Thomas Cusmano
Regional Director, Strategic Partnerships
Thomas (Tom) Cusmano is Regional Director, Strategic Partnerships at the Commonwealth Foundation.
Prior to joining the Commonwealth Foundation in early 2022, Tom spent twelve years at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) and its student journalism subsidiary, the Collegiate Network (CN). Both ISI and CN educate, train, and mentor America’s most promising principled student leaders, scholars, and future journalists.
Tom has spent three decades facilitating development support for national, regional, and statewide charitable organizations. He says, “The greatest blessing of my professional life has been to assist an inspiring group of dedicated, patriotic, and generous Americans with their philanthropy. I now have the opportunity to return that inspiration for my home state of Pennsylvania through the worthy endeavors of the Commonwealth Foundation.”
Tom has been a Pennsylvania resident since 1994 and proudly proclaims another great blessing, living in Amish Country, where he, his wife, and family “found home.”
Taxes & Economy
Louisiana Adds 33,000 Natural Gas Jobs
Through increasingly stringent environmental regulations and the desire for a new severance tax, Governor Rendell has undermined Pennsylvania’s budding natural gas industry. Drilling companies are beginning to leave Pennsylvania due…
Media
Read More: Louisiana Adds 33,000 Natural Gas JobsRegulation
Now is the Time to Practice Fiscal Restraint
Testimony of Mathew J. Brouillette President & CEO, Commonwealth Foundation, to the PA House Appropriations Committee Thank you for the invitation to share the Commonwealth Foundation’s analysis and perspective on…
Testimony
Read More: Now is the Time to Practice Fiscal RestraintState Budget
Budget Hearings a Taxpayer-Funded Sham?
The Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee is holding hearings on the vesion of the state budget passed by the Senate (see here for more on that) today and tomorrow. Yet…
Media
Read More: Budget Hearings a Taxpayer-Funded Sham?State Budget
Pennsylvania Budget in Focus
The Commonwealth Foundation will be testifying on the state budget today. Here are some quick facts on the budget: PA Senate Budget by the Numbers Pennsylvania Deficit…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Budget in FocusGovernment Accountability
Judicial Selection Revisited
John Baer has an interesting column on judicial elections, noting that, when looking at a list of yesterday’s election winners, that “Nobody’s heard of these people” and cites a…
Media
Read More: Judicial Selection RevisitedRegulation
The Horrors of Private Sponsorship?
NBC Philadelphia reported that due to proposed budget cuts, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission may be forced to turn to private sponsorship in order to maintain such historic…
Media
Read More: The Horrors of Private Sponsorship?Taxes & Economy
Why Government Can’t Run a Business
John Steele Gordon has a good op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on why government attempts to run a business always fall short – whether that be health care,…
Media
Read More: Why Government Can’t Run a BusinessPublic Union Democracy
Keep Harley in PA – Pass Right to Work
Last week, Harley Davidson announced the possibility of relocating their York County manufacturing plant to a state with better long-term economic competitiveness. (Spokesman Bob Klein stated that all alternate…
Media
Read More: Keep Harley in PA – Pass Right to WorkTaxes & Economy
Who Watches the Watchmen?
From Plato’s Republic to…well…The Watchmen (2009), the question of “Who watches the watchmen?” has remained unanswered. This problem continues with the government’s stimulus plan with its…
Media
Read More: Who Watches the Watchmen?Health Care
Obama’s Health Care Plan
A good article in The American on health care costs, The initial tax hikes on the quarter-million-dollar club are projected to raise $318 billion over ten…
Media
Read More: Obama’s Health Care PlanRegulation
The Case for Privatizing State Parks
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced they would have to close at least 35 state-controlled parks due under the proposed Senate budget plan. According…
Media
Read More: The Case for Privatizing State ParksTaxes & Economy
Higher Taxes in Store for Pennsylvania, Philadelphia?
The Associated Press has a story on the higher taxes that could be in store for Pennsylvanians. These include both the taxes proposed by Governor Rendell – on…
Media
Read More: Higher Taxes in Store for Pennsylvania, Philadelphia?State Budget
Video: “Driving” Federal Debt
Here is a great video explaining the growth in federal debt in an easy to understand metaphor – i.e. how fast presidents are driving. George W. Bush “drove” faster…
Media
Read More: Video: “Driving” Federal DebtTaxes & Economy
High Costs of State Regulated Electricity
Like many states, Montana experimented with restructured electricity markets. However, at the bidding of Public Service Commissioner Ken Toole, the state re-regulated the industry. Now, the Commission is expected to…
Media
Read More: High Costs of State Regulated ElectricityEducation
Get the Quarter Back
There is an old joke, with many variations that goes something like this: a foreigner came to visit a friend in America, and they went to watch a Pittsburgh Steelers…
Commentary
Read More: Get the Quarter BackEducation
Does Universal Preschool Improve Learning?
The Heritage Foundation has a new backgrounder asking, “Does Universal Preschool Improve Learning?” The short answer is NO. For the long answer, they examine universal preschool programs…
Media
Read More: Does Universal Preschool Improve Learning?Regulation
Harley Davidson and the Problem with Corporate Welfare
Harley Davidson’s announcement that they may shut down their plant in York illustrates the problem with taxpayer funded corporate welfare. For starters, Harley Davidson has received $4.3 million…
Media
Read More: Harley Davidson and the Problem with Corporate WelfareTaxes & Economy
PUC Commissioners Oppose Cap and Trade
The Vice Chairman and two other Commissioners of the Pennsylvania Utility Commission sent a letter to the PA Congressional Delegation in opposition to proposed cap and trade legislation. …
Media
Read More: PUC Commissioners Oppose Cap and TradeState Budget
Taxing An Infant Industry to Death
Home to the first oil well in the United States, Pennsylvania has returned to the drilling scene in recent years, looking to tap into an estimated 50 trillion cubic feet…
Commentary
Read More: Taxing An Infant Industry to DeathTaxes & Economy
Those Corporate Tax “Loopholes”
Robert Samuelson has an outstanding piece in the Washington Post, exposing many of the myths exposed by Obama’s plan to crack down on “corporate loopholes”. Topics on…
Media
Read More: Those Corporate Tax “Loopholes”
The Worst Bailout in the World?
Ultra left-wing demagogue Keith Olbermann has a segment in which he calls out the “Worst Person in the World” – usually anyone speaking out rationally against Olbermann’s views will win…
Media
Read More: The Worst Bailout in the World?