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Regulation

Making Sense of Pension Reform Legislation

  • June 6, 2017

Yesterday, the state Senate passed pension reform legislation—Senate Bill 1—which begins to transform the state’s pension systems into a sustainable model for public employees and taxpayers. We have already…

Media

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Regulation

Teachers Need Pension Reform Too

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 6, 2017

Pension reform is critical for teachers as well as taxpayers, according to a new report from PennCAN. Among the key findings of this report is how pension costs…

Media

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Regulation

News Release: Senate Passes Transformative Pension Reform

  • June 5, 2017

Today, the state Senate voted 40-9 to pass historic pension reform that Pew Charitable Trusts has said “would mitigate more risk” than reforms passed in any other state “while maintaining…

Press Release

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Regulation

Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: June 2017

  • June 5, 2017

For the first time in seven months, the commonwealth’s revenue collections exceeded expectations. Pennsylvania collected $2.6 billion in May—$98.5 million more than anticipated. Still, total collections remain approximately…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: June 2017

Regulation

SB 1 is Major First Step on Pension Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 5, 2017

Yesterday, Elizabeth wrote about the reasons we need pension reform now. As the full Senate prepares to vote on SB 1, I wanted to provide some clarity on this…

Media

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Regulation

5 Reasons to Enact Pension Reform Now

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 4, 2017

Pennsylvania is on the brink of transformative pension reform. Under SB 1, new school teachers and state employees, including new lawmakers and judges, would automatically be enrolled in a…

Media

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State Budget

Send a Message on Tax Hikes

  • June 2, 2017

Pennsylvania doesn't need to spend more, we need to spend smarter. Let your lawmakers know that taxes are high enough. Email Gov. Wolf and your state lawmakers today.  …

Media

Read More: Send a Message on Tax Hikes

Education

Are Soda Taxes Worth Their Cost?

  • June 2, 2017

Philadelphia’s soda tax is going flat. The new levy has raised prices, diminished sales, and led to industry layoffs. It’s also failing to meet revenue projections,…

Media

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Education

Refuting Careless Myths about ESAs

  • James Paul
  • June 1, 2017

Last week, Pennsylvania’s education committees held a hearing on education savings accounts (ESAs). This transformative policy allows parents to customize an educational plan based on the unique…

Media

Read More: Refuting Careless Myths about ESAs

Criminal Justice Reform

Senate Advances Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform

  • May 26, 2017

Should bureaucratic inefficiencies decide the fate of parole violators? The obvious answer is no. That's just one reason why 38 senators voted in favor of SB 522. The legislation…

Media

Read More: Senate Advances Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform

Regulation

Sports Teams Thrive at Taxpayer Expense

  • May 26, 2017

While sports teams across the county reap the benefits of lavish government subsidies to build stadiums, taxpayers bear the brunt of the cost, according to a working study by…

Media

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Education

Families Testify on ESAs for Pa. Education Committees

  • James Paul
  • May 25, 2017

Pennsylvania’s House and Senate Education Committees held a hearing on education savings accounts (ESAs)—flexible spending accounts parents use to design a student-centered educational experience. Video of the…

Media

Read More: Families Testify on ESAs for Pa. Education Committees

Taxes & Economy

Moving From Welfare to Work

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 24, 2017

Last week state house lawmakers gathered to gain a better understanding of the challenges people face when moving from the welfare system to work. Chief among those challenges is a…

Media

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Education

News Release: Is Your School District Hoarding Cash?

  • May 23, 2017

When does a school district’s “rainy day” fund start raising eyebrows? New information from the state Department of Education shows that as state funding for schools reaches an all-time high,…

Press Release

Read More: News Release: Is Your School District Hoarding Cash?

Regulation

Senate Introduces Substantive Pension Reform

  • Jessica Barnett
  • May 23, 2017

Now, more than ever, transformative reform in needed to address Pennsylvania’s undeniable pension crisis. Last week, the state Senate began this process by introducing pension reform bill SB…

Media

Read More: Senate Introduces Substantive Pension Reform

Regulation

Government Strikes Out, Yet Keeps Playing

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • May 19, 2017

For state government, it isn’t ‘three strikes and you’re out.’ Or even four strikes. In fact, state officials get to play by their own rules when it comes to economic…

Media

Read More: Government Strikes Out, Yet Keeps Playing

Education

Can ESAs Coexist with Tax Credit Scholarships? Absolutely

  • James Paul
  • May 19, 2017

As lawmakers move closer to introducing education savings accounts (ESAs) in Pennsylvania, some may wonder how ESAs would coexist with the commonwealth’s private scholarship programs, the Educational…

Media

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Education

School District Spending, Rainy Day Funds are Surging—Again

  • James Paul
  • May 18, 2017

Americans love Springtime—and for good reason! With Spring comes warm weather, blooming flowers, and baseball season. Most importantly, Spring is time for new data from Pennsylvania’s Department of Education—which yesterday…

Media

Read More: School District Spending, Rainy Day Funds are Surging—Again