Latest Content
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…
Read More: 2025 State of Education Spending in Pennsylvania
Public Union Democracy
Government Union Political Spending in Pennsylvania’s 2023–24 Election Cycle
Read More: Government Union Political Spending in Pennsylvania’s 2023–24 Election Cycle
Public Union Democracy
Protecting Public Employees’ Personal Information
Read More: Protecting Public Employees’ Personal InformationHealth 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
Read More: Guide to National Health Care Reform ProposalsState Budget
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
Read More: Pennsylvania Corrections SpendingState Budget
Pennsylvania State Debt
In addition to the state operating budget, Pennsylvania lawmakers each year pass a capital budget, outlining how much the state can borrow, and detailing projects which may be funded through…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania State DebtHealth Care
The Prognosis for National Health Insurance: A Pennsylvania Perspective
In 1960, the private sector funded over three quarters of the nation’s health care expenditures. Individuals paid nearly one-half of the total national health care expenditures through out of pocket…
Report
Read More: The Prognosis for National Health Insurance: A Pennsylvania PerspectiveState Budget
How Do Pennsylvania Taxes Stack Up?
Since 1990, Pennsylvania has gone from 24th in state and local tax burden to 11th. Yet Gov. Rendell has proposed another round of tax hikes—including raising the state…
Fact Sheet
Read More: How Do Pennsylvania Taxes Stack Up?Regulation
Pennsylvania’s Flawed Film Tax Credit: What the ERA study won’t tell you
The Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee contracted with Economics Research Associates (ERA)1 to analyze Pennsylvania’s Film Tax Credit (FTC). In general, the ERA report, “Pennsylvania’s Film Production Tax Credit…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Flawed Film Tax Credit: What the ERA study won’t tell youEnergy
Electricity Restructuring and Rate Caps
With electricity rate caps expiring, state lawmakers are concerned that Pennsylvanians will see steep increases in their utility bills. What will happen as the electricity deregulation, which is more accurately…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Electricity Restructuring and Rate CapsState Budget
Budget Facts 2009: PA State Budget Overview
Pennsylvania faces a $3 billion tax revenue shortfall in the state’s General Fund Budget. Competing proposals from Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican-led Senate differ on raising taxes and reducing/reprioritizing spending.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2009: PA State Budget OverviewRegulation
Budget Facts 2009: Cigarette Taxes
Pennsylvania faces a $3 billion tax revenue shortfall in the state’s General Fund Budget. Competing proposals from Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican-led Senate differ on raising taxes and reducing/reprioritizing…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2009: Cigarette TaxesState Budget
Budget Facts 2009: Natural Gas Severance Tax
Pennsylvania faces a $3 billion tax revenue shortfall in the state’s General Fund Budget. Competing proposals from Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican-led Senate differ on raising taxes and reducing/reprioritizing…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2009: Natural Gas Severance TaxState Budget
Budget Facts 2009: Personal Income Tax and Job Losses
Pennsylvania faces a $3 billion tax revenue shortfall in the state's General Fund Budget. Competing proposals from Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican-led Senate differ on raising taxes and reducing/reprioritizing…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2009: Personal Income Tax and Job LossesEducation
Budget Facts 2009: Spending Increases by Department
Pennsylvania faces a $3 billion tax revenue shortfall in the state’s General Fund Budget. Competing proposals from Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican-led Senate differ on raising taxes and reducing/reprioritizing…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2009: Spending Increases by DepartmentEducation
Budget Facts 2009: State Education Spending
Pennsylvania faces a $3 billion tax revenue shortfall in the state’s General Fund Budget. Competing proposals from Gov. Ed Rendell and the Republican-led Senate differ on raising taxes and reducing/reprioritizing…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Budget Facts 2009: State Education SpendingRegulation
A Tale of Three Cities: Pennsylvania’s Retiree and Medical Liability Challenges
Pennsylvania maintains over 3,000 public pension plans at the state, city and municipal levels, the most of any state and approximately 25% of all such plans in America. Over 2,200…
Fact Sheet
Read More: A Tale of Three Cities: Pennsylvania’s Retiree and Medical Liability ChallengesGovernment Accountability
Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009
Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009 identifies $5 billion in unhealthy state spending in FY 2008-09 and offers a series of recommendations to both resolve the current revenue shortfall…
Report
Read More: Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2009Education
High Costs of Higher Education: Reforming How Pennsylvania Taxpayers Finance Colleges and Universities
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has long been considered a leader in higher education, touting a publicly supported system that includes community colleges, state, state-related, and state-aided universities. However, as with…
Fact Sheet
Read More: High Costs of Higher Education: Reforming How Pennsylvania Taxpayers Finance Colleges and UniversitiesEducation
Pennsylvania State Education Association: Compelling Teachers, Marginalizing Students, Lobbying Politicians & Increasing Taxes
Originally founded as the Pennsylvania State Teachers Association in 1852, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) has transformed itself from a professional development organization for educators into one of the…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania State Education Association: Compelling Teachers, Marginalizing Students, Lobbying Politicians & Increasing TaxesState Budget
Water and Sewer Ballot Question
When Pennsylvania voters head to the polls on November 4, 2008, they will also be asked to vote "YES" or "NO" on a ballot measure which would allow the state…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Water and Sewer Ballot QuestionHealth Care
Health Care Reform
Reform in health care should follow a few key principles: Give individuals and employers more choices in health care. Give them more freedom in choosing health care options.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Health Care Reform