stephen kelly
Headshot

Stephen Kelly

Senior Associate of Government Affairs

Stephen Kelly is a Senior Associate of Government Affairs at the Commonwealth Foundation.

Stephen is an Adams County native. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2022 with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Economics.

After graduating, Stephen returned home to Pennsylvania. Before joining the Commonwealth Foundation, he was a Polling Assistant for the 2022 Midterm Elections at Cygnal, a polling and survey research firm serving center-right and conservative campaigns, political action committees, and independent expenditures.

Outside of work and following politics, Stephen enjoys learning about history, playing rugby, and rooting for all the Philadelphia sports teams.

Public Union Democracy

Leaders Agree: Public Unions Are Blocking Reform

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 14, 2014

House Majority Leader Mike Turzai took to the podium last week, providing press and spectators his response to the Governor’s criticisms, blue-line budget reductions, and House priorities. We applaud…

Media

Read More: Leaders Agree: Public Unions Are Blocking Reform

Regulation

Governor Right to Blame Gov. Union Leaders on Pension Reform

  • July 10, 2014

Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Lawmakers Must Battle Government Union Leaders on Pension Reform Government union leaders cited as primary opposition to tax-saving legislation Good morning, Gov. Corbett’s…

Press Release

Read More: Governor Right to Blame Gov. Union Leaders on Pension Reform

Government Accountability

Government Unions’ Political Power Persists

  • July 9, 2014

While labor unions nationwide have been on the defensive for the past few decades—especially in light of pro-worker measures in states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana—Pennsylvania remains a bastion of…

Media

Read More: Government Unions’ Political Power Persists

Education

State Education Spending at Record High

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 8, 2014

The recently passed Pennsylvania state budget sets a new record for state funding for public schools. The chart below illustrates this growth over the years. The total budgeted for the…

Media

Read More: State Education Spending at Record High

Education

Teachers’ Views Matter

  • July 7, 2014

From my vantage point on the frontlines of Pennsylvania’s public schools, I see teachers’ unions with money to spend and power to wield who are unresponsive to the very people…

Commentary

Read More: Teachers’ Views Matter

Public Union Democracy

Paycheck Protection Update

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • July 2, 2014

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks at the Capitol and the entire CF team has been working around the clock to make Paycheck Protection a…

Media

Read More: Paycheck Protection Update

State Budget

Five Facts About the 2014 State Budget

  • July 2, 2014

On June 30, the General Assembly passed a $29.1 billion budget, sending it to Gov. Corbett for his approval. While Gov. Corbett is taking time to review…

Media

Read More: Five Facts About the 2014 State Budget

Regulation

Pension Reform Roadblock: Gov. Union Executives

  • July 1, 2014

For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Government Union Executives Again Stand in the Way of Reform Pension Bill Stalls in House Despite Looming Crisis July 1,…

Press Release

Read More: Pension Reform Roadblock: Gov. Union Executives

Public Union Democracy

Gov. Unions Block Pension Reform

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 1, 2014

Lawmakers may have agreed on a no-new-taxes budget, but the cost drivers behind this year’s budget shortfall and Pennsylvania’s annual budget crisis remain unchanged. Chief among those cost drivers is…

Media

Read More: Gov. Unions Block Pension Reform