Time to End Special Interest Loophole

  • April 27, 2017

Because of a legal carveout for special interests, Pennsylvania has been mixing public resources and politics for years. But that carveout could soon end.

Commentary

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Time to End Special Interest Loophole

  • Jessica Barnett
  • April 27, 2017

Because of a legal carveout for special interests, Pennsylvania has been mixing public resources and politics for years. But that carveout could soon end.

Commentary

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Government Accountability

Policy Memo: Government Union Political Spending Trends

  • Jessica Barnett
  • April 19, 2017

Union leaders spend millions each year to further their own political agenda. Regardless of public sector employees’ personal political convictions, the highly partisan trend continued to the tune of $19 million…

Memo

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Public Union Democracy

Paycheck Protection: Where it Stands

  • Jessica Barnett
  • April 7, 2017

In February, the state Senate passed paycheck protection, which would shield taxpayers from subsidizing government union leaders’ political fundraising. Now it’s up to the House to protect the interests of taxpayers…

Media

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Government Accountability

Paycheck Protection Benefits Teachers

  • Jessica Barnett
  • March 27, 2017

Providing one more reason Pennsylvania needs paycheck protection, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) uses members’ dues to mislead teachers.   In the March 2017 publication of PSEA’s dues-funded…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Op-Ed: Time to End Special-Interest Loophole

  • Jessica Barnett
  • March 24, 2017

Subverting public resources for political gain will not be tolerated. Except when it is. Pennsylvania government regularly collects and distributes tens of millions of dollars earmarked for politics on behalf of…

Commentary

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Education

Teachers’ Unions Dwarf School Choice Spending

  • Jessica Barnett
  • March 15, 2017

When it comes to education, government union leaders are Pennsylvania’s top political spender. No contest. We recently highlighted how government unions, outspoken proponents of a severance tax, far outspend…

Media

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Government Accountability

Government Unions Outspend the Natural Gas Industry

  • Jessica Barnett
  • February 16, 2017

Proponents of a natural gas severance tax argue the natural gas industry wields undue political influence in Harrisburg. State representative Greg Vitali laments: They [natural gas industry] just always…

Media

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Top Ten Recipients of Government Union Contributions

  • February 1, 2017

Since 2010, five government unions have contributed $18 million from Political Action Committees. These same unions reported spending $40 million on "political activities and lobbying" using union dues. A significant…

Commentary

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