Education

Pennsylvania’s Failing, Violent Schools

  • October 18, 2011

Nearly 82,000 children are enrolled in the 141 public schools with available data on violence in Pennsylvania's lowest-performing 5 percent on student proficiency. These schools reported more than 4,500 violent…

Fact Sheet

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Education

This is Educational Accountability?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 16, 2011

At a recent Pennsylvania House Education Committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a proposed voucher program would provide “accountability”.  Indeed, they want to be sure that these schools have the…

Media

Read More: This is Educational Accountability?

PLCB Never Fails to Fail

  • August 2, 2011

A hat tip to Fox 29 Philadelphia reporter Dave Schratwieser who helped uncover the tipsy taxpayer-tabbed trailer truth behind the PLCB’s recently discovered waste and mismanagement found in a…

Media

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Energy

Economic Pitfalls of Taxing Marcellus Shale

  • May 9, 2011

The facts are that in Pennsylvania, Marcellus drillers contributed more than $15 billion in capital investment and have paid in excess of $5 billion in royalties to landowners not including…

Commentary

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Public School Board Members for School Choice

  • February 15, 2011

HARRISBURG, PA (02.15.2011) – As children continue to be trapped in failing schools, despite massive increases in taxpayer funding, public school board members-past and present-are forming “Public School Board Members…

Press Release

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Public Union Democracy

How Could this Not Increase Costs?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 19, 2010

The Tribune Review writes today about a project labor agreement (PLA) that Allegheny County Chief Executive (and Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate) Dan Onorato is taking some flak for. Amazingly, a…

Media

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State Budget

Can Tom Corbett Keep His “No Tax” Pledge?

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • July 27, 2010

Attorney General Tom Corbett has taken significant criticism for his pledge to not raise taxes if elected governor.  That was to be expected from his Democrat rival, Allegheny County executive…

Commentary

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Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Leads in Spending Taxpayer Money to Lobby Congress

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 8, 2010

A new analysis from Open Secrets finds that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (i.e., our state government) led all states in spending taxpayer money on federal lobbying in the first…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Leaky Reporting by the Post-Gazette

  • June 8, 2010

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last week cast an uncritical eye — in fact, you could call it cheerleading — upon a project touted as part of Allegheny County’s…

Media

Read More: Leaky Reporting by the Post-Gazette