Education
Property Taxpayer Referendum
Good afternoon. I am Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation. We are a nonprofit, independent public policy research and educational institute based in Harrisburg. I would…
Testimony
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Voice for School Choice finds New Site
HARRISBURG, PA | The Commonwealth Foundation launched today the Stand Strong Senator project in response to the wave of aggressive and special interest lobbying led by the Pennsylvania State Education…
Press Release
Read More: Voice for School Choice finds New SiteTaxes & Economy
Orwellian Tax Speak: Call It a “Fee”
Call it a “fee” or call it “knockwurst” if you like, but the latest proposal for a “local impact fee” on natural gas drillers is not only still a…
Media
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When Bell Bottoms Were Cool…And PSU Charged $675
I just sent the following to a student at Penn State who is writing a paper on Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed cuts to the subsidies our public universities receive from…
Media
Read More: When Bell Bottoms Were Cool…And PSU Charged $675Taxes & Economy
The Natural Gas Not-A-Tax
Yesterday, the Republican Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati released his much anticipated Marcellus shale Not-A-Tax “local impact fee.” The proposal would require drillers to pay a “Base Fee”…
Media
Read More: The Natural Gas Not-A-TaxEducation
A Pitt Student’s Take on Corbett’s Budget Proposal
As a Pitt student, I will not be joining in those manufactured protests, nor will I be participating in lobbying activities like Pitt's yearly "Harrisburg Day" when the University spends…
Commentary
Read More: A Pitt Student’s Take on Corbett’s Budget ProposalGovernment Accountability
Bring PA Toward the Mainstream in Limiting Lawsuit Abuse
Having defeated a slew of trial-lawyer amendments, Pennsylvania's House of Representatives approved the Fair Share Act for the third time on Monday. The legislation, which has passed both chambers of the…
Commentary
Read More: Bring PA Toward the Mainstream in Limiting Lawsuit AbuseEducation
Washington Is Watching Harrisburg
Two writers for Politico recently opined that when it comes to getting spending under control, “the most sweeping work is getting done in states”—and they said the folks in…
Media
Read More: Washington Is Watching HarrisburgEducation
Millions Funneled to Lobbyists by Public Schools
Harrisburg, PA – The Commonwealth Foundation announced today preliminary results from extensive Open Records Requests that found more than $59 million dollars of taxpayer money is being funneled through…
Press Release
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