Staff

Government Accountability

Gov. Wolf Can Lead by Example on Transparency

• March 17, 2016

Today Gov. Wolf unveiled a series of reforms aimed at increasing transparency and improving how government works. The plan includes limits on campaign contributions and a governmentwide gift ban. However, the governor's attempt…

Media

State Budget

Wolf Threatens to Shut Schools with Budget Veto

• March 16, 2016

Wolf Threatens to Shut Schools with Budget Veto Balanced, No-Tax-Hike Budget with Record School Spending Nearing Wolf’s Desk March 16 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—With school districts across…

Press Release

Government Accountability

Wolf on Transparency: Do As I Say, Not As I do

• March 16, 2016

Note: Gov. Wolf's press conference referred to below was cancelled.  Wolf on Transparency: Do As I Say, Not As I Do Gov. Calls for Openness, Negotiates $3.6…

Press Release

State Budget

Wolf’s Bad Budget Bluffs

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 16, 2016

The Senate just passed and the House will soon vote on another no-tax-hike, balanced budget for fiscal year 2015-16. Gov. Wolf has already promised to veto it. Remarkably, the governor…

Media

Regulation

Taxpayers on the Hook for Wolf’s Spending Binge

• Nathan Benefield
• March 15, 2016

Despite the lack of a completed state budget, and no support for his unpopular tax hike proposals, Gov. Wolf continues to rack up additional costs for taxpayers:  Wolf's…

Media

Government Accountability

Gov. Wolf’s Self-Created Constitutional Conflict

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 14, 2016

Rep. Bill Adolph accused the Wolf administration of creating a budget crisis during Thursday's final House Appropriations Committee budget hearing. In an op-ed published Friday,…

Media

Education

Wolf’s “Plague” on Public Education

• James Paul
• March 11, 2016

Schools across Pennsylvania are feeling the squeeze from Gov. Tom Wolf’s $3 billion education funding cut. In Red Lion, Carbondale, Plum, and Erie—to name just…

Media

Regulation

Breaking Promises to Fund Broken Programs

• March 11, 2016

During his gubernatorial campaign, Tom Wolf promised to reduce taxes on working people. As a matter of fact, his campaign attacked Gov. Corbett for raising taxes. An October 2014 campaign blog…

Media

Taxes & Economy

See Yinz Later

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 11, 2016

The commonwealth, on net, loses one person every 12.5 minutes. Some say it's all about the weather, but a recent Gallup poll found another reason. Across…

Media

Regulation

$56 Billion & Counting: PA’s Pension Liability

• James Paul
• March 10, 2016

The state pension boards testified before the General Assembly this week and reported a combined unfunded liability of more than $56 billion. Contrary to claims that “we should let…

Media

Government Accountability

The Price of Secret Negotiations

• March 9, 2016

The cost of compensating the state's workforce is nearly $93,000 per public employee. This illustrates why Pennsylvania’s collective bargaining process, which permits the politically powerful to operate in secret, must be reformed to…

Media

Regulation

Poll: How Can Pennsylvania Beat Florida?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 8, 2016

In the Wall Street Journal, Florida Governor Rick Scott makes a mockery of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and his quest to raise taxes, calling Wolf one of his “favorite governors.”…

Media

Taxes & Economy

The Dark Side of Raising the Wage

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 8, 2016

Eunice Medina is a childcare worker living in Oakland, California. Last March, the city instituted a $12.55 minimum wage, leaving Eunice with fewer workdays and reduced hours. Across the…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Wolf’s Wage Hike: Big Promises, Bigger Fallout

• March 7, 2016

Wolf’s Wage Hike: Big Promises, Bigger Fallout Governor Unilaterally Raises Minimum Wage for State Workers, But at What Cost? March 7, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today, Gov. Wolf will…

Press Release

Regulation

Why Did Wolf Veto PERC Funding?

• Nathan Benefield
• March 7, 2016

Some positive news emerged last week, Gov. Wolf agreed—as part of a lawsuit filed by Rep. Steve Bloom and Rep. Seth Grove—to a temporary deal to keep the Public…

Media

Regulation

Should Economic Power Reside in Harrisburg?

• March 4, 2016

Pennsylvania leads the nation…in corporate welfare. Since 2007, the commonwealth doled out more than $5.7 billion in economic subsidies to private organizations, which is just one of the many startling…

Media

Paycheck Protection Action Alert

• March 2, 2016

Media

Energy

Governor Wolf’s Natural Gas Tax Proposal

• Elizabeth Stelle
• March 2, 2016

Governor Wolf continues to press for a natural gas severance tax despite ongoing layoffs and potential bankruptcies in the natural gas industry.

Fact Sheet

Regulation

We’re #1! Pa. Leads Nation in Corporate Welfare

• March 2, 2016

We’re #1!  Pa. Leads Nation in Corporate Welfare Looking for State Budget Fixes? Cut $700 Million in Unfair Subsidies March 2, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—The Wolf administration claims important state…

Press Release

Regulation

The Costs of Corporate Welfare

• March 2, 2016

Of the last 46 state budgets, only one did not increase total spending. This explosion has been fueled in part by special subsidies doled out to select businesses, creating an economic…

Fact Sheet

Education

No, We’re Not Underfunding Public Schools

• James Paul
• February 29, 2016

My latest op-ed at PennLive debunks several school funding myths that continue to haunt Pennsylvania: While local school revenue is notably high (6th in the nation), state revenue…

Media