Elizabeth Stelle
Director of Policy Analysis
Elizabeth has researched and written on government reform, health care, welfare, energy, and government transparency. Her work has been featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Patriot-News, Philadelphia Inquirer, and a variety of radio and television programs throughout the commonwealth. Elizabeth is a graduate of Grove City College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in history.
A native of Ohio, Elizabeth makes her home in the Pittsburgh area with her husband and four children. She enjoys swimming, traveling to historic landmarks and exploring the moral foundations of capitalism.
Education
Taxing Tuition: The Future of Higher Education?
With Pittsburgh on the brink of bankruptcy thanks to its continual out-of-control spending, Mayor Ravenstahl and his allies on City Council have hatched a new scheme to collect more money…
Commentary
Read More: Taxing Tuition: The Future of Higher Education?Education
Teacher Merit Pay May Come to Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh City Schools may soon finalize their second huge grant. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is granting the system $40 million over 6 and half years to improve…
Media
Read More: Teacher Merit Pay May Come to PittsburghTaxes & Economy
Electric Choice is Gaining Steam
With the expiration of rate caps in 2010 I've been tracking the entrance of new residential suppliers in the central PA electricity market. These days it's rare to see actual…
Media
Read More: Electric Choice is Gaining SteamGovernment Accountability
Shady State Contracts and the Need for Transparency
Auditor General Jack Wagner reprimanded the Department of General Services for their failure to execute and oversee state contracts. Since 2003 a large number of contracts have not been…
Media
Read More: Shady State Contracts and the Need for TransparencyRegulation
PA Should Heed Europe’s Experience with Renewables
Last month the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released Pennsylvania’s Climate Change Action plan. While touting the creation of “green jobs”, it did not advocate increasing PA’s…
Media
Read More: PA Should Heed Europe’s Experience with RenewablesGovernment Accountability
Break Up SEPTA
How can Pennsylvania lawmakers avoid this mess? The first step is to open mass transit in Philadelphia to competitive contracting, whereby private companies would compete to operate SEPTA's network.
Commentary
Read More: Break Up SEPTATaxes & Economy
More Proof that Government Spending Hurts the Economy
The Tax Foundation highlights a new NBER paper by Harvard economists, “Large Changes in Fiscal Policy: Taxes Versus Spending,” which analyzes the fiscal policies of OECD countries from…
Media
Read More: More Proof that Government Spending Hurts the EconomyEducation
Privatizing School Bus Drivers
In last Tuesday’s race for Central Dauphin school board candidates clashed over the privatization of the district’s busing. The pro-privatization candidate- Chris Judd narrowly won, but that hasn’t silenced the…
Media
Read More: Privatizing School Bus DriversGovernment Accountability
Transparency and Performance in Government
The Mercatus Center has a new working paper on the importance of government transparency. Authors Jerry Brito and Drew Perrault argue that, “Transparency is a means to an end…
Media
Read More: Transparency and Performance in GovernmentTaxes & Economy
Turnpike Drama Continues
Turnpike Officials have admitted that a grand jury has been investigating the commission for at least five months. Although this investigation is separate from the shady dealings surrounding the Valley…
Media
Read More: Turnpike Drama ContinuesState Budget
Spending Limits: Not Special Exemptions
Yesterday, Republican state Rep. Sam Rohrer of Berks County introduced legislation to help local governments cope with declining revenues, ever-increasing amounts of regulation and new programs from…
Media
Read More: Spending Limits: Not Special ExemptionsEducation
Privatizing State Universities
In wake of a state budget crisis and a temporary infusion of stimulus funds, Colorado State University is considering a partial privatization of the public university. By 2011, it will…
Media
Read More: Privatizing State UniversitiesEducation
Despite Recession, Pennsylvania College Costs Increase
On Tuesday, the College Board released their annual report on tuition and financial aid. Despite a national recession, college tuition is still rising at an alarming pace. On average,…
Media
Read More: Despite Recession, Pennsylvania College Costs IncreaseTaxes & Economy
Competition Emerges as PPL Completes Supply Auctions
Yesterday, PPL completed it’s last auction to for power to serve customers after rate caps expire on January 1st 2010. PPL has been procuring power in phases since 2007 in…
Media
Read More: Competition Emerges as PPL Completes Supply AuctionsState Budget
100 Days Without a Budget and We’re Still Alive!
The budget impasse has been analogized and analyzed to death in the past couple months. It’s rich fodder for politico pundits and reporters. Some have compared it to a…
Media
Read More: 100 Days Without a Budget and We’re Still Alive!State Budget
PA Budget Deal Means Pledge-Breaking
Today GrassrootsPA features the five Pennsylvania lawmakers who signed, then violated, Americans For Tax Reform’s pledge to “oppose and vote against any and all efforts to raise taxes“.
Media
Read More: PA Budget Deal Means Pledge-BreakingRegulation
More Info on What WAMS are in PA Budget
The news service Capitolwire (subscription) has new information about the debate on WAMs in the budget, including a secret memo – disclaimed by all sides – explaining which…
Media
Read More: More Info on What WAMS are in PA BudgetEducation
Charter School Students Outperform Peers
The results of a recent study by a Stanford economist strengthens the case for charter schools by debunking the myth that charter school student outperform traditional students because…
Media
Read More: Charter School Students Outperform PeersRegulation
Hanger’s Flawed Defense of HB 80
Pennsylvania DEP Secretary John Hanger has an absurd editorial defending House Bill 80. His op-ed blatantly ignores the cost that the regulations in House Bill 80 would place…
Media
Read More: Hanger’s Flawed Defense of HB 80Education
Will Lawmakers Put Hollywood Before School Children?
Governor Rendell and three legislative caucuses are kicking low-income children out of their classrooms to fund handout to Big Hollywood studios. This is beyond bad policy – it’s blatant…
Media
Read More: Will Lawmakers Put Hollywood Before School Children?Education
Reform, Not More Spending, Key to College Affordability
This year's budget debate has generated several silly schemes, including a few related to higher education funding. But Gov. Rendell's proposed video poker tax and House Democrats' ploy to move university appropriations off-budget do…
Commentary
Read More: Reform, Not More Spending, Key to College Affordability