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Education
Key Takeaways from Governor’s 2024 Budget Proposal
Key Points Gov. Josh Shapiro’s startling spending increases and myriad of new initiatives would explode the budget deficit and invite massive tax hikes on working families in the coming years.
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Energy
Pa. Travelers’ Guide: Summer Gasoline Prices
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The Race to Rebuild: How Pennsylvania Can Bounce Back After COVID-19
Pennsylvanians continue to struggle amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and government restrictions. Small business owners face permanent closure, children’s schooling is in disarray, and job seekers have few prospects. Families need…
Report
Read More: The Race to Rebuild: How Pennsylvania Can Bounce Back After COVID-19State Budget
How to Balance the State Budget without Raising Taxes in a Pandemic
Reducing spending to reflect how the pandemic impacted state agencies and balance the budget without tax hikes or borrowing is the first step. Without additional structural spending changes laid out in…
Backgrounder
Read More: How to Balance the State Budget without Raising Taxes in a Pandemic
Are Public Schools Underfunded?
Pennsylvania spends more per student than the vast majority of states. Education spending has significantly increased over the past decade. Scroll down to see how much funding your district receives…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Are Public Schools Underfunded?Regulation
Help Restaurants by Privatizing the PLCB
Clearly, Gov. Wolf looks out of touch—and perhaps he knows it. Last week, following his veto, he released a proposal to waiver license fees collected by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB)…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Help Restaurants by Privatizing the PLCB
And Then What? Reforms Beyond the Current Budget
In any case, the budget will get balanced. For Pennsylvanians, the real question is: “And then what?” Pennsylvania’s budget problems preceded the virus shutdown and will continue long after it without real reform. Listed below are areas where lawmakers…
Backgrounder
Read More: And Then What? Reforms Beyond the Current BudgetHealth Care
How to Vote in PA Q&A
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. In Pennsylvania, voters are navigating how to cast their ballots during this pandemic era. …
Fact Sheet
Read More: How to Vote in PA Q&AFairness
Protecting the Rights of Pennsylvania Public Employees
Key Points Pennsylvania state law grants unions exclusive bargaining rights in government workplaces, makes it difficult for workers to leave their union, and allows taxpayer collection of union political money.Through…
Backgrounder
Read More: Protecting the Rights of Pennsylvania Public Employees
Regulatory Reform: Three Ways to Jumpstart the Post-COVID Economy
At the beginning of April, over 80% of small businesses were at risk of closing if the shutdown continued for five more months. As of July, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce…
Backgrounder
Read More: Regulatory Reform: Three Ways to Jumpstart the Post-COVID Economy
How to Balance the Budget: Revenue Options
Pennsylvania’s partial-year budget to fund the government through November relied on federal emergency aid to patch a prospective deficit. The state cannot count on such extra resources in the future.
Backgrounder
Read More: How to Balance the Budget: Revenue OptionsHealth Care
Preserving Medicaid Before It’s Too Late
Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program is a national leader in all the wrong ways. Sub-standard access to care and soaring enrollment, costs, and fraud crowd out services for people with intellectual disabilities and low-income…
Backgrounder
Read More: Preserving Medicaid Before It’s Too LateHealth Care
COVID-19 Could Change the Way Pennsylvania Does Business
Small business owners like Elvira, Jessa, and Andy deserve a fighting chance to keep their business dreams alive. That’s the only way to heal Pennsylvania’s economy.
Fact Sheet
Read More: COVID-19 Could Change the Way Pennsylvania Does BusinessState Budget
Marijuana Money Can’t Fix the Budget
The dollars involved are small and legalization would create new expenses.
Memo
Read More: Marijuana Money Can’t Fix the BudgetHealth Care
Preserving Medicaid: How to Stop Shortchanging Patients and Bankrupting Taxpayers
Pennsylvania is a Medicaid leader in all the wrong ways. Enrollment has skyrocketed beyond population growth, and the state ranks fourth in the share of the state budget consumed by Medicaid.
Report
Read More: Preserving Medicaid: How to Stop Shortchanging Patients and Bankrupting TaxpayersEducation
Unleashing Educational Opportunity
Applying cautious estimates, this study finds that the two private school choice programs in Pennsylvania are expected to provide billions in long-run economic benefits from higher lifetime earnings, fewer high…
Report
Read More: Unleashing Educational OpportunityEducation
Pa. has $1 billion in CARES aid left. Where should it go?
As the pandemic slows, it’s time to step back and reevaluate Pennsylvania’s remaining needs for coronavirus relief. How can our state government ensure that the citizens and businesses who most…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pa. has $1 billion in CARES aid left. Where should it go?Criminal Justice Reform
Probation Reform Proposals Prioritize Public Safety and Cost Savings
The next step toward smart justice? Probation reform to reduce caseloads, prevent reoffending, produce savings, and break down unnecessary roadblocks to success.
Memo
Read More: Probation Reform Proposals Prioritize Public Safety and Cost SavingsEducation
The Race to Rebuild: How Pa. Can Bounce Back After COVID-19
Pennsylvanians are facing some of the biggest challenges of their lifetimes. It is time for lawmakers to launch a race to rebuild Pennsylvania using the following policy solutions.
Report
Read More: The Race to Rebuild: How Pa. Can Bounce Back After COVID-19Regulation
Competition, Not Corporate Welfare: 3 Ways to Help All Businesses Flourish
To effectively promote economic growth and job creation, policymakers need to stop investing tax dollars in failed programs and start enacting policies that benefit a wide range of job creators.
Memo
Read More: Competition, Not Corporate Welfare: 3 Ways to Help All Businesses FlourishEnergy
Pa. Can Energize Its Energy Sector by Cutting Red Tape—Not with Industry Subsidies
This week the state legislature passed House Bill 732. The bill—designed to exempt volunteer service providers from a 1 percent realty transfer tax— now offers tax credits to the…
Memo
Read More: Pa. Can Energize Its Energy Sector by Cutting Red Tape—Not with Industry SubsidiesGovernment Accountability
5 Ways Lawmakers can Avert a COVID-19 Lawsuit Frenzy
The economy is reopening, but the threat of lawsuits from COIVD-19 exposure is just beginning.
Fact Sheet
Read More: 5 Ways Lawmakers can Avert a COVID-19 Lawsuit FrenzyPublic Union Democracy
Public-Sector Unions Two Years After Janus v. AFSCME
Two years after Janus freed workers from forced union fees, public sector employees are still fighting for greater protection.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Public-Sector Unions Two Years After Janus v. AFSCME