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.
Taxes & Economy
Governor Rendell: “I’m very optimistic that before Christmas we will have a property tax bill on my desk that I can sign”
Although Governor Rendell thinks the General Assembly will come up with a school property tax shift before December 25, Pennsylvanians should not be expecting much from the Harrisburg Santa…
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Read More: Governor Rendell: “I’m very optimistic that before Christmas we will have a property tax bill on my desk that I can sign”Taxes & Economy
We all lose when Government tries to pick winners
This Times Leader story highlights how government should not be in the “economic development” business. The best thing government could do for our economy is GET OUT OF THE…
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A tiny little tidbit of totalitarianism
Paul Jacob’s Townhall column on how the school employee labor union in Oklahoma (OEA) is fighting against state government spending limits. Sound familiar? Labor unions everywhere are dying…
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Read More: A tiny little tidbit of totalitarianismTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania can break new ground in protecting property owners from abusive land-takings
Legislation to curb the abuse of eminent domain will likely be moving through the General Assembly this week. Read this commentary from the Institute for Justice. This libertarian public…
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Brad Bumsted | It’s time to go for broke
Right on the money, Brad. (Pun intended!) Read his Pittsburgh Tribune-Review column. Topics on this page Brad BumstedPittsburgh Tribune-ReviewPun…
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Let’s consider positive roles of businesses
Hear! Hear! From Tom Barstow at the Harrisburg Patriot-News. Topics on this page The Patriot-News…
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Read More: Let’s consider positive roles of businessesGovernment Accountability
Republican group seeks disclosure by lobbyists, trim in size of state Legislature
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette… “Proposals that would force lobbyists to disclose their spending, reduce the number of legislators and require more openness in passing bills aren’t new. What is new…
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Is Wal-Mart Good for America?
Yes, our family shops at the local Wal-Mart from time to time. Although the company’s recent support of raising the minimum wage (even though Wal-Mart’s average starting wage is already…
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Climate in Pennsylvania for Small-Business Owners Continues to Decline
While the national economy improves, small businesses in PA are not very optimistic about the future, says the National Federation of Independent Business. See the NFIB poll of small businesses…
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The Freedom to Hate Wal-Mart
From Paul Jacobs’ Common Sense radio broadcast … Some folks don’t like Wal-Mart. Okay. Fine. It’s a free country. No one should be forced at gunpoint to shop at Wal-Mart.
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Rendell will veto business tax break
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review … “Rendell emphatically said he would veto any legislation that would lower business taxes but not provide substitute funds. ‘I would have to veto…
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They’re Taking Away Your Property for What?
An interesting eminent domain article from the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal. Topics on this page City Journal…
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Read More: They’re Taking Away Your Property for What?Taxes & Economy
From Hopeless to Hopeful
On November 16, the legislators handed Gov. Rendell a bill to repeal the General Assembly’s July 7 pay and pension grab. The Governor promptly signed the measure without fanfare. Only…
Commentary
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Private Property & Liberty
Good afternoon. My name is Matt Brouillette, and I am president & CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, a public policy research and educational institute based in Harrisburg. We develop and…
Commentary
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President’s Address: Advancing Ideas Whose Time Have Come
"As we celebrate these first recipients of our Speaker Franklin Awards, I’m reminded of the great British Statesman Edmund Burke who once said: “All that is necessary for the triumph…
Commentary
Read More: President’s Address: Advancing Ideas Whose Time Have ComeState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Spending Limitation Bills
Pennsylvania is Exhibit #1 proving the axiom: “You can have government growth, or you can have economic growth, but you can’t have both!” For years, Pennsylvania public policy has increased…
Fact Sheet
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Protect Private Property from Eminent Domain Abuse
Thank you for the opportunity to address the issue of Eminent Domain. My name is Matt Brouillette, and I am president & CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, a research and…
Commentary
Read More: Protect Private Property from Eminent Domain AbuseTaxes & Economy
Minimum Wage: Facts
Proponents of artificial increases in the government-mandated minimum wage argue, among other things, that raising the hourly minimum wage will help to lift families with children out of poverty and…
Fact Sheet
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Minimum Wage Politics, Bad Economic Policy
It wasn’t a corporate executive who said, “Right now Pennsylvania businesses carry a very high tax burden compared to states we compete with. We’re [a] very heavily taxed business state….
Commentary
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Reform Government’s Claim on Your Domain
Pennsylvanians never really own their homes—they only “rent” them from the government. Don’t believe me? Just stop paying your school and county property taxes and you’ll find out who actually…
Commentary
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The Effects of the Proposed Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Increase
In recent years, the movement to enact “living wages” or increases in the minimum wage has been active in states and cities across the country. Advocates of these wage hikes…
Report
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