Taxes & Economy
More Dependency Isn’t the Answer to PA Poverty
Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller wants more people on food stamps (or SNAP). In a hearing with the Senate Appropriations Committee, she argued that because the program…
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Read More: More Dependency Isn’t the Answer to PA PovertyEducation
Senate Nixes Tax Credit Scholarship Expansion
Late last night the Senate Appropriations Committee amended the Education Code, HB 178, without including an increase for Pennsylvania's popular tax credit scholarship programs. An earlier version of the…
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Read More: Senate Nixes Tax Credit Scholarship ExpansionRegulation
News Release: State Senate Committee Advances Critical Pension Overhaul
Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee approved SB 1, a critical overhaul of Pennsylvania’s troubled public pension system. The bill offers new public workers a side-by-side hybrid pension option that…
Press Release
Read More: News Release: State Senate Committee Advances Critical Pension OverhaulPublic Union Democracy
Paycheck Protection Advances in the Senate
Teachers and government workers are one step closer to getting their voices back. Yesterday, members of the Senate State Government Committee passed a constitutional amendment version of paycheck protection.
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Read More: Paycheck Protection Advances in the SenateRegulation
Fact Check: Liquor Privatization Polling & “Profits”
A strong majority of Pennsylvanians want legislators to end the state’s Prohibition-era liquor system, just as Governor Corbett has proposed. But as today’s Senate Appropriations Committee hearing for the…
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Read More: Fact Check: Liquor Privatization Polling & “Profits”Criminal Justice Reform
Don’t Fire Arrows without Arrowheads in Corrections Reform
Reforming our state corrections system is not being soft on crime—it is being smart on crime. To achieve transformative corrections reform, lawmakers should finish this critical legislative package and build…
Commentary
Read More: Don’t Fire Arrows without Arrowheads in Corrections ReformCriminal Justice Reform
Pennsylvania Passes Landmark Corrections Reform
On Monday, Pennsylvania passed landmark legislation to replace decades of ineffective and expensive corrections policies with reforms that make our communities safer and save taxpayers money. Commonwealth Foundation thanks…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Passes Landmark Corrections ReformCriminal Justice Reform
Corrections Reform: Don’t Fire Arrows Without Arrowheads
The Justice Reinvestment Initiative, commissioned by Gov. Tom Corbett and led by national corrections reform experts, generated broad bipartisan support for a reform package that will: Make the…
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Read More: Corrections Reform: Don’t Fire Arrows Without ArrowheadsState Budget
Chart of the Day: General Fund Spending and Revenue
Yesterday, the Pa. Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a budget (the full Senate is expected to vote on it today) that includes $27.65 billion in General Fund spending. Unfortunately, this…
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Read More: Chart of the Day: General Fund Spending and Revenue