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.
Regulation
Lovely parting gifts
Lancaster New Era on legislative pensions. Once again demonstrating that “serving the public” doesn’t cost, it PAYS!…
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The Real Candidates For Office
Read Grant Gulibon’s latest commentary in The Evening Bulletin. Topics on this page Philadelphia Bulletin…
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Taxpayers spending over $1 million on lawyers to defend pay raise
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Your Tax Dollars at Work
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The Real Candidates for Office: Liberty vs. Safety
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Ousted legislators find silver lining
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “Some lawmakers who lost their jobs in the May primary will collect pensions almost as big as their current salaries. “Powerhouse Republican Sen. Robert Jubelirer,…
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Does faux reform kill real reform?
Brad Bumstead in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on the likelihood that significant property tax relief is dead following the passage of the facade of reform passed Wednesday. Read our News…
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Is there a Speaker in the House?
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Reduce Health Insurance Cost Through Competition
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Decoding the Swann Property Tax Plan
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FEMA funds spent on divorce, sex change
AP story on fraud in FEMA aid – as much as $1.4 Billion (16% of all FEMA aid for Katrina and Rita victims) may have been used improperly. My…
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A Mandate for Reform
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Arrogant PHEAA: More stonewalling
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Cut the Fat
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Agency: Unvouchered expenses ‘income’
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Union officials must come to grips with reality of today’s economics
George McGovern, former U.S. Senator from SD and 1972 Democratic presidential candidate, shows that he’s s slow learner, but a learner nonetheless. This commentary in today’s Patriot-News says what…
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New York’s Pension Peril
E. J. McMahon, the director of the Manhattan Institute’s Empire Center for New York State Policy, writes in the New York Post about NY’s pension problem. Topics on…
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Don’t spend state surplus; instead trim the pork : The Morning Call Online
Commonwealth Foundation Fellow Grant Gulibon in today’s Morning Call. Topics on this page The Morning Call…
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Cut (half) the Waste!
Williamsport Sun-Gazette editorial on the Pennsylvania Piglet Book 2006. Topics on this page Williamsport Sun-Gazette…
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TV ad targeting unions raises profile of campaign against labor leaders
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story on the Center for Union Facts’ commercial. Check out the commercial here. Topics on this page Center for Union FactsPittsburgh…
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The More You Know … The More You Wish You Didn’t
How does a $56,000 salary sound? Not bad? What if that salary was for working on a political campaign? Still better? Now imagine that salary was for your 2nd job,…
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