State Budget

What to know about the 2022 state budget deal

  • July 7, 2022

Pennsylvania lawmakers today unveiled the next fiscal year’s state budget plan. The Bad News: This budget represents excessive growth in government spending, increasing state spending by 10.7 percent over last…

Memo

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State Budget

Budget Outlook: Restrained Spending Growth

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 12, 2018

On Tuesday, Budget Secretary Randy Albright gave the mid-year budget briefing (slides available here) for the 2018-19 budget. If you’re expecting a repeat of the Wolf Administration’s tax-and-spend rhetoric…

Media

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Education

Hits and Misses from the 2015-16 Legislative Session

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • December 5, 2016

That's a wrap. The 2015-16 legislative session is officially in the history books. Despite a $650 million tax hike, Pennsylvanians have a lot to celebrate from the past two years.

Media

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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

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State Budget

Is Pa. Budget Groundhog Day Ahead?

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • February 2, 2016

Instead of changing course entering the new budget season, Wolf appears poised to continue governing by attack ad. No wonder the latest polling shows Wolf’s approval is lower now than…

Commentary

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Education

Taxing Business Won’t Save Students

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 25, 2014

Paul Battista told a Congressional subcommittee last year: “We can now pay a higher family-sustaining wage! We have people working for us that are the primary breadwinners of their household.”…

Commentary

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State Budget

Five Facts About the 2014 State Budget

  • July 2, 2014

On June 30, the General Assembly passed a $29.1 billion budget, sending it to Gov. Corbett for his approval. While Gov. Corbett is taking time to review…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

The Government Union Billion Dollar Tax Hike

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 11, 2014

In 2012, Americans paid more in taxes than they did for food, clothing and shelter combined. In Pennsylvania, residents labor under the 10th highest tax burden in the…

Media

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State Budget

Tax Cuts To Blame for Pennsylvania’s Budget Deficit?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 30, 2014

As we have pointed out in the past, Pennsylvania’s legacy of overspending has created a looming deficit, threatening to destroy our fiscal house. Yet, some lawmakers and public officials…

Media

Read More: Tax Cuts To Blame for Pennsylvania’s Budget Deficit?