Robert O’Donnell
Education Senior Fellow
The Honorable Robert W. O’Donnell is an Education Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation.
Bob is a Philadelphia-based attorney and a former Democratic Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. As a member of the House for 19 years, Bob rose through the ranks of leadership, serving as caucus chairman, majority whip, majority leader, and Speaker of the House. While in public service, he developed a reputation as a thoughtful, dynamic, and intellectually honest member of the House. He has been a consistent advocate for equality of opportunity including supporting school choice throughout his tenure in the legislature.
Bob has served as a member of Public Employees Retirement Study Commission, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh, the Mayor’s Tax Budget and Advisory Committee (Philadelphia), the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the General State Authority, the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force (Philadelphia), the Millrite Council, and the Philadelphia Port Corporation Board of Directors.
He is a graduate of Temple University and its law school and attended The Hague Academy of International Law. Arcadia College and Philadelphia University awarded Bod honorary degrees, and he has received several public awards including citations from the Pennsylvania League of Cities Service and Common Cause.
Bob resides in Chestnut Hill with his wife, Dr. Donna Gentile O’Donnell.
Criminal Justice Reform
The Jury is In: Corrections Reform is Working
Remember the time lawmakers from both parties came together in Harrisburg and unanimously passed important, groundbreaking reform legislation? It’s not a joke. It happened in 2012. As a result of…
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Retirement savings less of a concern for 995 government retirees
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Audio: The Need for the Taxpayer Protection Act
The Taxpayer Protection Act is a simple idea that achieves four goals: limiting the future growth of state government spending, forcing the state government to prioritize future spending, helping to balance…
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Nurses: Regulations hamper health-care efficiency in Pennsylvania
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Budget proposals: How is business impacted?
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A Transparent Win for Taxpayers
Today the Senate took a significant step to make state government more transparent and accountable by approving SB 644 and SB 645. Here’s a brief description of the…
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Natural Gas Severance Tax: An Economy Killer
From labor unions to local chambers of commerce, community leaders are expressing a lot of anxiety over Governor Wolf’s natural gas severance tax proposal. The proposed tax “is a Wyoming…
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State Senate Passes Financial Transparency Bills
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact:717-671-1901 State Senate Passes Financial Transparency Bills Lets Public in on Secret Government Union Talks Worth Billions of Dollars May 6,…
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Public retirees getting six-figure pensions: Can this continue?
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In Pa., go for spending cuts, not tax increases
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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Wolf’s Education Doctrine
Governor Wolf has wasted little time crystalizing his vision for public education—and it doesn’t look promising for families supportive of school choice. If his first few months are any indication…
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30,000 Jobs that Won’t Pay
Gov. Wolf’s tax plan would result in 30,000 jobs not created next year, according to a new analysis we released yesterday. Using the STAMP model, developed by…
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Important Education Bills Advance in House
In a promising move for Pennsylvania students, the House Education Committee passed two important bills today that will keep effective teachers in the classroom and expand educational options. HB 805,…
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Lt. Gov. Stack running Pittsburgh Marathon for a cause: Film tax credits
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Study: 30,000 Jobs That Won’t Pay Under Wolf’s Budget
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The Impact of Gov. Wolf’s Tax Proposals on Job Creation
The Commonwealth Foundation worked with the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University to apply an economic modeling program to analyze the overall impact of Gov. Wolf’s proposals. Economists at Beacon Hill developed…
Memo
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Wolf’s Education Agenda Discourages Choice
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The Next 1,360 Days
Governor Wolf marked his 100th day in office by providing a list of accomplishments. In reality, the memo is more of a status update since many of his initiatives, including…
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Unlike Medicaid, Charity Clinics Lead to Independence
This week marks the beginning of Pennsylvania’s transition from Healthy PA to full Medicaid expansion. Over 100,000 beneficiaries were transferred to the traditional one-size-fits-all healthcare plan known for limited…
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Economic Freedom Trumps Identity Politics
Imagine a little girl and her young mother sitting on a porch on 19th Street in Harrisburg. The child smiles happily, but the mother looks tired—she’s working second shift and…
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