Staff

Regulation

Wolf’s Wine Signature a First Step Toward Privatization

• June 8, 2016

Wolf’s Wine Signature a First Step Toward Privatization Pitfalls of Government-Run Liquor Remain Unaddressed June 8, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Gov. Wolf’s anticipated signature today on HB 1690, which allows…

Press Release

Education

Is $27 Billion Enough?

• James Paul
• June 8, 2016

Is $27 billion enough money for Pennsylvania's public schools? This is the question policymakers must answer before voting to raise taxes on …

Media

Education

School Spending Update, 2014-15

• James Paul
• June 8, 2016

Pennsylvania school districts spent approximately $27.4 billion in 2014-15. This represents a $1.3 billion increase from 2013-14, despite a 12,000 student decrease in average daily membership.

Memo

Regulation

Wine Expansion Improves Convenience But Falls Short of Privatization

• June 7, 2016

Wine Expansion Improves Convenience But Falls Short of Privatization Government Liquor Monopoly Remains Unaddressed June 7, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today, the state House passed legislation allowing select grocery stores…

Press Release

Education

Ghost Teachers Bill Advances in State House

• June 7, 2016

Ghost Teachers Bill Advances in State House Legislation Strictly Limits Union Work on School Time June 6, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today, the state House Education Committee advanced HB 2125,…

Press Release

Education

Ghost Teaching Put to Rest?

• Elizabeth Stelle
• June 7, 2016

Are ghost teachers about to be put to rest? Ghost teachers in Pennsylvania would be strictly limited under legislation approved by the state House Education Committee today. HB 2125 restricts…

Media

Sound Ideas Transcend Party Labels

• Nathan Benefield
• June 7, 2016

When Jane Janeczek, a lifelong Democrat and daughter of former Democratic governor George Leader, was elected Commonwealth Foundation board chair, some wondered how she came to embrace our policy solutions.

Media

Public Union Democracy

Pennsylvania’s Ghost Teachers

• June 3, 2016

Collective bargaining agreements in many Pennsylvania school districts permit school employees to take a full-time leave of absence from the classroom to perform union work. While on leave doing union work,…

Fact Sheet

Public Union Democracy

Pennsylvania’s Pension Funds Still on a Collision Course

• June 3, 2016

If Pennsylvania were a ship, say the Titanic, then the iceberg that ship is bearing down on is the commonwealth’s public pension funds. At a combined $63.2 billion in debt,…

Media

Education

Wolf Admin. Thanks Excellent Teachers, But Won’t Protect Them

• James Paul
• June 1, 2016

The Pennsylvania Department of Education recently released a video featuring Secretary Pedro Rivera congratulating students for completing a school year. He praises children for “show[ing] up each and every…

Media

Regulation

Erase Corporate Welfare from the Budget

• June 1, 2016

Pennsylvania’s tradition of concentrating economic power in the hands of a few has proven to be inadequate at best, and harmful at worst. Corporate welfare spending makes this concentration…

Media

Beneath the Surface: The Pennsylvania Public Pension Saga–Ten Years Later

• Richard Dreyfuss
• May 31, 2016

Pennsylvania government employee-benefit plans operate in a vacuum. In a world where private-sector benefit cutbacks and cost reductions occur on a daily basis, state government in Harrisburg has not responded…

Memo

Ghost Teachers

• May 31, 2016

Union work on school time—it's a provision called "release time" in most school district contracts with the teachers union. Teachers are allowed to leave the classroom to do work for a…

Commentary

Regulation

Pennsylvania is Losing Ground

• May 25, 2016

Pennsylvania’s economic performance wasn’t always subpar. In the first half of the twentieth century, the commonwealth’s personal income per capita exceeded the national average. It then descended into mediocrity. While Pennsylvania…

Media

Lawmakers Identify Billions in Budget Savings

• Elizabeth Stelle
• May 24, 2016

Today the Taxpayers' Caucus, lead by state Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) and Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York), released a comprehensive report identifying over $3 billion in potential savings to Pennsylvania…

Media

State Budget

Tax Hike Alternatives Could Spare Pennsylvanians’ Pocketbooks

• May 24, 2016

Tax Hike Alternatives Could Spare Pennsylvanians’ Pocketbooks Taxpayers’ Caucus Report Unveils Billions in Savings   May 24, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—As Gov. Wolf pushes for a multi-billion tax…

Press Release

Government Accountability

Jane Leader Janeczek Elected Commonwealth Foundation Board Chair

• May 24, 2016

Jane Leader Janeczek Elected Commonwealth Foundation Board Chair Daughter of Former Governor Brings Passion for Reform to New Role May 24, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—The Commonwealth Foundation Board of…

Press Release

Taxes & Economy

PA Business Climate isn’t Winning any “Miss Congeniality” Contests

• Gordon Tomb
• May 23, 2016

Why would one of Pennsylvania’s largest natural gas producers suddenly switch from selling all non-Pennsylvania assets to purchasing a $3.3 billion Houston company that operates exclusively in…

Media

Government Accountability

Campaign for Contract Transparency Continues

• May 20, 2016

CF has written at length about the lack of collective bargaining transparency in Pennsylvania’s school districts. Generally, school boards refuse to reveal the details of a…

Media

Education

An Easy Way to Give School Budgets a Boost

• Elizabeth Stelle
• May 19, 2016

“I want to put more education dollars in our classrooms, not our school buses,” said Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, while releasing an analysis of 19 school districts that exceeded…

Media

Education

Wolf Sacrifices Great Teachers for Union Approval

• May 18, 2016

Wolf Sacrifices Great Teachers for Union Approval Governor Vetoes Protecting Excellent Teachers Act May 18, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Gov. Tom Wolf today chose to side with teachers’ union leaders over…

Press Release