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Education
2025 State of Education Spending in Pennsylvania
Overview The national trends impacting education in Pennsylvania in 2025 include an impending fiscal cliff, under-enrolled schools, and population decline, all of which lead to school closures…
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Education
Shadow School Choice: When Public Schools Turn Students Away
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Energy
IFO Data Shows Pennsylvania’s Emissions Success Story
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Public Union Democracy
Public vs. Private Employment & Pay
Pennsylvania's private sector lost 113,600 jobs while state and local governments added 40,200 positions between 2000 and 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At the same time, public-sector…
Fact Sheet
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Pennsylvania State & Local Taxpayer Debt
Gov. Ed Rendell frequently argues that Pennsylvania taxpayers can afford to incur more state debt. However, in order to justify the borrowing of billions of dollars, the governor conveniently ignores…
Fact Sheet
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Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: May 2010
With April collections in the book, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue reports that state General Fund revenues are $1.1 billion below estimate for the 2009-10 fiscal year.
Fact Sheet
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Transportation Special Session Survival Guide
Gov. Rendell has called a special session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to discuss transportation funding. Here are some resources on financing and managing Pennsylvania's transportation infrastructure.
Fact Sheet
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PA Budget Facts 2010: Pennsylvania Sales Tax Expansion
Gov. Rendell has proposed lowering Pennsylvania's Sales & Use Tax from 6% to 4% and expanding the tax to 74 goods and services currently not taxed. This is the fourth…
Fact Sheet
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Budget Facts 2010: Natural Gas Severance Tax
Gov. Rendell has proposed a tax of 5% on the value of extracted natural gas, plus $.047 per thousand cubic feet of extracted gas. There is an exemption for marginal…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2010: Natural Gas Severance TaxGovernment Accountability
The Case for a Citizen Legislature
The operating cost of the Pennsylvania General Assembly has steadily increased, while Pennsylvania's economy has been stagnant. The Keystone State's burden of state and local taxes is among the heaviest…
Fact Sheet
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Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: March 2010
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue reports that through the end of February, state General Fund revenues are $477 million below estimate for the 2009-10 fiscal year.
Fact Sheet
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Budget Facts 2010: Spending Increases by Department
Pennsylvania faces a projected General Fund tax revenue shortfall of at least $500 million. Governor Rendell proposed a $29 billion budget for 2010-11, that increases businesses taxes, imposes new taxes…
Fact Sheet
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Budget Facts 2010: Pennsylvania State Budget Overview
Pennsylvania faces a projected General Fund tax revenue shortfall of at least $500 million. Governor Rendell proposed a $29 billion General Fund budget for 2010-11, that increases businesses taxes, imposes…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2010: Pennsylvania State Budget OverviewEnergy
Business Guide to Electric Choice & Competition
In the late 1990s, Pennsylvania's electricity rates were 15% above the national average, despite the abundance of low-cost coal generation in the Commonwealth. At that time, electricity was sold by…
Fact Sheet
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Climategate & Penn State
Just days after news broke about what has been dubbed "Climategate," Penn State University (PSU) announced that it would investigate the conduct of Michael Mann, a professor in PSU's Department…
Fact Sheet
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Citizen’s Guide to Electric Choice & Competition
In the late 1990s, Pennsylvania's electricity rates were 15% above the national average, despite the abundance of low-cost coal generation in the Commonwealth. At that time, electricity was sold by…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Citizen’s Guide to Electric Choice & CompetitionGovernment Accountability
Spending Transparency & Accountability
There is a national movement to make government spending and finances accessible to taxpayers. Pennsylvania lags behind, but state lawmakers are moving toward greater transparency.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Spending Transparency & AccountabilityRegulation
Pennsylvania Pensions and Taxes
Pennsylvania's statewide pension plans for public school employees, state workers, legislators, judges and other government employees - the Public School Employee Retirement System (PSERS) and the State Employee Retirement System…
Fact Sheet
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Alternative Energy Mandates
Pennsylvania law requires utility companies to produce a certain percentage of their electricity from alternative sources in future years. Proposed legislation would increase this percentage and require new carbon sequestration…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Alternative Energy MandatesRegulation
Government-Run Liquor Stores: The Social Impact of Privatization
Evidence from 48 states over time shows no link between market controls and these social goals. Divestiture of Pennsylvania's state liquor stores would represent a financial windfall to the state,…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Government-Run Liquor Stores: The Social Impact of PrivatizationHealth Care
Guide to National Health Care Reform Proposals
President Obama has pushed national health care reform, making it a priority. While there is no official "Obama plan," and several different proposal in Congress, the leading proposals have several…
Fact Sheet
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Budget Facts 2009: Budget Deal = Budget Deficits
Unfortunately, even if the Pennsylvania economy recovered to unprecedented level in next two years, there is no way it could possibly produce enough tax revenue to bridge the budgetary canyon…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2009: Budget Deal = Budget DeficitsTaxes & Economy
Repealing Death Tax Will Create Jobs and Boost Economy in Pennsylvania
Eliminating the Death Tax could create over 1.5 million jobs for small and family business workers, including 64,442 jobs in Pennsylvania. An increase in the Death Tax rates to 55%…
Report
Read More: Repealing Death Tax Will Create Jobs and Boost Economy in PennsylvaniaCriminal Justice Reform
Pennsylvania Corrections Spending
Facing a massive budget deficit, and with sizeable financial obligations looming, Pennsylvania needs to re-examine how taxpayer dollars are spent. Spending on the Department of Corrections has grown far beyond…
Fact Sheet
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