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Taxes & Economy

See Yinz Later

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 11, 2016

The commonwealth, on net, loses one person every 12.5 minutes. Some say it's all about the weather, but a recent Gallup poll found another reason. Across…

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Regulation

$56 Billion & Counting: PA’s Pension Liability

• James Paul
• March 10, 2016

The state pension boards testified before the General Assembly this week and reported a combined unfunded liability of more than $56 billion. Contrary to claims that “we should let…

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Government Accountability

The Price of Secret Negotiations

• March 9, 2016

The cost of compensating the state's workforce is nearly $93,000 per public employee. This illustrates why Pennsylvania’s collective bargaining process, which permits the politically powerful to operate in secret, must be reformed to…

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Regulation

Poll: How Can Pennsylvania Beat Florida?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 8, 2016

In the Wall Street Journal, Florida Governor Rick Scott makes a mockery of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and his quest to raise taxes, calling Wolf one of his “favorite governors.”…

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Taxes & Economy

The Dark Side of Raising the Wage

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 8, 2016

Eunice Medina is a childcare worker living in Oakland, California. Last March, the city instituted a $12.55 minimum wage, leaving Eunice with fewer workdays and reduced hours. Across the…

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Taxes & Economy

Wolf’s Wage Hike: Big Promises, Bigger Fallout

• March 7, 2016

Wolf’s Wage Hike: Big Promises, Bigger Fallout Governor Unilaterally Raises Minimum Wage for State Workers, But at What Cost? March 7, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today, Gov. Wolf will…

Press Release

Regulation

Why Did Wolf Veto PERC Funding?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 7, 2016

Some positive news emerged last week, Gov. Wolf agreed—as part of a lawsuit filed by Rep. Steve Bloom and Rep. Seth Grove—to a temporary deal to keep the Public…

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Regulation

Should Economic Power Reside in Harrisburg?

• March 4, 2016

Pennsylvania leads the nation…in corporate welfare. Since 2007, the commonwealth doled out more than $5.7 billion in economic subsidies to private organizations, which is just one of the many startling…

Media

Paycheck Protection Action Alert

• March 2, 2016

Media

Regulation

We’re #1! Pa. Leads Nation in Corporate Welfare

• March 2, 2016

We’re #1!  Pa. Leads Nation in Corporate Welfare Looking for State Budget Fixes? Cut $700 Million in Unfair Subsidies March 2, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—The Wolf administration claims important state…

Press Release

Education

No, We’re Not Underfunding Public Schools

• James Paul
• February 29, 2016

My latest op-ed at PennLive debunks several school funding myths that continue to haunt Pennsylvania: While local school revenue is notably high (6th in the nation), state revenue…

Media

State Budget

No One Person is to Blame for Pennsylvania’s Problems

• February 26, 2016

Proponents of bigger goverment have crafted a narrative that government has been cut to the bone. Pennsylvania needs massive tax hikes, they say, to repair the damage done by Gov. Corbett, whose slash-and-burn budgeting…

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Education

Ghost Teachers Cost Allentown Millions

• Elizabeth Stelle
• February 25, 2016

Allentown School District is no stranger to financial troubles. The third largest public school system in the commonwealth has been in financial distress for years. In 2011, the district…

Media

Governor Wolf’s Sixth Tax Hike Plan

• Nathan Benefield
• February 24, 2016

As noted in previous posts, Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed tax hike totaling $2.7 billion over a full year—or $850 per family of four. About half of this increase…

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Regulation

Addressing the Confusion on Compensation

• February 23, 2016

Yesterday we issued a press release on public employee compensation, which is now causing quite a stir on social media. One commenter accused us of engaging in “shenanigans.” Another…

Media

Public Union Democracy

The Pretense of Democratic Unions

• February 22, 2016

Control over the largest local teachers union in Pennsylvania is up for grabs. The Caucus of Working Educators (WE) is challenging the leadership of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers…

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Regulation

Pennsylvania Must Control Compensation Costs

• February 22, 2016

The soaring costs of public employee compensation, if left unchecked, could aggravate Pennsylvania’s financial troubles. The growth in employee benefits, which have skyrocketed since 2006, is driving this upward trend…

Media

Contract Transparency Action Alert

• February 22, 2016

Media

Regulation

Secret Contracts Push State Worker Costs Near $100K Each

• February 22, 2016

Secret Contracts Push State Worker Costs Near $100K Each Benefit Costs Tripled Since 2000 February 22, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—As Gov. Wolf calls for a record-high $80 billion…

Press Release

Education

A Tale of Two School Districts

• James Paul
• February 19, 2016

North Allegheny School District and Pittsburgh School District are barely a dozen miles apart, but their budgeting approaches for the next fiscal year are worlds apart.   Thanks to rising pension…

Media

Taxes & Economy

The Fair Share Fallacy

• Elizabeth Stelle
• February 18, 2016

What is the natural gas industry's “fair share” of taxes? The answer depends on the calendar year. An analysis from the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) finds the current “impact fee” is effectively a 5.5…

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