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Government Accountability
Pa. Supreme Court Protects Private Property in New Ruling
Harrisburg, Pa., July 22, 2026 — In a 7–0 unanimous decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in Punxsutawney Hunting Club v. Pennsylvania Game Commission, sided with Pennsylvania landowners and ruled against warrantless searches on open fields. Under previous case law, the open…
Read More: Pa. Supreme Court Protects Private Property in New Ruling
Education
Commonwealth Foundation Releases Analysis on 2026-27 Budget Deal
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Releases Analysis on 2026-27 Budget Deal
Education
Pa. Lawmakers Pass 2026-27 State Budget, Blocking Shapiro’s Tax Hikes and Preserving Emergency Savings
Read More: Pa. Lawmakers Pass 2026-27 State Budget, Blocking Shapiro’s Tax Hikes and Preserving Emergency Savings
Education
Commonwealth Foundation Applauds Senate Republicans for Advancing Tax Relief and Expanding Educational Opportunity
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Applauds Senate Republicans for Advancing Tax Relief and Expanding Educational OpportunityEnergy
Pa. Voters Hit Hard by High Energy Costs, Say Energy Affordability is Important to their 2024 Vote
Harrisburg, Pa., March 19, 2024 — A significant majority of Pennsylvania voters (80 percent) say their household energy bills have increased over the past two years, including 34 percent who say…
Press Release
Read More: Pa. Voters Hit Hard by High Energy Costs, Say Energy Affordability is Important to their 2024 VoteEnergy
Governor Shapiro’s Disastrous Carbon Tax Hurts Families, Breaks Promises
Harrisburg, Pa., March 13, 2024 — Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced plans for an economy-wide “cap-and-invest” carbon pricing program, the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER)—a massive new tax that would substantially…
Press Release
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s Disastrous Carbon Tax Hurts Families, Breaks PromisesPublic Union Democracy
Public Sector Unions are Most Prominent Where Workers’ Rights are Limited
Harrisburg, Pa., March 11, 2024 — Overall union membership is declining in America, but the same is not true for public sector unions. Across the United States, 43.5 percent of state government…
Press Release
Read More: Public Sector Unions are Most Prominent Where Workers’ Rights are LimitedState Budget
Corporate Welfare Is Rampant Throughout Governor Shapiro’s Proposed Budget
Harrisburg, Pa., March 7, 2024 — Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2024–25 budget funnels $1.49 billion of taxpayer money to corporate welfare programs that have repeatedly failed to improve Pennsylvania’s economic competitiveness,…
Press Release
Read More: Corporate Welfare Is Rampant Throughout Governor Shapiro’s Proposed BudgetRegulation
Stefano: Occupational licensing holds Pennsylvania back
Hairdressers and make-up artists alike have to deal with excessive and onerous government regulations to earn a living, explains Commonwealth Foundation Executive Vice President and Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Jennifer Stefano in her recent …
Press Release
Read More: Stefano: Occupational licensing holds Pennsylvania backState Budget
Governor’s Proposed Budget Would Balloon Deficit to More Than $6 BILLION
Harrisburg, Pa., February 28, 2024 — Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed $48.3 billion budget would expand Pennsylvania’s structural deficit to more than $6 billion by 2028 and lead to major tax increases,…
Press Release
Read More: Governor’s Proposed Budget Would Balloon Deficit to More Than $6 BILLIONRegulation
State Law, Financial Experts, and the Governor Himself Condemn Budget Plan to Raid Rainy Day Fund
Harrisburg, Pa., February 19, 2024 — Pennsylvania significantly improved its fiscal standing over the last few years by making deposits into the Rainy Day Fund. Pennsylvania has gone from among the…
Press Release
Read More: State Law, Financial Experts, and the Governor Himself Condemn Budget Plan to Raid Rainy Day FundEducation
Commonwealth Foundation’s Nathan Benefield Releases Analysis of the Governor’s 2024 Budget Proposal
Harrisburg, Pa., February 8, 2024 — The spending increases proposed by Gov. Josh Shapiro in his recently released 2024 budget proposal “would explode the budget deficit and invite massive tax hikes on…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation’s Nathan Benefield Releases Analysis of the Governor’s 2024 Budget ProposalEducation
Gov. Shapiro’s Proposed Budget Demonstrates Startling Fiscal Irresponsibility
Harrisburg, Pa., February 6, 2024 — Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his 2024 Pennsylvania budget address in the Capitol rotunda. His speech, lasting approximately an hour and a half, included proposals…
Press Release
