Government Accountability

The Price of Secret Negotiations

  • March 9, 2016

The cost of compensating the state's workforce is nearly $93,000 per public employee. This illustrates why Pennsylvania’s collective bargaining process, which permits the politically powerful to operate in secret, must be reformed to…

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Education

No, We’re Not Underfunding Public Schools

  • James Paul
  • February 29, 2016

My latest op-ed at PennLive debunks several school funding myths that continue to haunt Pennsylvania: While local school revenue is notably high (6th in the nation), state revenue…

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Education

School Funding Myths Debunked

  • James Paul
  • February 29, 2016

Can Pennsylvania do better when it comes to educating our children? Absolutely. But playing “myths for money” will never lead to real solutions for families and students.

Commentary

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State Budget

Audio: PA Budget Groundhog Day

  • Jonathan Reginella
  • February 3, 2016

Groundhog Day has come and gone, but Gov. Wolf hasn’t stopped celebrating Punxsutawney Phil’s big day. Paying homage to the theme of the Groundhog Day movie, Wolf has trapped Pennsylvanians in…

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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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State Budget

A Christmas Spending Spree is in the Works

  • December 23, 2015

In an unexpected move, the House voted to revive the Senate’s $30.8 billion budget yesterday, which many thought was dead after a pension reform bill went down in defeat…

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Is Pennsylvania’s Income Tax Too Low?

  • December 14, 2015

Is an income tax hike in Pennsylvania’s future? Over the weekend, Charles Thompson of PennLive reported on the possibility, citing multiple sources who would not rule out a personal…

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State Budget

Tax Hikes: Wolf’s White Whale

  • James Paul
  • October 8, 2015

Wednesday’s vote on Gov. Wolf’s tax scheme was latest in a long line of political gimmicks aimed at reeling-in Wolf’s white whale: paradigm-shifting tax increases on Pennsylvania families and small…

Commentary

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