Public Union Democracy

Governor Shapiro’s SEPTA Bailout is Another Failure of Leadership

  • November 22, 2024

Harrisburg, PA, November 22, 2024 — Gov. Josh Shapiro today announced a plan to divert federal funds to bail out the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). At a press conference in Philadelphia,…

Press Release

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State Budget

Transit Bailout Could Derail Shapiro’s Budget

  • Andrew Holman, Nathan Benefield
  • February 20, 2024

Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro thinks mass transit is too big to fail. In his recent budget address, Shapiro pitched sending roughly $300 million…

Media Hit

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Education

Key Takeaways from Governor’s 2024 Budget Proposal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 7, 2024

Key Points Gov. Josh Shapiro’s startling spending increases and myriad of new initiatives would explode the budget deficit and invite massive tax hikes on working families in the coming years.

Backgrounder

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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

Read More: How Pa. Governments Use Tax Dollars to Pay Associations to Lobby

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

Read More: How Pa. Governments Use Tax Dollars to Pay Contract Lobbyists

State Budget

How to Balance the State Budget without Raising Taxes in a Pandemic

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • November 6, 2020

Reducing spending to reflect how the pandemic impacted state agencies and balance the budget without tax hikes or borrowing is the first step. Without additional structural spending changes laid out in…

Backgrounder

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Government Accountability

Solutions to Preventing Tax Increases in 2021

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 26, 2020

Lawmakers can respect the Pennsylvania constitution’s balanced budget amendment and act to prevent tax increases that will drive more families and businesses out of the state, further shrinking the revenue…

Memo

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State Budget

Ten Facts About the Shadow Budget

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 11, 2017

Four tax hikes in eight years have failed to solve Pennsylvania’s budget challenges or grow the economy. In contrast, utilizing 13% of reserve funds in the shadow budget…

Memo

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Regulation

Who Pays for SEPTA?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 7, 2016

News reports today indicate SEPTA (the public transit agency serving the Philadelphia region) came to an agreement with the Transportation Workers Union Local 234—ending a six-day strike just before election…

Media

Read More: Who Pays for SEPTA?