Education

Opportunity Unleashed

  • Marc LeBlond, Stefanie Mason
  • February 15, 2022

Key Points In June 2019, Pennsylvania’s General Assembly expanded the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs by a combined $30 million. In the 2019-20…

Backgrounder

Read More: Opportunity Unleashed

State Budget

Five Takeaways from Gov. Wolf’s Budget

  • February 8, 2022

February 8, 2022, Harrisburg, Pa. — In his final budget address Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf proposed an unaffordable spending increase while claiming the mantle of fiscal responsibility. Commonwealth Foundation Senior…

Press Release

Read More: Five Takeaways from Gov. Wolf’s Budget

State Budget

Pennsylvania’s Stalled Economy

  • January 31, 2022

Summary In 2021, Pennsylvania lagged behind most states in recovering from the COVID-19 shutdown.Challenges like historic inflation and labor shortages will likely persist throughout 2022.This year, lawmakers can reverse these…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Pennsylvania’s Stalled Economy

State Budget

2022 Pa. Budget Checklist

  • January 31, 2022

Limit spending growth to the Taxpayer Protection Act (TPA) index The total General Fund spending increase should not exceed the TPA limit of 3.46 percent, or an additional $1.376 billion.

Fact Sheet

Read More: 2022 Pa. Budget Checklist

State Budget

Op-Ed: Pa.’s out-of-control spending is driving away residents

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 25, 2022

Originally published in the Pittsiburgh Tribune-Review Gov. Tom Wolf recently declared 2022 a “magical year” for the Pennsylvania budget, citing the possibility of a surplus. However, Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal…

Media Hit

Read More: Op-Ed: Pa.’s out-of-control spending is driving away residents

Energy

Op-Ed: We can keep Pennsylvania beautiful without making it poor

  • Stephen Bloom
  • November 18, 2021

The secret is Pennsylvania’s abundant natural gas deposit, the second largest in the world, which produces power with drastically less pollution and just half the carbon emissions of coal.

Commentary

Read More: Op-Ed: We can keep Pennsylvania beautiful without making it poor

Pennsylvania’s Use of ARPA Funds

  • Brandon Van Dyck
  • September 23, 2021

ARPA is a $1.9 trillion federal bill passed in March 2021. Supporters of the legislation argued that our country needed the added spending to stimulate a nationwide recovery from the…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Pennsylvania’s Use of ARPA Funds

Government Accountability

Fiscal Earmarks Reduce State Budget Transparency

  • Jessica Barnett
  • August 19, 2021

The 2021–2022 Fiscal Code contains at least $5.5 billion in federal and state funds earmarked for special projects across the state, up from $120 million last year. Most of this…

Backgrounder

Read More: Fiscal Earmarks Reduce State Budget Transparency