Government Accountability

Transparency 10 Years after the Pay Raise

  • Elizabeth Stelle, James Paul
  • July 7, 2015

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the midnight pay raise. Although it was ultimately repealed, the pay raise was a dark hour in Pennsylvania political history. Over the…

Media

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State Budget

Pennsylvania’s New Punxsutawney Phil

  • November 20, 2014

On February 2 of each year, all eyes are on Punxsutawney Phil. The famous groundhog is responsible for predicting the duration of winter-like weather. If Phil sees his shadow, we’re…

Media

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State Budget

A Blueprint for a Prosperous Pennsylvania

  • May 6, 2014

We have been warned: Pennsylvania is on a path to higher taxes, fewer jobs, more debt, and a lower standard of living if the state does not rein in…

Media

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Health Care

Pennsylvania’s Bleak Budget Future

  • November 19, 2013

Pennsylvania’s fiscal outlook looks bleak according to a detailed report examining state revenue and spending released by the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) last week. The agency projects a general…

Media

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Health Care

Reality Check: We’re Overspending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 2, 2013

Bad revenue collections and updated projections highlight a big problem in the state budget: We are spending more than we are collecting. The problem is much worse than a recent…

Media

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Criminal Justice Reform

Three of Four Alarms Still Ringing

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 3, 2012

Late last month, the Independent Fiscal Office released its annual report looking at Pennsylvania’s economy and forecasting state budget expenditures and revenues. The trends remain alarming. Most notably, state…

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Regulation

Pennsylvania’s Tax Burden Ranks 10th (Again), but Pension Bomb Ticking

  • Priya Brannick
  • November 16, 2012

Last week, America kept its president and Congress, and Pennsylvania’s legislature stayed largely the same too. There’s another thing that Pennsylvanians can count on—ranking 10th in the United States for…

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Government Accountability

Can We Get Some Transparency in the Budget?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 2, 2010

The delay to include the proposed Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) is just legislators’ latest attempt to resist the transparency and accountability legislation Pennsylvanians deserve. According to John Micek at…

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Government Accountability

Will the Budget Include an Independent Fiscal Office?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 1, 2010

With much to jeer in this year’s budget one silver lining is the proposed Independent Fiscal Office.  That is, if House Democrats don’t kill the proposal. Language to create…

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