Energy

Gas Tax Critics Champion, not Oppose, Progress

  • Gordon Tomb
  • June 9, 2015

Recently, Gov. Tom Wolf sent a letter to 17 business advocacy groups opposing his proposed severance tax on natural gas, accusing them of siding “with corporate special interests who simply…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Landowners Will Bear Burden of Severance Tax

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 21, 2014

Randy Walker’s Armstrong County farm has been in the family for three generations. On 72 acres they grow hay, corn, oats, and care for cattle. A few years ago, Randy…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Dangers of a Severance Tax

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 7, 2014

Given the fiscal challenges facing the state, many advocacy groups are calling for new taxes on natural gas. However, lawmakers should be aware that a severance tax will make Pennsylvania…

Memo

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Public Union Democracy

Super PACs Supersize Union Political Spending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 8, 2014

Super PACs are elbowing into state elections, promising to supersize the already dominating role unions play in electoral politics. Effectively, Super PACs can collect and spend an unlimited amount of…

Commentary

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Health Care

Washington isn’t Interested in Fixing Medicaid

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • April 4, 2014

“We have been legitimately working very hard with them and frankly, I’m very disappointed with the turn in discussions in the last week,” said Governor Corbett (paywall) on the federal…

Media

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Health Care

Healthy PA Can’t Cure Obamacare Disease

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • September 16, 2013

Gov. Corbett today unveiled a “Healthy PA” plan, calling for reforms to Medicaid while also accepting federal “Medicaid expansion” funds to buy insurance for 500,000 or more individuals on the…

Media

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State Budget

The Case for Corbett’s Tax Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 13, 2013

Combined with the federal tax rate, Pennsylvania businesses pay the second highest tax on their profits in the entire industrialized world.

Commentary

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Education

What’s Behind Pennsylvania’s D+ on Education?

  • Priya Brannick
  • January 9, 2013

StudentsFirst, a bipartisan education reform group, released report cards for all 50 states evaluating individual state education laws and policies—and the news wasn’t good for Pennsylvania,…

Media

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Education

5 Facts on the Parent Trigger in Pennsylvania

  • September 27, 2012

Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering legislation to reform the state charter school law.  This legislation may include a "parent trigger" to convert failing schools into charter schools.  …

Fact Sheet

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