State Budget
Deficit Watch: June 2025
Lawmakers must protect the Rainy Day Fund. Background Pennsylvania faces serious fiscal challenges. The enacted 2024–25 General Fund budget created a $3.6 billion structural deficit. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2025–26…
Deficit Watch
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Shapiro’s Spending Spree vs. Fiscal Reality
Welcome to Common Sense Weekly! This is the Commonwealth Foundation’s weekly news roundup of policy issues debated in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania.Have you seen our recent social media videos?…
Blog
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Gov. Josh Shapiro Wants to Spend More than Taxpayers Can Pay
Originally published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The weather isn’t the only thing heating up this May. Negotiations are underway for Pennsylvania’s Fiscal Year 2025–26 state budget. These negotiations determine how…
Media Hit
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Deficit Watch: May 2025
Pennsylvania cannot afford more mass transit bailouts. Background Pennsylvania faces serious fiscal challenges. The enacted 2024–25 General Fund budget created a $3.6 billion structural deficit. Gov.
Deficit Watch
Read More: Deficit Watch: May 2025Energy
Deficit Watch: April 2025
Improving Pennsylvania’s economy will help close the deficit. Background Pennsylvania faces serious fiscal challenges. The enacted 2024–25 General Fund budget created a $3.6 billion structural deficit.
Deficit Watch
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Deficit Watch: March 2025
Background Pennsylvania faces serious fiscal challenges. The enacted 2024–25 General Fund budget created a $3.6 billion structural deficit. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2025–26 budget…
Deficit Watch
Read More: Deficit Watch: March 2025State Budget
Optimizing State Spending
Summary Pennsylvania faces a $3.6 billion structural budget deficit in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024–25. The Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) calculates Gov. Josh Shapiro’s FY 2025–26 budget…
Fact Sheet
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Pa. School Funding Reaches $22,000 per Student in 2023
Pennsylvania Public School Spending Is Growing Over the last decade, state spending on Pennsylvania public schools reached all-time highs year after year. Pennsylvania per-pupil public school funding increased to $21,985…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pa. School Funding Reaches $22,000 per Student in 2023Education
Higher Education in Pennsylvania
Summary Pennsylvania owns and operates 10 universities under the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE); subsidizes four state-related universities (which function as public-private partnerships); 15 community…
Fact Sheet
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