Education

Audio: “Rainy Day” Funds Raining on Taxpayers

  • June 22, 2017

School districts across Pennsylvania have stashed away millions of surplus funds for a “rainy day,” yet some continue to request higher taxes at the same time. Of course, for…

Media

Read More: Audio: “Rainy Day” Funds Raining on Taxpayers

Education

Will Philly Union Contract Require State Bailout?

  • James Paul
  • June 20, 2017

Philadelphia’s new teacher contract could be so expensive as to require teacher layoffs to pay for it. But there’s another way the $395 million pact could be financed: with…

Media

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Education

Philly Union Contract Underscores Need for Transparency

  • James Paul
  • June 19, 2017

On Monday evening, members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) voted to approve a new labor contract with the School District of Philadelphia. Scant details have emerged on…

Media

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State Budget

The Solution to Pa.’s Perpetual Deficit Problems

  • June 19, 2017

Pennsylvania is rapidly approaching the June 30 budget deadline. Over the next two weeks, lawmakers will decide how to balance the 2017-18 budget. But they’ll also need to settle old…

Media

Read More: The Solution to Pa.’s Perpetual Deficit Problems

Regulation

Policy Points: Pennsylvania’s Debt Burden

  • June 15, 2017

State and local debt levels have exploded since 2002. When combined with the commonwealth’s unfunded liabilities, total state obligations exceed $17,600 for every Pennsylvania resident.

Fact Sheet

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Health Care

Obamacare’s Cost Increase Aren’t “Just Fine”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 15, 2017

This week, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller sent a letter suggesting that an 8.8 percent increase in insurance premiums next year was a good thing, and…

Media

Read More: Obamacare’s Cost Increase Aren’t “Just Fine”

Regulation

Pennsylvania Ranks Poorly…Again

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • June 14, 2017

Redesigning state government has never been more important. For evidence, check out Pennsylvania’s poor performance in U.S. News & World Report’s recent Best States Rankings. Overall, the study puts the…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Ranks Poorly…Again

Criminal Justice Reform

Policy Memo: Principles for State Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 14, 2017

With the 2017 budget, lawmakers have an opportunity to double down on the idea of reinventing government and adopt meaningful reforms that will save taxpayers money, stimulate economic growth, and improve services…

Memo

Read More: Policy Memo: Principles for State Budget