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.
Education
Charter Schools Always Face a Financial Struggle
Kevin Ferris has a piece in the Wall Street Journal on the difficulty that charter schools face funding their facilities. Ferris uses as his case study First Philadelphia Charter…
Media
Read More: Charter Schools Always Face a Financial StruggleHealth Care
Is Health Care a ‘Right’?
Many advocates of a single-payer, government run health care system use the argument that “health care is a right.” But as John Graham points out on State House Call,…
Media
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Thousands Attend Pittsburgh Tea Party
The Tribune Review reports that several thousand protesters showed up to the Pittsburgh Tea Party held today (HT GrassrootsPA). Instapundit has more, including a picture…
Media
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Pennsylvania Pie Fight
Wall Street Journal picks up on the fight over government regulation of homemade pies at church bake sales in Pennsylvania. My favorite part of the story is this:…
Media
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Natural Gas Lease Falls Through – PA Loses $31 Million in Revenue (and Jobs)
The AP is reporting that a natural gas firm, previously agreeing to pay $31 million for a lease of lands in the Marcellus Shale formation, has backed out of…
Media
Read More: Natural Gas Lease Falls Through – PA Loses $31 Million in Revenue (and Jobs)Education
Repealing Prevailing Wage Would Save Schools and Taxpayers Money
Sen. Mike Brubaker this week introduced S.B. 695, proposing a three-year moratorium on the application of Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage law to school construction projects. The Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Repealing Prevailing Wage Would Save Schools and Taxpayers MoneyTaxes & Economy
PA Earns 1 ‘A’, 12 ‘Fs’ on Taxpayer Organization Congressional Grades
The National Taxpayer’s Union (NTU) has released their annual report card for Congress for 2008, giving a record number of members the ignominious title “Big Spender”, including 12 members…
Media
Read More: PA Earns 1 ‘A’, 12 ‘Fs’ on Taxpayer Organization Congressional GradesTaxes & Economy
Which Tax Cuts Have Stimulated the Economy?
“‘We tried that, and it didn’t work,’ Obama and his partisans sneer in response to arguments that tax cuts are the key to restoring economic growth.” But as Peter…
Media
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Video: Understanding The Financial Crisis
Great (and frightening) video from Stop Spending Our Future on the costs of “fixing” the financial crisis.
Media
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WACO Blames Glenn Beck
Recently, the War Against Conservative Opinion (WACO) blamed Fox News’ Glenn Beck for the shooting deaths of three police officers in Pittsburgh. Even MSNBC’s Keith…
Media
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Philadelphia Tries to Stop Tea Party
UPDATE: Victory ‘Thanks for everyone’s help in putting pressure on the city of Philadelphia! The problem has been resolved. They tea party is only required to pay for…
Media
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Former Manager Sues PA Turnpike Commission for Political Firing
A former manager for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is suing the agency for wrongful firing, claiming he was let go because of his lack of political connectaions, the Post-Gazette…
Media
Read More: Former Manager Sues PA Turnpike Commission for Political FiringEducation
Vouching for D.C.
A new report from the US Department of Education finds the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program has been extremely successful. Matthew Ladner has more in NRO on the reports…
Media
Read More: Vouching for D.C.Government Accountability
Pennsylvania’s Lawsuit Racket
The Wall Street Journal has a scathing piece on pay-to-play politics in Harrisburg, specifically in relation to Gov. Rendell and his ties to another law-firm (HT John Lott):…
Media
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Big Business Still Loves Big Government
HT to Joe Collins for pointing me to Timothy Carney’s article in the Washington Examiner. Despite the oft-repeated rhetoric that free market advocates are the puppets of big…
Media
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Federal Cigarette Tax Increase will Reduce PA Tax Collections by $140 Million
A new report from the Tax Foundation looks at the cost of the recent federal tax hike on cigarettes, an increase of 39 cents to $1.01 per pack, state…
Media
Read More: Federal Cigarette Tax Increase will Reduce PA Tax Collections by $140 MillionTaxes & Economy
The Sunspot Recession Crisis
According to NASA, we are in the midst of the greatest sunspot recession since 1913. Analysts believed the sunspot recession had hit bottom in 2008, but activity has continued…
Media
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Electricity Deregulation: A Successful Transition
Most Pennsylvania residents will soon see significant increases in their electricity bills. Many state lawmakers are concerned about the political backlash they will receive as a result. But it is…
Commentary
Read More: Electricity Deregulation: A Successful TransitionGovernment Accountability
PA House GOP Leader Offers Gov’t Reform Plan
Pennsylvania House Republican leader Sam Smith unveiled a 12-point government reform plan which he calls Pennsylvania’s Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg (PATH). The proposals are: No staff…
Media
Read More: PA House GOP Leader Offers Gov’t Reform PlanGovernment Accountability
Repeal Salary Increases?
As of Friday, 89 members of House and 31 members of Senate have either given back their 2.8% pay increase to the Treasury Department or to charity. Senate Majority Leader…
Media
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Citizens Protest Taxes with Tea Parties
The Pittsburgh Tribune review has a story on Tea Parties going on in Pennsylvania, and specifically in Pittsburgh, which has upcoming events with Alan Keyes and Glen Meakem speaking. …
Media
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