for Turning His Back on Vulnerable FamiliesRegulation
How Should Pennsylvania Attract Amazon?
Amazon has been dominating Pennsylvania business news since announcing its interest in creating a second U.S. headquarters (HQ2). Several regions of the state are expected to contend for this new…
Media
Read More: How Should Pennsylvania Attract Amazon?
Work Requirements Promote Independence, Wolf Should Embrace Them
Work requirements are helping thousands of Americans rise above poverty and gain independence from government programs. In fact, when states like Kansas and Maine implemented work requirements for food stamps,…
Press Release
Read More: Work Requirements Promote Independence, Wolf Should Embrace ThemGovernment Accountability
Union Advantages Yield Undue Influence
In today’s political landscape big money is usually associated with corporations and industries like oil or gas, however, government unions are the most advantaged special interest in Pennsylvania. CF’s Nathan…
Media
Read More: Union Advantages Yield Undue InfluenceEducation
Gov. Wolf Reverses Unlawful Moves
Admist the budget stalemate, there is some welcome news out of Harrisburg. Within a single week, thousands of home care workers, educators, and taxpayers were relieved from the governor’s punitive…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf Reverses Unlawful MovesState Budget
Fact Check: Did the budget deal include an agreement to raise taxes?
Gov. Wolf has angrily accused the House of refusing to pass a tax increase, implying it was agreed to when the spending plan passed on June 30. But a check…
Media
Read More: Fact Check: Did the budget deal include an agreement to raise taxes?Health Care
Wolf’s Wrongheaded Veto Threat
Governor Wolf intends to veto Pennsylvania’s welfare code (HB 59) due to a reform contained within the bill—even though the reform can reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth. The modest reform instructs the…
Media
Read More: Wolf’s Wrongheaded Veto ThreatEducation
What to Make of the PSSA Results
Newly released Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) scores show little to no change in academic achievement across the commonwealth. What do these scores mean? The PSSAs posted on…
Media
Read More: What to Make of the PSSA ResultsRegulation
Tapping Indebted PLCB to Pay Down Debt a Risky Bet
In a press conference yesterday, Gov. Wolf announced a plan to borrow from future PLCB “profits” to pay off last year’s budget deficit. Under the governor’s proposal, the state’s…
Press Release
Read More: Tapping Indebted PLCB to Pay Down Debt a Risky BetRegulation
Gov. Wolf Proposes Using Debt-Ridden Agency to Pay Down Debt
In a press conference yesterday, Gov. Wolf announced a plan to borrow from future PLCB “profits” to pay off last year’s budget deficit. Under the governor’s plan, the state’s…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf Proposes Using Debt-Ridden Agency to Pay Down DebtEducation
Wolf Administration’s Disregard for the Law is Hurting Pennsylvanians
Gov. Wolf's refusal to release approval letters for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs is causing needless pain for families, students, schools, and…
Media
Read More: Wolf Administration’s Disregard for the Law is Hurting PennsylvaniansRegulation
An Inhospitable Tax Increase
Another day, another tax. The newest plan to fill a $2.2 billion budget hole includes a 5 percent increase to the hotel tax, along with a new tax on fireworks and third-party online…
Media
Read More: An Inhospitable Tax IncreaseRegulation
Devil in the Details of PLCB Finances
It was another banner year for the government liquor monopoly—or so the PLCB claims. The agency recently released its finances, touting all-time high sales and a record $720.6 million…
Media
Read More: Devil in the Details of PLCB FinancesState Budget
Four Alternatives to the Warehouse Tax
The latest tax proposal to balance the $2.2 billion budget shortfall is receiving a cool reception. The tax hike under consideration would extend the sales tax to commercial warehouses. The…
Media
Read More: Four Alternatives to the Warehouse TaxPublic Union Democracy
Good News for Forced Union Fee Payers
For public employees forced to subsidize union politics—or lose their jobs—a U.S. Supreme Court announcement yesterday signals a potential end to this workplace coercion. The Court indicated it will…
Media
Read More: Good News for Forced Union Fee PayersEducation
Gov. Wolf’s Indefensible Decisions Continue to Hurt Students
Pennsylvania’s successful scholarship programs—the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC)—are in danger once again. The Wolf Administration has delayed the programs’ approval letters, which…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf’s Indefensible Decisions Continue to Hurt StudentsTaxes & Economy
Three Reasons a Severance Tax Is a Bad Idea
The hunt for money to satisfy Harrisburg's overspending problem is in full gear. Lawmakers and special interests want to impose an additional tax on gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale, the…
Media
Read More: Three Reasons a Severance Tax Is a Bad IdeaRegulation
PLCB Strikes Again!
As lawmakers continue to debate balancing the state budget, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) gave Pennsylvanians yet another reason to privatize the antiquated liquor system. The agency unleashed…
Media
Read More: PLCB Strikes Again!State Budget
“Recurring Revenues” Lead to Recurring Pain
The House’s preferred approach to close the state’s $2.2 billion deficit recently came under fire for its reliance on one-time revenue sources rather than recurring revenues, i.e., tax increases. But this…
Media
Read More: “Recurring Revenues” Lead to Recurring PainRegulation
The Solution to Pa.’s Credit Downgrade
Pennsylvania’s irresponsible spending increases have taken their toll – and credit rating agencies have taken notice. Following a credit downgrade from Standard & Poor’s Wednesday morning, Pennsylvania’s…
Media
Read More: The Solution to Pa.’s Credit DowngradeRegulation
We’ll Take Taxpayers’ $17 Million Subsidy & Move to China, Suckers
The Tribune Review reports that another Pennsylvania company is moving to China. A company that built saltwater-based battery systems at the former Sony Corp. plant near New Stanton will move to…
Media
Read More: We’ll Take Taxpayers’ $17 Million Subsidy & Move to China, Suckers
House Budget Solution Spares Taxpayers
Tired of hearing about the state budget impasse? There could finally be light at the end of the tunnel and, for taxpayers, it’s not an oncoming train. On Wednesday, the…
Media
Read More: House Budget Solution Spares Taxpayers