Mimi O'Grady

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Mimi O’Grady

Policy Integration Manager

Marilyn (Mimi) O’Grady is the Policy Integration Manager at Commonwealth Foundation. Mimi schedules, plans, prioritizes, and oversees special projects for the Chief Policy Officer in executing Commonwealth Foundation’s policy agenda to ensure all Pennsylvanians can flourish.

Prior to joining Commonwealth Foundation, Mimi worked for Americans for Fair Treatment and scheduled for several U.S. Representatives and a U.S. Senator. Mimi graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in public relations and cultivated her passion for and experience in logistics while working on Capitol Hill. A Pittsburgh native, Mimi currently lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and sons and enjoys cooking, historical fiction, and spending time outside.

Regulation

Lawmaker Pensions too generous

Nathan Benefield
June 7, 2006

Coverage of lawmaker pensions (and our Pension Study) in The York Daily Record. Topics on this page Pension…

Media

State Budget

Ending Pennsylvanias Business as Usual Budget

June 7, 2006

The General Assembly’s post-primary return to Harrisburg signals the start of budget season in Pennsylvania—and taxpayers all across the Commonwealth should be clutching their wallets a little tighter in nervous…

Commentary

Taxes & Economy

Tax Dollars Spent on PR

Nathan Benefield
June 5, 2006

The Patriot News reports on how your tax dollars are working hard to fund the public relations campaigns of legislative leaders – namely House Speaker Perzel spending $5,000/month on…

Media

Regulation

Nice Pensions for Lawmakers

Nathan Benefield
June 5, 2006

Coverage of lawmakers’ pensions in the Chambersburg Public Opinion and Lebanon Daily News. Topics on this page Lebanon Daily NewsPublic Opinion…

Media

Public Union Democracy

And you probably thought the Soviet Union collapsed!

June 2, 2006

The union water-boys at the Keystone Research Center had Paul Krugman in Harrisburg last night, as reported in the Patriot-News. Gotta love Krugman’s solutions for our economic woes.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Groups target legislative spending

June 2, 2006

From the Courier Times: “Asked about the WAMS — legislative grants for economic development — Rep. Scott Petri, R-178, said, “I don’t know any one of them I would…

Media

State Budget

When Fish is Really Pork

Nathan Benefield
June 1, 2006

A press release from the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) attempts to justify the Fish Fund as a core function of government. However, we maintain our assertion…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Unions and Politics

Nathan Benefield
June 1, 2006

A couple of very good reads on teacher unions and education in the Summer 2006 Education Next. In Strike Phobia, Frederick Hess and Marty West look at the…

Media

Regulation

Groups identify $4.3 billion in ‘wasteful’ spending

June 1, 2006

Public Radio Capitol News on our Piglet Book 2006. Although reporter Damon Baughmer probably doesn’t appreciate the fact that we think his employer (we, the taxpayers) should be funding…

Media

Government Accountability

Reform Needed in PA

Nathan Benefield
June 1, 2006

Mike Folmer on the primary and the need for reform in Pennsylvania in today’s Wall Street Journal. Topics on this page Mike FolmerPennsylvania…

Media

Government Accountability

It wasn’t the raise; it was the lack of Republican principles

June 1, 2006

Pat Toomy in the Philadelphia Inquirer on the message of May 16, 2006…the Primary Election that will go downin history for ousting 17 incumbents, more than every year combined…

Media

Regulation

Pension problem looming

May 31, 2006

The Altoona Mirror says “Pennsylvanians need to look past the headlines on legislators because there is a much bigger problem lurking.” We couldn’t agree more! Topics on this…

Media

Piglet Book Coverage

Nathan Benefield
May 31, 2006

Coverage of the Piglet Book in the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice, the Scranton Times-Tribune, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Topics on this page Pittsburgh Post-Gazette…

Media

GOP targets Rendell budget pork

May 31, 2006

Despite the misleading title (the Commonwealth Foundation and Citizens Against Government Waste are not the GOP, just the ask the GOP!), Alison Hawkes writes an excellent story for the…

Media

State Budget

Piglet Book Coverage

Nathan Benefield
May 30, 2006

Coverage of the Pennsylvania Piglet Book in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Download the full Piglet Book here. Topics on this page Pittsburgh Post-Gazette…

Media

Regulation

EDITORIAL | Public servants retire in luxury

May 30, 2006

Centre Daily Times on how our “servants” have become “masters” at the expense of the public. Topics on this page Centre Daily Times…

Media

State Budget

Pennsylvania Piglet Book 2006

Nathan Benefield
May 30, 2006

The Pennsylvania Piglet Book 2006 is the joint effort of the Commonwealth Foundation and Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) to make the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania aware of…

Report

Regulation

Pinching pennies? Not ousted lawmakers

May 28, 2006

“Voters probably weren’t thinking about it at the time, but when they ousted Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Jubelirer, R-Blair, and Senate Majority Leader David “Chip” Brightbill, R-Lebanon, they opened…

Media

Regulation

State gaming official arrested

May 28, 2006

“A state Gaming Control Board investigator arrested outside a South Side bar early Saturday, allegedly after threatening and then trying to run from police, has become the fifth agency employee…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Swann plan requires work …

May 28, 2006

So says our friend Jake Haulk of the Allegheny Institute in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Dr. Haulk concludes that “it’s still tax-shifting, relies on magic money, wrongly disses property tax…

Media

Regulation

Pa. lawmakers find retiring pays

May 28, 2006

Excellent article from the Centre Daily Times on the coming pension crisis. “It’s a train wreck waiting to happen — it’s barreling down the tracks at us,” said Centre…

Media