State Budget

No One Person is to Blame for Pennsylvania’s Problems

  • February 26, 2016

Proponents of bigger goverment have crafted a narrative that government has been cut to the bone. Pennsylvania needs massive tax hikes, they say, to repair the damage done by Gov. Corbett, whose slash-and-burn budgeting…

Media

Read More: No One Person is to Blame for Pennsylvania’s Problems

Public Union Democracy

How Pennsylvania’s Labor Laws Trap Union Members

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • February 25, 2016

Pennsylvania's labor laws keep union members in the dark. Union members rarely have the opportunity to voice their opinion through elections or resign their membership. A lack of transparency makes…

Memo

Read More: How Pennsylvania’s Labor Laws Trap Union Members

Regulation

Addressing the Confusion on Compensation

  • February 23, 2016

Yesterday we issued a press release on public employee compensation, which is now causing quite a stir on social media. One commenter accused us of engaging in “shenanigans.” Another…

Media

Read More: Addressing the Confusion on Compensation

Public Union Democracy

The Pretense of Democratic Unions

  • February 22, 2016

Control over the largest local teachers union in Pennsylvania is up for grabs. The Caucus of Working Educators (WE) is challenging the leadership of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers…

Media

Read More: The Pretense of Democratic Unions

Regulation

Pennsylvania Must Control Compensation Costs

  • February 22, 2016

The soaring costs of public employee compensation, if left unchecked, could aggravate Pennsylvania’s financial troubles. The growth in employee benefits, which have skyrocketed since 2006, is driving this upward trend…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Must Control Compensation Costs

Regulation

Secret Contracts Push State Worker Costs Near $100K Each

  • February 22, 2016

Secret Contracts Push State Worker Costs Near $100K Each Benefit Costs Tripled Since 2000 February 22, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—As Gov. Wolf calls for a record-high $80 billion…

Press Release

Read More: Secret Contracts Push State Worker Costs Near $100K Each

State Budget

Wolf’s Policies Send Pennsylvanians Packing

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 19, 2016

Last year, we lost one person to another state every 12.5 minutes—a net migration of 41,600 residents, gone. That’s nearly the entire population of York, Gov. Wolf’s hometown. Ironically, Wolf…

Commentary

Read More: Wolf’s Policies Send Pennsylvanians Packing

Taxes & Economy

The Fair Share Fallacy

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • February 18, 2016

What is the natural gas industry's “fair share” of taxes? The answer depends on the calendar year. An analysis from the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) finds the current “impact fee” is effectively a 5.5…

Media

Read More: The Fair Share Fallacy

Education

Taxpayer-Funded Union Politics in Philadelphia

  • James Paul
  • February 18, 2016

It's no secret that the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) plucks teachers out of the classroom to work as full-time union operatives. These individuals are known as ghost teachers—and their…

Media

Read More: Taxpayer-Funded Union Politics in Philadelphia