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Public Union Democracy

A Governor’s Resolution List for 2016

• January 5, 2016

Last year, Gov. Tom Wolf promised he would take state government in a “different direction” and grow the middle class. He pledged to do this by making Pennsylvania a magnet for…

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Education

Wolf’s Newest Education Funding Scheme

• James Paul
• January 5, 2016

When Gov. Wolf finally agreed to sign the majority of an emergency funding bill, it remained unclear how his administration would distribute the increased education funding approved by the…

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Public Union Democracy

Union Dues Fund New Political Attack Ads

• Nathan Benefield
• January 5, 2016

America Works USA launched a new round of political attack ads opposing the latest state budget. These highly misleading ads again talk about “cuts to education.” However, the…

Media

Regulation

Is Gov. Wolf Ignoring Credit Rating Agencies?

• Nathan Benefield
• January 4, 2016

Last week, Gov. Wolf once again resorted to defending his latest budget vetoes citing the fear of credit rating downgrades. Oddly, he seems to miss that pension reform and…

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Regulation

The EPA’s Plan Will Hike Your Electricity Bill

• Gordon Tomb
• December 30, 2015

A new analysis from NERA Economic Consulting projects Pennsylvania electricity bills will increase between 10 and 19 percent from 2022 to 2033…

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State Budget

Wolf Releases Budget Hostages in Budget Battle

• December 29, 2015

Wolf Releases Hostages in Budget Battle After Six Months, Funding Finally Flows to Students & Needy December 29, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today, Gov. Tom Wolf announced he will finally release…

Press Release

State Budget

Wolf Signs Stop-Gap Budget With Punitive Line-Item Vetoes

• Nathan Benefield
• December 29, 2015

This morning, Gov. Tom Wolf signed the state budget on his desk, using his line-item veto (and item-reduction veto) power to cut the spending by more than $6 billion, targeting certain…

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Education

Wolf Misleads About Education “Cuts”

• Nathan Benefield
• December 29, 2015

On Christmas Eve, Gov. Tom Wolf posted a blog attacking Republicans and the “extremist” budget now sitting on his desk—which passed the Senate on a bipartisan 33-17 vote. Wolf…

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State Budget

End of Budget Gridlock in Wolf’s Hands

• December 23, 2015

End of Budget Gridlock in Wolf’s Hands Legislature Sends State Budget to Governor’s Desk December 23, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today, the state legislature, with bi-partisan support, sent a $30.26…

Press Release

State Budget

Senate Passes Budget, Sends to Governor

• Nathan Benefield
• December 23, 2015

Things have changed quickly in the Capitol this week. On Monday, we wrote about a potential House vote on an emergency funding bill. That plan was scrapped. Yesterday, we talked…

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State Budget

A Christmas Spending Spree is in the Works

• December 23, 2015

In an unexpected move, the House voted to revive the Senate’s $30.8 billion budget yesterday, which many thought was dead after a pension reform bill went down in defeat…

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Education

Students Need Scholarships, Not Sympathy

• James Paul
• December 22, 2015

Gov. Tom Wolf’s insistence on higher taxes blocks state funding from school districts and jeopardizes private school scholarships for thousands of low- and middle-income students.

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State Budget

Moving on From Budget Gridlock

• December 22, 2015

Editor's note: Recent legislative developments have made an emergency funding plan unlikely. For the latest on the budget impasse, read this blog.   Yesterday the House Appropriations Committee voted…

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State Budget

Framework Dead, Time for a No-Tax Hike Spending Plan

• Nathan Benefield
• December 21, 2015

Despite legislative action this past weekend, a “framework budget” and a looming vote to raise taxes now appear to be off the table. The next step must be to pass…

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Regulation

Government Liquor is a Liability

• Elizabeth Stelle
• December 18, 2015

Liquor privatization came dangerously close to reality this year with a true privatization plan passing both houses of the legislature in June only to be stonewalled by the governor. So…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Latest Wolf Tax Plan Eliminates 6,500 Jobs

• James Paul
• December 18, 2015

If Gov. Wolf succeeds in raising Pennsylvania’s personal income tax from 3.07 percent to 3.30 percent (an increase of 7.5 percent in the rate), what will be the impact on…

Media

State Budget

Lawmakers Must Reject Tax Hike of Christmas Past

• December 18, 2015

Lawmakers Must Reject Tax Hike of Christmas Past New Tax Plan Would Hit Working Families of all Income Groups December 18, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Nearly six months into…

Press Release

Public Union Democracy

Tax Hike of Christmas Past?

• Matthew Brouillette
• December 17, 2015

Given the rumblings of an imminent vote on higher income taxes, it's important to remember what happened 12 years ago (nearly to the day!) with our state budget. Ed Rendell was…

Media

One Idea that’s Changing the World

• December 17, 2015

The world has made astounding progress in the last few decades, with world poverty dropping by more than 80 percent in just 36 years. While the dramatic reduction is…

Media

What’s in the Latest Tax Hike Plan?

• December 17, 2015

Editors Note: updated (12/18) to reflect recent developments As reported by ABC 27 and others, Pennsylvania House leaders will hold a vote on an estimated $1.8 billion tax…

Media

Education

Wolf’s School Funding Cuts

• James Paul
• December 16, 2015

In a nutshell, Gov. Tom Wolf’s guiding philosophy on education reform is to spend more money on public schools. Embracing the repeatedly-debunked myth of education cuts under the previous…

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