Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania’s losing economically to other states

  • Charles Mitchell
  • August 3, 2022

Originally published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Like so many Pennsylvanians, I’ve had to say goodbye to another dear friend who left our commonwealth on the promise of work. The…

Media Hit

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Education

Commonwealth Foundation Files Amicus Brief in Education Funding Lawsuit

  • January 19, 2022

January 19, 2022, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Commonwealth Foundation has filed an amicus brief in an ongoing lawsuit over how Pennsylvania funds public schools. The brief argues, contrary to the plaintiffs’ depiction,…

Press Release

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Government Accountability

How Pa. Governments Use Tax Dollars to Pay Associations to Lobby

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Jessica Barnett
  • December 1, 2021

Prohibiting local governments and government agencies from diverting public funds to these associations would increase transparency and prevent taxpayers’ dollars from funding lobbying harmful to taxpayers.

Backgrounder

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Government Accountability

How Pa. Governments Use Tax Dollars to Pay Contract Lobbyists

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Jessica Barnett
  • December 1, 2021

Prohibiting local governments and government agencies from diverting public funds to these associations would increase transparency and prevent taxpayers’ dollars from funding lobbying harmful to taxpayers.

Backgrounder

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Government Accountability

Fiscal Earmarks Reduce State Budget Transparency

  • Jessica Barnett
  • August 19, 2021

The 2021–2022 Fiscal Code contains at least $5.5 billion in federal and state funds earmarked for special projects across the state, up from $120 million last year. Most of this…

Backgrounder

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Education

School Funding Myth Busters

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • June 23, 2021

In the face of uncertainly due to COVID in 2020, state lawmakers flat-funded education for the 2020–21 school year. Districts also received about $6 billion in additional funding via three…

Fact Sheet

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Op-Ed: More school choice means fewer lotteries

  • Stephen Bloom
  • June 16, 2021

SB 1 also includes an important provision to increase the availability of charter schools. Pennsylvania law currently places school districts in charge of charter school authorization. Unsurprisingly, districts often reject…

Commentary

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