Research

State Budget

Summary of Governor Wolf’s 2015-2016 Budget Proposal

• Nathan Benefield
• March 12, 2015

General Fund spending is projected to reach $31.6 billion—the largest spending increase (8.7 percent) in 25 years. Gov. Wolf is proposing to move $1.75 billion in school pension payments to a…

Memo

Education

Student Funding Reform

• February 17, 2015

Pennsylvania ranks among the nation’s leaders in education spending per student. Although spending levels are high, the system for distributing state funding is outdated. Weighted student funding (WSF) is a…

Fact Sheet

Government Accountability

Political Spending by Government Unions During the 2014 Election

• February 11, 2015

The evidence is overwhelming: Unions use members' dues and taxpayer resources to push their political agenda. By passing paycheck protection, Pennsylvania can move toward leveling the political playing field, making…

Memo

Criminal Justice Reform

Pennsylvania State Budget Toolkit

• February 6, 2015

The enacted $29 billion General Fund budget (a 1.88 percent increase over 2013-2014) and $71.4 billion total operating budget represent Pennsylvania’s highest spending levels ever—exceeding years when federal stimulus dollars…

Fact Sheet

State Budget

Pennsylvania State Budget Trends, 2015

• February 6, 2015

The enacted $29 billion General Fund budget (a 1.88 percent increase over 2013-2014) and $71.4 billion total operating budget represent Pennsylvania’s highest spending levels ever—exceeding years when federal stimulus dollars…

Fact Sheet

Regulation

Five Steps Toward a Balanced Budget

• February 5, 2015

The consequences of overspending have plagued Pennsylvania for years. This year is no different. Lawmakers are tasked with eliminating a projected budget deficit of nearly $1.7 billion, according to forecasts…

Memo

York City School District: Academic Performance

• October 10, 2014

York City SD ranked 499 out of 500 districts on the Department of Education’s 2012-13 State Performance Profile( SPP), with a score of 46.5.

Fact Sheet

Education

Assessing the Cost of Tom Wolf’s Spending and Tax Proposals

• October 8, 2014

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf has proposed several new spending initiatives and tax code changes, though specific details remain lacking. To give Pennsylvanians a better idea of the impact of these proposals,…

Memo

State Budget

The Taxpayer Protection Act

• September 16, 2014

Due to 40 years of government overspending, state and local taxes now cost Pennsylvanians $4,374 per person, equaling 10.3% of resident’s total income. Pennsylvania currently has the 10th highest state and…

Fact Sheet

Education

Ten Thousand Lifeboats

• September 11, 2014

In 2001, Pennsylvania became the first state in the nation to enact an education tax credit aimed at corporations. Since then, the popular Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program has…

Fact Sheet

Education

Education Spending Poll

• August 26, 2014

Nearly three-quarters of Pennsylvania voters underestimate the amount the state spends on education. And when informed of the facts, support for boosting education funding by hiking taxes dropped significantly.

Poll

Education

Philadelphia School Trends, 2002-03 to 2012-13

• August 1, 2014

The School District of Philadelphia is in desperate need of reform, but its many problems cannot be solved by simply raising taxes and increasing spending.

Fact Sheet

Public Union Democracy

Triple Threat Pension Debt

• June 18, 2014

At more than $50 billion in debt our pension plans for state and school workers are among the worst funded in the country. Without reform, Pennsylvanians face cuts to services, teacher layoffs, higher…

Poll

Education

Five Facts on Pennsylvania Public Schools

• June 4, 2014

The Pennsylvania Department of Education recently released its annual summary of public school finances for the 2012-13 school year. Here are some basic facts about school finances and spending,…

Fact Sheet

Regulation

Stopping the Sinkhole

• May 27, 2014

Evidence from the private sector and some reformed public sector pension programs shows that pension reform is possible and creates significant savings to firms in the private sector and taxpayers…

Report

State Budget

2014 Pennsylvania State Budget

• May 15, 2014

Governor Corbett's proposed budget of $29.4 billion in General Fund spending (a 3.3% increase) and $71.8 billion in spending from all funds represents Pennsylvania's highest spending levels ever—exceeding years when…

Fact Sheet

Taxes & Economy

Dangers of a Severance Tax

• Elizabeth Stelle
• May 7, 2014

Given the fiscal challenges facing the state, many advocacy groups are calling for new taxes on natural gas. However, lawmakers should be aware that a severance tax will make Pennsylvania…

Memo

Public Union Democracy

Government Unions’ Political Spending

• April 8, 2014

Currently, state and local governments, including school districts, use taxpayer-funded payroll systems and public employee time to collect union campaign contributions to candidates as well as union membership dues, a…

Fact Sheet

Taxes & Economy

The Harmful Effects of a Minimum Wage Increase

• April 7, 2014

In his 2014 State of the Union address, President Obama proposed increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour. Although it sounds beneficial to low-wage workers, minimum wage…

Fact Sheet

Regulation

Blueprint for a Prosperous Pennsylvania

• Elizabeth Stelle, Jessica Barnett
• February 3, 2014

Over the past six fiscal years, the commonwealth has spent more than it has taken in.  This fiscal gap is projected to widen as expenditures are on pace to grow…

Report

Government Accountability

Answering the Critics About Paycheck Protection

• Nathan Benefield
• January 23, 2014

Under current law and contracts, it’s permissible for a school district’s personnel office to act as the collection agent for Political Action Committee contributions and membership dues…

Memo