Read More: Gov. Shapiro’s Proposed Budget Demonstrates Startling Fiscal IrresponsibilityEducation
Stefano: Do-nothing Dems in the Pa. House hold bipartisan reforms hostage
Pennsylvania is losing people and industries to other states as a result of the state’s “crippling economic policies,” writes Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and Commonwealth Foundation Executive Vice President Jennifer Stefano in her Monday Inquirer …
Press Release
Read More: Stefano: Do-nothing Dems in the Pa. House hold bipartisan reforms hostageState Budget
Spice Up Gov. Shapiro’s 2024 Budget Speech with Budget Address BINGO
Harrisburg, Pa., February 5, 2024 — Ahead of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s second annual budget address, the Commonwealth Foundation invites you to spice up the governor’s upcoming speech with a game of Budget…
Press Release
Read More: Spice Up Gov. Shapiro’s 2024 Budget Speech with Budget Address BINGOState Budget
Commonwealth Foundation Releases Video and Materials from Nathan Benefield’s 2024 Budget Briefing
Harrisburg, Pa., January 25, 2024 — Commonwealth Foundation’s state budget expert Nathan Benefield yesterday provided reporters background on the state’s current financial situation and budget projections in anticipation of the 2024 Pennsylvania…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Releases Video and Materials from Nathan Benefield’s 2024 Budget BriefingEnergy
Commonwealth Foundation Urges Gov. Shapiro: Reject New Energy Taxes
Harrisburg, Pa., January 23, 2024 — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation launched a new ad campaign holding Gov. Josh Shapiro accountable for his broken promise on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Urges Gov. Shapiro: Reject New Energy TaxesState Budget
Commonwealth Foundation to Brief on Gov. Shapiro’s Upcoming Budget
Harrisburg, Pa., January 18, 2024 — Commonwealth Foundation’s budget expert Nathan Benefield will host a media conference call on January 24, 2024, to discuss Gov. Josh Shapiro’s upcoming budget…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation to Brief on Gov. Shapiro’s Upcoming BudgetEducation
Stefano: Can Cherelle Parker deliver justice for Philly kids?
Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and Commonwealth Foundation Executive Vice President Jennifer Stefano wrote in her column this week that Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker can be a force to help enact school choice policies,…
Press Release
Read More: Stefano: Can Cherelle Parker deliver justice for Philly kids?Education
Basic Education Funding Commission’s Adopted Report Is a Partisan Misfire
Harrisburg, Pa., January 11, 2024 — Today, the Basic Education Funding Commission released its funding recommendations for Pennsylvania’s 500 public school districts. The commission, comprised of a bipartisan group of lawmakers and Shapiro…
Press Release
Read More: Basic Education Funding Commission’s Adopted Report Is a Partisan MisfireEducation
Another $6 BILLION Increase in Education Spending Is a Recipe for Failure
Harrisburg, Pa., January 10, 2024 — This week, the Basic Education Funding Commission—a bipartisan, 15-member group of lawmakers and administration officials—faces a deadline to release its funding report detailing the commission’s…
Press Release
Read More: Another $6 BILLION Increase in Education Spending Is a Recipe for FailureEducation
Pennsylvania’s Most Common Education Choice Myths—Debunked
Harrisburg, Pa., January 4, 2024 — The Commonwealth Foundation today released a report addressing the most common myths about education spending, the success of educational choice programs, and the need for programs…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Most Common Education Choice Myths—DebunkedEducation
Stefano: Why Penn’s sudden defense of free speech feels disingenuous
For years, conservatives have called on institutions of higher learning to recommit themselves to open inquiry and tolerance for politically unpopular speech. What’s changed? University of Pennsylvania faculty are calling…
Press Release
Read More: Stefano: Why Penn’s sudden defense of free speech feels disingenuousTaxes & Economy
Pa.’s Population Continues Its Troubling Decline
Harrisburg, Pa., December 20, 2023 — Pennsylvania’s population continues to decline, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report showing a total loss of 10,408 residents between July 2022 and July 2023.
Press Release
Read More: Pa.’s Population Continues Its Troubling DeclineEducation
Commonwealth Foundation Pa. Survey Finds President Biden, Donald Trump in Dead Heat
Harrisburg, Pa., December 19, 2023 — When it comes to candidates who Pennsylvanians are unwilling to vote for, Joe Biden and Donald Trump are in a dead heat, according to a…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Pa. Survey Finds President Biden, Donald Trump in Dead Heat