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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…
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Releases Analysis on 2026-27 Budget Deal
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
Your Tax Dollars at Work
Fine tribute to public sector unions, paid for with your tax dollars. I guess we were wrong to identify the Historical and Museum Commission as an example of pork…
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Read More: Your Tax Dollars at WorkRegulation
Ousted legislators find silver lining
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “Some lawmakers who lost their jobs in the May primary will collect pensions almost as big as their current salaries. “Powerhouse Republican Sen. Robert Jubelirer,…
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Read More: Ousted legislators find silver liningTaxes & Economy
Does faux reform kill real reform?
Brad Bumstead in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on the likelihood that significant property tax relief is dead following the passage of the facade of reform passed Wednesday. Read our News…
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Read More: Does faux reform kill real reform?Government Accountability
Is there a Speaker in the House?
According to Pete DeCoursey of Capitolwire.com, House Speaker John Perzel said this last night on public television’s “Smart Talk”: “When I see that a tattoo artist in the city of…
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Read More: Is there a Speaker in the House?Health Care
Reduce Health Insurance Cost Through Competition
NCPA Analysis of how allowing insurers to offer healthcare coverage across state boundaries would reduce the cost of insurance. Examining only a handful of states, they find a discrepancy…
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Read More: Reduce Health Insurance Cost Through CompetitionTaxes & Economy
FEMA funds spent on divorce, sex change
AP story on fraud in FEMA aid – as much as $1.4 Billion (16% of all FEMA aid for Katrina and Rita victims) may have been used improperly. My…
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Read More: FEMA funds spent on divorce, sex changeEducation
Arrogant PHEAA: More stonewalling
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial review on how the public agency PHEAA refuses to disclose how they spend their money. Hence we propose privatizing PHEAA in our Pennsylvania Piglet…
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Read More: Arrogant PHEAA: More stonewallingGovernment Accountability
Agency: Unvouchered expenses ‘income’
The REPUBLICAN & Herald notes that two lawmakers paid taxes on their “unvouchered expenses.” But I thought UEs are not “income” so as not to be a direct violation…
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Read More: Agency: Unvouchered expenses ‘income’Public Union Democracy
Union officials must come to grips with reality of today’s economics
George McGovern, former U.S. Senator from SD and 1972 Democratic presidential candidate, shows that he’s s slow learner, but a learner nonetheless. This commentary in today’s Patriot-News says what…
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Read More: Union officials must come to grips with reality of today’s economicsRegulation
New York’s Pension Peril
E. J. McMahon, the director of the Manhattan Institute’s Empire Center for New York State Policy, writes in the New York Post about NY’s pension problem.
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Read More: New York’s Pension PerilState Budget
Don’t spend state surplus; instead trim the pork : The Morning Call Online
Commonwealth Foundation Fellow Grant Gulibon in today’s Morning Call.
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Read More: Don’t spend state surplus; instead trim the pork : The Morning Call OnlineState Budget
Cut (half) the Waste!
Williamsport Sun-Gazette editorial on the Pennsylvania Piglet Book 2006.
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Read More: Cut (half) the Waste!Public Union Democracy
TV ad targeting unions raises profile of campaign against labor leaders
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story on the Center for Union Facts’ commercial. Check out the commercial here.
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Read More: TV ad targeting unions raises profile of campaign against labor leadersTaxes & Economy
The More You Know … The More You Wish You Didn’t
How does a $56,000 salary sound? Not bad? What if that salary was for working on a political campaign? Still better? Now imagine that salary was for your 2nd job,…
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Read More: The More You Know … The More You Wish You Didn’tRegulation
Lawmaker Pensions too generous
Coverage of lawmaker pensions (and our Pension Study) in The York Daily Record.
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Read More: Lawmaker Pensions too generousTaxes & Economy
Tax Dollars Spent on PR
The Patriot News reports on how your tax dollars are working hard to fund the public relations campaigns of legislative leaders – namely House Speaker Perzel spending $5,000/month on…
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Read More: Tax Dollars Spent on PRRegulation
Nice Pensions for Lawmakers
Coverage of lawmakers’ pensions in the Chambersburg Public Opinion and Lebanon Daily News.
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Read More: Nice Pensions for LawmakersPublic Union Democracy
And you probably thought the Soviet Union collapsed!
The union water-boys at the Keystone Research Center had Paul Krugman in Harrisburg last night, as reported in the Patriot-News. Gotta love Krugman’s solutions for our economic woes.
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Read More: And you probably thought the Soviet Union collapsed!Taxes & Economy
Groups target legislative spending
From the Courier Times: “Asked about the WAMS — legislative grants for economic development — Rep. Scott Petri, R-178, said, “I don’t know any one of them I would…
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Read More: Groups target legislative spendingState Budget
When Fish is Really Pork
A press release from the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) attempts to justify the Fish Fund as a core function of government. However, we maintain our assertion…
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Read More: When Fish is Really PorkPublic Union Democracy
Unions and Politics
A couple of very good reads on teacher unions and education in the Summer 2006 Education Next. In Strike Phobia, Frederick Hess and Marty West look at the…
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Read More: Unions and Politics