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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 ClimbsPublic Union Democracy
Supreme Court jumps into dispute over labor union fees in Washington state
The nation’s highest Court will review “paycheck protection” cases for which the Commonwealth Foundation filed a “friend of the court” brief in August urging the Court to consider…
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Townhall.com::Wages of Stagnation
Bruce Bartlett Commentary on economic gains of workers and households: “In short, despite all the talk about the rich getting richer at the expense of the poor, the fact…
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Read More: Townhall.com::Wages of StagnationState Budget
Both parties share blame for bloated budget
Read Matthew Brouillette’s commentary in today’s Patriot News.
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Read More: Both parties share blame for bloated budgetGovernment Accountability
‘Smart Talk’ on pay raise
Alison Hawkes summary of Chief Justice Cappy’s defense of the judicial pay raise: “He said judges needed a pay hike because salaries were slipping compared to other states, although…
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Read More: ‘Smart Talk’ on pay raiseHealth Care
States could be overwhelmed by health care burden
AP Story on how the cost of health care plans for retired state workers will be enormous across the nation, as preliminary numbers (required by new GASB rules) roll…
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Read More: States could be overwhelmed by health care burdenGovernment Accountability
Pa. courts say judges’ pay will rise with feds
AP Report that court adminstrators say PA judges pay are now tied to federal judges. While this differs from my reading of the court ruling on cost-of-living-adjustments, and…
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Read More: Pa. courts say judges’ pay will rise with fedsGovernment Accountability
The Know-Nothing Campaign
Nick Gillespie column on the absurdity of the McCain-Feingold free speech regulations which bans mentioning of candidates in ads within 60 days of an election. We don’t want voters…
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Read More: The Know-Nothing CampaignState Budget
Pennsylvania growing a gut, We need fiscal corset
Editorial from the Press Enterprise on the need for fiscal restraint in Pennsylvania.
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Read More: Pennsylvania growing a gut, We need fiscal corsetTaxes & Economy
Ethanol: Bumper Crop for Agribusiness, Bitter Harvest for Taxpayers
NTU Report on how ethanol subsidies and mandates are driving up the costs for taxpayers on gasoline, taxes, and food.
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Read More: Ethanol: Bumper Crop for Agribusiness, Bitter Harvest for TaxpayersState Budget
How States are Solving the Tax and Spending Problem
An overview of the provisions of various tax and spending limit initiatives on the ballot in other states, from the National Taxpayers Union.
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Read More: How States are Solving the Tax and Spending ProblemTaxes & Economy
The Invisible Hand at Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart, the epitome of greed and all that is evil in the world, is doing what government and Medicare part D cannot – make prescription drugs more affordable. Read the…
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Why Are Health Costs Rising?
Brief analysis of the rising costs of health care from NCPA.
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Read More: Why Are Health Costs Rising?Public Union Democracy
New Legislation to End Teacher Strikes
Legislation introduced by Rep. Will Gabig would ban teacher strikes similar to laws in Michigan and New York. This legislation is supported by our friends at StopTeacherStrikes, Inc.
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Read More: New Legislation to End Teacher StrikesRegulation
The worst bet you can make
MSN Money article comparing state lotteries to each other and to other gambling ventures. You’re best bets are “skill games” like poker and blackjack, roulette and slots tend to…
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Read More: The worst bet you can makeGovernment Accountability
Lack of evidence to support raise
Scranton Times-Tribune editorial takes on Chief Justice Cappy’s defense of a judicial pay raise.
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Read More: Lack of evidence to support raiseEducation
Editorial: PHEAA should open books or lose monopoly
DelcoTimes suggests “If PHEAA doesn’t want to open its books, the state should open its doors to competition in the student loan field. Then residents can compare organizations and…
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Read More: Editorial: PHEAA should open books or lose monopolyGovernment Accountability
Chief Justice calls pay raises vital to strong judiciary : The Morning Call Online
Chief Justice Cappy is back to defending the judicial pay raise, calling it his “moral duty to seek pay raises for state judges” in The Morning Call. Read…
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Read More: Chief Justice calls pay raises vital to strong judiciary : The Morning Call OnlineState Budget
Will the GOP learn its lesson on pork?
John Fund in today’s Wall Street Journal.
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Read More: Will the GOP learn its lesson on pork?State Budget
Transportation Pork
Here is the listing of the $706 million in federal Transportation Earmarks for PA cited in my testimony today.
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Read More: Transportation PorkTaxes & Economy
State senator suggests pumping up gasoline tax – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Why is that the ONLY solution politicians can come up with to solve a “funding crisis” is to raise taxes? Today, Nate Benefield will provide the Pennsylvania Transportation…
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Read More: State senator suggests pumping up gasoline tax – Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewTaxes & Economy
Tougher emissions rule in PA?
FAQ about the news proposed standards and its effects.Coverage of the standards and the decision making process.
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