Media

Health Care

Affordable Care Act Brings Unaffordable Premium Hikes

• Elizabeth Stelle
• June 11, 2015

Pennsylvania insurance companies are asking for dramatic premium hikes on exchange plans. Highmark underestimated the cost of care for individuals on the exchange and is now requesting a 23%…

Media

State Budget

Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Budget Hurts Everyone

• Jonathan Reginella
• June 11, 2015

Despite Gov. Wolf campaigning on giving the middle-class a tax cut, his budget plan will raise taxes for every income group. Disapproval of his tax plan was made…

Media

Education

Will Tax Shifting Help Public Schools?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 10, 2015

As I pointed out yesterday in a chart and blog post, Pennsylvania spends significantly more per student on public schools than the national average. Moreover, increased spending has…

Media

Taxes & Economy

The Invisible Severance Tax

• June 10, 2015

Did you know Pennsylvania imposes a severance tax on natural gas workers? It’s known as an impact fee, but it operates just like a severance tax.    The fee…

Media

Gas tax critics champion, not oppose, progress

• June 10, 2015

Media Hit

Regulation

Wolf’s Cradle-to-Grave Tax Plan Burdens Families, Sacrifices Jobs

• June 10, 2015

Wolf’s Cradle-to-Grave Tax Plan Burdens Families,Sacrifices Jobs Prioritizing—Not Increasing—Spending is Better for Everyone Good morning, Gov. Wolf’s cradle-to-grave tax plan asks Pennsylvanians to sacrifice some big-ticket items—$1,400 per…

Press Release

Education

Chart: Education Funding Per Student

• Nathan Benefield
• June 9, 2015

There is an ongoing myth that Pennsylvania underfunds public schools because our “state share” is low. Let’s set the record straight. As a reminder, schools receive revenue from local, state,…

Media

PA overtime costs hit two-decade record last year

• June 9, 2015

Media Hit

Union stalls liquor privatization

• June 9, 2015

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

Audio: The True Impact of a Severance Tax

• Jonathan Reginella
• June 8, 2015

Gov. Wolf justifies his proposed natural gas severance tax with populist rhetoric, claiming Pennsylvania’s gas drillers aren’t paying their “fair share.” This is far from accurate. Gas drillers paid more…

Media

Government Accountability

Podcast: Who Killed Harrisburg?

• June 8, 2015

Who killed Harrisburg? That’s the question award-winning investigative reporter Chris Papst answers in his new book Capital Murder, which chronicles how Harrisburg became the only capital city in American…

Media

Philly school district’s fuzzy math clouds legit budget deficit

• June 8, 2015

Media Hit

State Budget

Audio: Gov. Wolf’s Budget Harms Workers at All Income Levels

• Jonathan Reginella
• June 5, 2015

At the same time Gov. Wolf is claiming his budget proposal will bring a net tax reduction, an Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) study reveals his proposal would actually inflict…

Media

Regulation

Testimony: Pension Inaction Puts Public Employees at Risk

• June 4, 2015

Pension Inaction Puts Public Employees at Risk New Retirement Plan Will Protect Teachers, Troopers, State Workers, and Taxpayers Good morning, Despite Pennsylvania’s public pension costs jumping $2 billion—or $600…

Press Release

Guilty Until Proven Innocent

• Nathan Benefield
• June 3, 2015

The presumption of innocence is at the heart of our nation’s criminal justice system. Yet here in Pennsylvania you can lose your property without ever being convicted of a crime—and…

Media

Education

Charters Drowning in Red Tape

• James Paul
• June 3, 2015

What could your family, business, or place of work do with an extra 700 hours? This is a question Pennsylvania charter schools are likely asking after a new report from…

Media

Let the Sun Shine There, Not Here

• June 3, 2015

Media Hit

Another levy could undermine a profitable industry for Pa.

• June 3, 2015

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

All Pennsylvanians Would Pay for Nation’s Highest Severance Tax

• Jonathan Reginella
• June 2, 2015

Gov. Wolf proposed a natural gas extraction tax on Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry to make drillers pay what union special interests dub their “fair share.” In testimony to…

Media

State Budget

Zero Votes for Wolf Tax Hikes

• Nathan Benefield
• June 2, 2015

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted on Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed tax increase—the largest in Pennsylvania’s history. The tax proposal failed by a 0-193 vote. That’s right, not a…

Media

Armed with powerful lobbyists, union stonewalls liquor privatization in PA

• June 1, 2015

Media Hit