Criminal Justice Reform

Pa. Prison Population Plummets by Most in History — Again

  • January 21, 2020

January 21, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa.—Pennsylvania’s prison population dropped by 1,495 individuals in 2019, according to new Department of Corrections numbers—the sharpest decline ever recorded. The number of incarcerated Pennsylvanians…

Press Release

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Regulation

Dairy Farms Can’t Support Prevailing Wage Mandates

  • Tirzah Duren
  • January 17, 2020

Pennsylvania’s picturesque countryside is home to roughly 6,200 dairy farms. While the road trip through Pennsylvania is idyllic—the business climate for these farmers is far from ideal.

Commentary

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The Grinch Who Stole Scholarships

  • Marc LeBlond
  • January 7, 2020

Every Harrisburger in the ‘Burg liked education a lot… St. Stephen’s, Bishop McDevitt, Little Learners’ for tots. And the Grinch loved education. Oh he loved it dearly! For his dear…

Commentary

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State Budget

The Road to Better Infrastructure

  • Tirzah Duren
  • January 3, 2020

Anyone who has ever driven on Pennsylvania’s roads knows this state is filled with structurally deficient bridges—3,770 to be exact—and that the skill of artfully swerving around potholes is essential…

Commentary

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State Budget

Mid-Year Budget Briefing: $779 Million Projected Overspend

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • January 2, 2020

This week is the midpoint of the commonwealth fiscal year, which ends on June 30. Every year, as required by law, the Office of the Budget gives a mid-year budget briefing…

Media

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Criminal Justice Reform

CF’s 2020 Vision

  • January 1, 2020

The Commonwealth Foundation’s mission sounds pretty simple: transform free-market ideas into public policies so all Pennsylvanians can flourish. Accomplishing that mission—with a divided government, powerful special interests, and a diverse…

Media

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Education

Pension Pacman Must Be Stopped

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • December 31, 2019

Next fiscal year Pennsylvania school districts will pay $4.9 billion into PSERS, the state teachers’ pension fund.1 Less than one quarter of that amount will fund new benefits earned by…

Media

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Criminal Justice Reform

Crime Declines as Pa. Passes Criminal Justice Reforms

  • Jessica Barnett
  • December 30, 2019

Responsible, smart reforms are paying dividends in Pennsylvania’s correction system—and recently passed reforms aim to build upon this success. The state Department of Corrections released a statement and…

Media

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Education

Myles Goes to Washington

  • December 22, 2019

“School choice opens up doors that would otherwise be slammed shut. As a young African American male in a low-income neighborhood it’s more likely I would be a dropout…

Media

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