State Budget

Wolf Tax 3.0: No Relief, No ‘Fair Share,’ Just Higher Taxes

  • October 6, 2015

Contact: Gina Diorio, 862-703-6670, gld@comfdnprod.wpengine.com Wolf Tax 3.0: No Relief, No ‘Fair Share,’ Just Higher Taxes Latest Plan Raids $750 from Paychecks of Pennsylvania Families   October 6,…

Press Release

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State Budget

Wolf’s Tax Hikes: Version 3.0

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 6, 2015

Today, Gov. Wolf unveiled a 3rd proposal for a tax increase. This represents both good news and bad news for taxpayers. The good news is that Wolf now concedes that…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania’s Shrinking Population Problem

  • October 6, 2015

In The Office finale, Jim and Pam decide to pack up their family and move from Scranton, Pennsylvania to Austin, Texas. While Jim and Pam aren't real, their fictional trek to Texas…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania’s Shrinking Population Problem

State Budget

Wolf Demands $1,000 from Families in Wednesday House Vote

  • October 5, 2015

Wolf Demands $1,000 from Families in Wednesday House Vote “Compromise” Tax Plan Still Largest in State History October 5, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—After months of hyping a “common…

Press Release

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State Budget

Gov. Wolf’s Tax Plan Would Devastate Dale

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 5, 2015

Dale Kaplan is a survivor. His family-run dry cleaning business has weathered declining volume, thanks to innovations like no-iron dress shirts, and a devastating fire. Now Dale’s 27 year old business…

Media

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State Budget

Can You Afford $1,000 More?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 5, 2015

On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a major tax increase. This vote will be, in all likelihood, on a proposal Gov. Tom…

Media

Read More: Can You Afford $1,000 More?

State Budget

Wolf Truth Squad: Tax Hikes on Working Families

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 2, 2015

UPDATE: Gov. Wolf offered a new tax proposal on October 6, 2015. Here is a summary of that plan   As noted yesterday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives…

Media

Read More: Wolf Truth Squad: Tax Hikes on Working Families

Regulation

The Mirage of Green Jobs

  • Gordon Tomb
  • October 2, 2015

Promoters of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s carbon-emission regulation attempt to playdown the jobs it would kill with promises of “green jobs”. Yet these positions pay less and are largely…

Media

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State Budget

Analysis: Wolf’s Latest Tax Plan Costs Families $1,000

  • October 1, 2015

Analysis: Wolf’s Latest Tax Plan Costs Families $1,000—Vote Next Week 14,000 Jobs Not Created as a Result October 1, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Next week, the state House plans…

Press Release

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Tax Hike Vote: Four Things to Know

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 1, 2015

UPDATE: Gov. Wolf offered a new tax proposal on October 6, 2015. Here is a summary of that plan   Legislative leaders have promised that on Wednesday October 7,…

Media

Read More: Tax Hike Vote: Four Things to Know

Education

Wolf Veto = $11 Million Bill for Taxpayers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 30, 2015

School districts have borrowed $346 million—and taxpayers will pay to pay up to $11 million in interest payments—as a result of Gov. Wolf’s budget vetoes, according to a report…

Media

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State Budget

Fresh Start, or Stale Policies of Decades Past?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 30, 2015

At the beginning of 2015, we heard a lot about a “fresh start” for Pennsylvania. But nine months later, it's difficult to identify anything fresh about Gov. Wolf's tax, borrow…

Media

Read More: Fresh Start, or Stale Policies of Decades Past?

State Budget

Wolf Blocks Education Funding, Issues 6th, 7th & 8th Vetoes

  • September 29, 2015

Wolf Blocks Education Funding, Issues 6th, 7th & 8th Vetoes Students, Disabled, & Struggling Held Hostage by Governor’s Tax-Hike Fixation September 29, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—“The answer’s no. Now,…

Press Release

Read More: Wolf Blocks Education Funding, Issues 6th, 7th & 8th Vetoes

State Budget

Who Will Vote to Raise Your Taxes?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 29, 2015

Republican leadership in the General Assembly has announced they will allow a floor vote on a budget proposal that has the massive tax increases Gov. Wolf and government union leaders desire—if Democrats…

Media

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Government Accountability

Secret Contract Leaves Taxpayers in the Dark

  • September 29, 2015

In a special Friday night voting session, board members in Monessen School District unanimously approved a new teachers’ contract, which runs through 2018. The terms of the contract, including…

Media

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Regulation

Losers and Phony-Baloneys

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 23, 2015

Last week, Gov. Wolf unveiled new, bad policy ideas—to slightly adjust a misguided pension proposal, and to propose a private manager to a government run liquor monopoly.  But just as…

Media

Read More: Losers and Phony-Baloneys

State Budget

Audio: A Path of Compromise

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • September 21, 2015

Refusing to abandon his demands for the highest tax increase in state history, Gov. Wolf continues to fuel a budget impasse that has left human-services agencies and schools without…

Media

Read More: Audio: A Path of Compromise

Public Union Democracy

One woman’s quest to free teachers

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 18, 2015

Rebecca Friedrichs never understood her union. As a new teacher, Friedrichs noticed a teacher in the classroom next to hers was abusive towards her students. When Friedrichs tried to…

Media

Read More: One woman’s quest to free teachers

Education

Audio: Protecting Teachers’ Rights and Paychecks

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • September 18, 2015

Teacher unions are taking money from teachers to fund political causes they do not support. Through Free to Teach, teachers like James Williams and Linda Misja are speaking…

Media

Read More: Audio: Protecting Teachers’ Rights and Paychecks