Education
New Video: Lifeline – Rescuing Kids When Schools Fail
In 2009, students trapped in our worst performing public schools endured seven rapes, 163 robberies, and two official riots. Those simple—and terrifying—facts haven’t been a big enough part of the…
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Read More: New Video: Lifeline – Rescuing Kids When Schools FailRegulation
Not Paying Pension Bills Hurts our Grandkids
Politicians last year passed their version of pension reform by deferring existing unfunded liabilities, making them even more unaffordable. The situation was so severe that they felt compelled to include…
Commentary
Read More: Not Paying Pension Bills Hurts our GrandkidsPublic Union Democracy
Shippensburg Asks for Prevailing Wage Relief
Shippensburg Borough Council recently passed a resolution asking for state relief from prevailing wage mandates. Prevailing wage mandates were imposed 50 years ago in Pennsylvania, following federal Davis-Bacon Act…
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Read More: Shippensburg Asks for Prevailing Wage ReliefState Budget
Unemployment Compensation Reform on Tap
This week, the House is expected to take up SB 1030, which would change Unemployment Compensation guidelines to ensured continue benefits for about 45,000 Pennsylvanians and help bring the…
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Fracking Friday
There are several good articles and studies worth reading on natural gas drilling, Marcellus Shale and fracking: Katrina’s commentary on the local impact of natural gas drilling appears in today’s…
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Read More: Fracking FridayTaxes & Economy
PA Property Tax Administration 2nd Worst in Nation
This past May, the commonwealth tied for second worse in the nation in state property tax administration, according to the Council On State Taxation (COST). States were evaluated in…
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Read More: PA Property Tax Administration 2nd Worst in NationEducation
Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying at Pitt
A reader shared the letter below from the University of Pittsburgh. It urges all parents and students to contact their state legislators and protest higher education cuts in the proposed…
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Read More: Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying at PittTaxes & Economy
The Real Victims of a Severance Tax
Jim VanBlarcom, a busy Bradford County dairy farmer, set a work day aside to come to Harrisburg and tell his story to Gov. Tom Corbett's Marcellus Shale panel. Royalty money…
Commentary
Read More: The Real Victims of a Severance TaxRegulation
Pennsylvania State Pension Liabilities
PSERS and SERS project total taxpayer contributions will increase from $1.1 billion this year to more than $5.5 billion in 2016—a 421% increase in five years.
Fact Sheet
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