Criminal Justice Reform

Why Pennsylvania Needs Probation Reform

• Brandon Van Dyck
• December 15, 2021

Pennsylvania has an overburdened probation system that delivers substandard results. The commonwealth’s recidivism rate is 41 percent—one of the highest in the nation.

Backgrounder

Taxes & Economy

Top Unemployment Compensation Reforms for Pennsylvania

• November 3, 2021

Overview Pennsylvania should reform its unemployment compensation system to pay down state debt, incentivize hiring, increase labor participation, and minimize fraudulent claims. Reforms should protect unemployment compensation for the individuals…

Fact Sheet

Op-Ed: Pennsylvanians deserve maximum wages, not harmful minimum wage mandates

• Stephen Bloom
• August 16, 2021

Instead of making workers dependent upon politics for a raise, the government should clear the path for our local economies to grow. This approach to prosperity is real and long-lasting—and…

Commentary

Op-Ed: Voters can limit the power of the governor on May 18

• Nathan Benefield
• March 29, 2021

Pennsylvanians can’t allow Wolf to wield such powers over our communities without working alongside the Legislature.

Commentary

State Budget

Gov. Wolf’s Budget Plan & Working Families

• Elizabeth Stelle
• February 23, 2021

Chairman Causer and members of the House Majority Policy Committee, thank you for inviting the Commonwealth Foundation to testify on the impact of Governor Wolf’s budget proposal. My name is…

Testimony

Op-Ed: Ignore Wolf’s small business tax hike. Pass a budget that cares for kids and communities

• Nathan Benefield
• February 9, 2021

From small businesses to education, the General Assembly should enact policies that challenge Wolf’s harmful ideas. His policy agenda would leave a legacy of more government spending, higher unemployment, and…

Commentary

More from the Senate Education Committee Hearing

• Nathan Benefield
• October 6, 2020

When schools closed last spring—and with many still not fully open—parents across Pennsylvania have seen their children lose ground while having to pick up the additional costs of at-home education.

Commentary

How to Balance the Budget: Revenue Options

• Andrew Abramczyk
• October 2, 2020

Pennsylvania’s partial-year budget to fund the government through November relied on federal emergency aid to patch a prospective deficit. The state cannot count on such extra resources in the future.

Backgrounder

Lawmakers can Help Students get Back on Track

• September 25, 2020

Funded with a portion of Pennsylvania’s reserved federal CARES Act funding, the proposal would establish scholarship accounts that families can use for educational necessities, similar to EBT cards used for supplemental…

Commentary