Media

Regulation

Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: October 2016

• October 7, 2016

Pennsylvania’s state budget is three months old and showing signs of a major budget deficit. Actual revenue collections are already behind $218.5 million through the first quarter, according to…

Media

Criminal Justice Reform

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Effort Gutted

• Elizabeth Stelle
• October 7, 2016

North Philadelphian Carol Johnson* saved $2,000 from her pension checks by storing the money in an upstairs bedroom. One day, the 87 year old's savings vanished in a matter…

Media

Government Accountability

Audio Blog: Expectations Exceed Reality with Pa. Pensions

• Catherine Fitzhugh
• October 6, 2016

In a recent interview with Stephanie Renee, host of WURD AM’s The Mojo, Nathan Benefield discussed the roots of Pennsylvania’s pension crisis and how to fix it. Pension debt has stacked up…

Media

Podcast: Matthew Spalding

• October 5, 2016

All men are created equal. This simple idea—just five words—changes world history, according to Matthew Spalding, author of We Still Hold These Truths and Associate Vice President and Dean of…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Top Ten Recipients of Government Union Contributions

• Elizabeth Stelle
• September 30, 2016

Election season is in full swing, but so is the fall legislative session. This time of year elected officials walk a narrow line to avoid the illegal practice of using…

Media

Government Accountability

New Labor Contracts Will Add to Taxpayers’ Burden

• Nathan Benefield
• September 28, 2016

New union contracts will make state government more expensive, according to two analyses released by the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO). The IFO projects contracts negotiated by the Wolf Administration…

Media

Regulation

Fighting for Survival

• September 27, 2016

Yesterday was an emotional day for many. Hundreds of people from Pennsylvania’s vaping community traveled to Harrisburg to save their livelihoods and their way of life. The rally to repeal…

Media

Taxes & Economy

House Committee Votes to Save Vape Shops

• September 27, 2016

House Committee Votes to Save Vape Shops  Bipartisan Vote Would Repeal 40-Percent Tax, Replace with Per-Milliliter Tax September 27, 2016, Harrisburg, Pa.—Today, the House Finance Committee voted 19-4 to…

Press Release

Education

Pennsylvania’s Economy is Struggling

• September 27, 2016

Americans finally got a raise! That's the gist of recent headlines hailing significant economic growth in 2015, but in Pennsylvania the economy is still struggling.  From 1991 to 2015,…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Wolf?s Union Agenda Loses Big in Court

• Gina Diorio
• September 22, 2016

David Smith and Donald Lambrecht were up against a powerful foe: Gov. Wolf and an executive order that granted a sweetheart deal to a union at their expense. In a…

Media

Education

Flawed Arguments Drive School Funding Suit

• Nathan Benefield
• September 22, 2016

As I pointed out earlier this week, Pennsylvania public school spending is at an all-time high. In fact, the state's per student spending is significantly above the national average. James’ analysis…

Media

Education

Podcast: Why Charter Schools – and School Choice – Matter

• September 21, 2016

In Pennsylvania, 130,000 kids attend public charter schools—about 5 percent of the state’s schoolchildren. For many of these kids and parents, charter schools are a lifeline to a safer, better…

Media

Education

Thorough and Efficient System of Public Education

• James Paul
• September 21, 2016

“The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the…

Media

Regulation

How to Fix the Vape Tax

• September 19, 2016

The House will return to session later today, with the Senate to follow early next week. The two chambers are in session for a total of nine days. This gives lawmakers a limited…

Media

Education

Facts about the State Share of School Funding

• Nathan Benefield
• September 19, 2016

Should the Pennsylvania Supreme Court order the Legislature to give billions more dollars to school districts? That's what a recent lawsuit demands. But to make their case to the public, the lawsuit's advocates…

Media

Government Accountability

Teachers’ Union Deceives on Dues Donations

• Elizabeth Stelle
• September 15, 2016

Last week, the Commonwealth Court ordered the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board to investigate Mary Trometter's allegation that the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) used her union dues to support Tom Wolf's run…

Media

Education

Teacher Shortages Haunt Philly Students

• Elizabeth Stelle
• September 15, 2016

Philadelphia's teacher shortage is making headlines, and city council is demanding the district solve the problem. A classroom without a permanent teacher is certainly unfair to students, yet Philadelphia teachers…

Media

Regulation

PA’s Liquor Monopoly is in Red Ink Again

• September 14, 2016

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) is boasting about record sales again. But as we've pointed out in the past, that’s not much of a feat when you have a…

Media

Education

Local Union Complains About Transparency

• September 13, 2016

The school board and the local teachers union in the West Shore School District are in conflict. The two sides have been unable to agree on a contract for two…

Media

State Budget

Gov. Wolf Is Exacerbating Inequality

• September 13, 2016

Gov. Wolf is embracing a government that works for the wealthy and well-connected. Yesterday, his administration announced its intention to commit more than $20.5 million to Aramark just to…

Media

Education

In School Funding, Pa. High Court Must Not Usurp Legislature

• September 13, 2016

In School Funding, Pa. High Court Must Not Usurp Legislature Student Based Funding Formula, Not Court Mandate, Is Best for Pa. Students   September 13, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—As the Pennsylvania…

Press Release