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Education

Tax Shifts and Education Spending

• Nathan Benefield
• November 18, 2015

As proposals to reduce, reform, or (mostly) eliminate school property taxes continue to be debated in Harrisburg, many readers have asked about our position on a dollar-for-dollar tax shift,…

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Politics over Teachers?

• James Paul
• November 18, 2015

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Regulation

How is Property Tax Relief Doled Out?

• Nathan Benefield
• November 17, 2015

Among the many questions in a tentative state budget deal is how revenue from the sales tax increase would be distributed. The Associated Press notes this will be…

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Education

Philly Union Priorities: Politics over Teachers

• James Paul
• November 17, 2015

How would you feel if your employer took funds meant for your health insurance and spent them on partisan politics? Sadly, this is a reality for thousands of teachers in…

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Government Accountability

PA Fails Integrity Test

• November 16, 2015

There is a clear need for improved governmental accountability and transparency in Pennsylvania, but how does the commonwealth compare to the rest of the country? According to the Center…

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Education

For Property Tax Relief, Give Voters Control

• James Paul
• November 13, 2015

Should voters have the right to approve property tax increases? This is a central point of contention within a rumored budget framework that purports to provide Pennsylvanians with property tax…

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State Budget

Horse Racing Subsidies vs. Property Tax Relief

• November 13, 2015

Is a $600 million tax increase needed to end a five month-long budget impasse? Lawmakers are considering it. Yet, a shortage of tax revenue is not the source of…

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Education

Cyber Schools: Serving an Important Need

• James Paul
• November 12, 2015

In light of stagnating achievement among K-12 students, the last thing Pennsylvania should do is crack down on alternative educational options. Yet a growing chorus says 35,000 students enrolled…

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Education

Another Education Spending Record?

• James Paul
• November 11, 2015

The conventional wisdom in Harrisburg suggests Gov. Wolf is nearing an agreement with the legislature on a state budget. The specific details remain largely unclear, although it appears the…

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Regulation

Pa. Could Face 2nd-Highest Sales Tax in America

• November 10, 2015

Pa. Could Face 2nd-Highest Sales Tax in America Latest Budget Plan Seeks Biggest Sales Tax Hike Since 1956 November 10, 2015, Harrisburg, Pa.—Pennsylvanians may soon pay more for…

Press Release

Taxes & Economy

New Details on Proposed Tax Increase

• Nathan Benefield
• November 10, 2015

As movement towards a budget deal progresses, more details have emerged regarding the sales tax increase we reported on yesterday. Let's remember that before we ask working families…

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Regulation

Backdoor $600 Million Tax Increase in Rumored Deal

• November 9, 2015

Backdoor $600 Million Tax Increase in Rumored Budget Deal Sales Tax for Property Tax Swap Rumor Leaves Taxpayers on the Hook November 9, 2015, Harrisburg, Pa.—The…

Press Release

State Budget

A Stealth Tax Increase?

• Nathan Benefield
• November 9, 2015

Rumors about a proposed budget continue to swirl in Harrisburg. One such rumor is that the deal would include an increase in the sales tax rate to be used for…

Media

Drop the “Phony Baloney” Liquor Reform

• Nathan Benefield
• November 9, 2015

Rumors around the state capitol suggest legislative leaders are closer to a state budget deal. But shockingly, Gov. Wolf continues to hold out for his ill-advised liquor improvement scheme.

Media

Public Union Democracy

Unions’ Pass to Harass Comes to End

• November 5, 2015

Unions' Pass to Harass Comes to End  Wolf Signs Bill Closing Union Violence Loophole November 5, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Eight days after anti-harassment bill HB 874 hit his desk,…

Press Release

Regulation

Corporate Welfare and Cronyism in Bethlehem

• Elizabeth Stelle
• November 5, 2015

Election day was a quiet affair in most communities, but in Bethlehem residents used the a local election to protest the appearance of cronyism in connection with a new corporate…

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Public Union Democracy

Dear Kids

• Nathan Benefield
• November 4, 2015

On October 21, more than 100 days after his veto touched off Pennsylvania’s ongoing state budget impasse, Gov. Tom Wolf sent a letter to the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers…

Media

Transparency Trend Continues

• November 3, 2015

Here we go again. Yesterday the Pottsgrove School District reached an agreement with the local teachers union on a new contract. The details are, as Evan Brandt of The…

Media

Regulation

A PLCB Special: Red Ink

• November 3, 2015

Supporters of the state liquor monopoly defend the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) as a cash spigot for the state, which is one of the reasons they refuse to support privatization.

Media

Government Accountability

Union Dues fund SuperPAC Attack Ads

• Nathan Benefield
• November 2, 2015

Pennsylvanians for Judicial Reform—a new “SuperPAC” (technically an “Independent Expenditure Committee”) registered in August—has spent about $2.5 million on attack ads in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race. Who…

Media

Meet the Most Controversial Teacher in America

• Brittney Parker
• November 2, 2015

Rebecca Friedrichs is no stranger to controversy. A teacher and former union member, her case against the California Teachers Association will be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court…

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