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.
Federal Energy Tax Policy
This research paper from 2006 offers a good summary of current federal tax policy – taxes and tax credits – toward energy. Things I learned reading it include:…
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Crisis of the Uninsured: 2007
NCPA Brief Analysis breaks down who is insured, who is uninsured, and why.
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RIP John Berthoud
John Berthoud, president of the National Taxpayers Union, died yesterday at 47. John was a long-time defender of taxpayers and a champion of liberty. NTU ask anyone wishing to pay…
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A Law Best Left Behind
Wall Street Journal looks at the No Child Left Behind Act – facing reauthorization – noting how the adminstration has not enforced or pushed the school choice provision. Under…
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PHEAA CEO to get $360,000 annual pension
Jan Murphy on the pension retiring PHEAA CEO Dick Willey will receive. The pension is so elevated because his $180,000 bonus counts toward the pension calculation. Of course, he…
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Do we need Special Session on Baseball Bats?
Philadelphia Inquirer story on the controversy over a bill to ban metal bats in baseball and softball from Little League through High School. The claim is that balls come…
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Wal-Mart Reduces Cost of Prescriptions; State Increases Costs
Wal-Mart press release indicates they saved Pennsylvania residents $18 last year on prescription drugs through their “$4 prescription drug” program. However, state law doesn’t let Wal-Mart sell their drugs…
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Do Green Mandates and Subsidies Create Jobs?
Testimony of Dick Armey on the economic impacts of energy mandates and subsidies. Needless to say, he doesn’t agree with Governor Rendell that taxpayer-funded handouts to politically selected companies…
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Rendell: Show me the money and I’ll pull plan for I-80 tolls
Morning Call Story on Governor Rendell’s announcement he would support a repeal of Act 44 if legislators found an alternative funding stream. A Turnpike lease remains at…
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SCHIP Information Center
New Website from the NCPA provides a collection of information on the SCHIP program, including recent research, commentary, and blogs. Topics on this page Children's Health…
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Push for “Distracted Drivers” legislation
Legislation to ban hand held cell phones and text messages – aimed at curbing “distratcted drivers” – is being pushed as a top priority by House Democrats. In the…
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PHEAA CEO to step down
PHEAA CEO Dick Willey announced he will resign at the end of the year. Possible reasons include a better paying job in the private sector, belief that Governor…
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Tax Poor to Fund Middle Class
NCPA Report on SCHIP Expansion finds that If SCHIP is expanded as Congress now proposes, says the paper, people making under 200 percent of the poverty line…
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Energy Policy
Governor Ed Rendell has proposed issuing $850 million in new debt to subsidize select “alternative energy” companies and energy conservation efforts, along with a mandate that every gallon of…
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Many reasons to oppose the collecting of tolls on Interstate 80
Rep. Kerry Benninghoff on the need to repeal Act 44. Topics on this page Interstate 80Kerry Benninghoff…
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Defend America, Buy More Iranian Oil
This Reason Foundation Commentary explains why “Energy independence isn’t a good national security strategy,” in spite of Governor Rendell’s use of the “189 Pennsylvanians killed in Iraq and…
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Enery Charts
Energy Charts and Data from the Heritage Foundation. Topics on this page The Heritage Foundation…
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Steyn: Nurse Hillary knows best
Mark Steyn on HillaryCare (and other proposed health insurance mandates)and freedom. From now on, everyone in America will have to have health insurance. Hooray! And,…
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Blowing both ways
David Hurst in the Altoona Mirror on Big Wind and Big Government. It looks like the wind energy companies have hired “Mr. Bring-home-the-bacon” Bob Jubelirer to bring home the…
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Is PA Government the Worst?
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story on a Tim Potts presentation on taking Pennsylvania from “worst in the nation” to “best in the nation” in terms of good government. Unfortunately, spokesmen…
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Pat Toomey on “Transportation” Earmarks
Club for Growth President (and Commonwealth Foundation board member) Pat Toomey in National Review Online on the number of pork projects in the federal transportation funding bill…
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