Public Union Democracy

Government Unions Spent $915 Million on Politics in 2024

• December 8, 2025

Harrisburg, Pa., December 8, 2025 — Four of the largest national government unions combined to spend more than $915 million on political and ideological causes in the 2023-24 election cycle.

Press Release

Energy

Shapiro’s Lights Out Agenda

• June 27, 2025

Analysis of Governor Shapiro’s Lightning Plan Summary In January, Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled his Lightning Plan, which he calls a “bold, all-of-the-above energy plan” to shift…

Fact Sheet

What’s Shapiro Hiding?

• Common Sense Weekly
• February 13, 2025

Welcome to Common Sense Weekly! This is the Commonwealth Foundation’s weekly news roundup of policy issues being debated in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania. Governor Shapiro’s Super Bowl Appearance Highlights…

Blog

State Budget

How to Balance the PA State Budget

• January 21, 2025

Key Points Pennsylvania faces a $3.6 billion structural deficit in fiscal year (FY) 2024–25. Unless addressed, the deficit will require massive tax increases on working families by next year. Extreme…

Backgrounder

Public Union Democracy

Unions at a Crossroads: Democracy, Transparency, and Bridging Divides

• David Osborne
• January 20, 2025

Jake Altman, author of Socialism before Sanders, joins Disunion: The Government Union Report podcast host David R. Osborne to discuss labor unions and their challenges. Altman, a former union leader,…

Podcast

Government Accountability

Four Bills Would Empower Workers & Protect Taxpayer Resources

• January 25, 2022

January 25, 2022, Harrisburg, Pa. — Four bills approved by the House Labor and Industry Committee Tuesday could soon bring several key public-sector labor reforms to a House vote. Lawmakers…

Press Release

Op-Ed: Transparency Victory a Call to Action for Lawmakers

• Nathan Benefield
• August 18, 2020

Wolf’s pattern of lawlessness must be stopped—and lawmakers’ transparency victory could be the turning point that reins him in. …

Commentary

Wolf Reluctantly Gives In On Transparency During Emergencies

• Michael Torres
• July 27, 2020

Yesterday, a transparency bill requiring state and local government to continue fulfilling Right-to-Know requests under the Pa. Open Records law during emergency declarations became law without the governor’s signature.

Media

Government Accountability

Spending Transparency & Accountability

• December 3, 2009

There is a national movement to make government spending and finances accessible to taxpayers.  Pennsylvania lags behind, but state lawmakers are moving toward greater transparency.

Fact Sheet