First Turnpike Bid Is In! Only $5.3 Billion

matt — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

PA Turnpike Commission plan will provide only $450 million per year for state's roads, highways, bridges, and mass transit

HARRISBURG, PA — As Gov. Rendell and the General Assembly await bids from private-sector companies to lease and operate the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the Commonwealth Foundation revealed the effective “bid” placed by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to maintain control of its 537-mile toll road.

Medicaid Reform: Mending the Holes in Pennsylvania’s Health Care Safety Net

nate — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:18:59 -0400

Executive Summary

Medicaid Reform: Mending the Holes in Pennsylvania’s Health Care Safety Net

nate — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:52:02 -0400

Medicaid, the joint federal/state program that was created to provide health care for the poor, celebrated its 40th birthday in 2006. There was no party for the program, however. In Pennsylvania and around the nation, Medicaid is growing at an unsustainable rate and threatens both state and federal budgets. Medicaid represented 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the year 2000 and is projected to rise to 9% by 2075.

The Nanny State Mentality

nate — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:00:06 -0400

Anyone who has observed politics for long would see that too many politicians believe nothing positive would happen unless they pass a law requiring it. They think that the American people are dependent on them for their wealth, safety, and happiness.

Revisiting the New Deal

bethany — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

As the New Deal celebrates its 75th birthday, it is a fitting time to reflect on the context in which it occurred, its moral and spiritual underpinnings, and its aims. By significantly increasing the size, spending, and scope of the federal government, the New Deal has had a tremendous impact on American life. It laid the foundation for a national welfare system and created programs, most notably Social Security, that continue today.

Cyber Charter Schools are Key to Improving Education

nate — Mon, 05 May 2008 20:00:22 -0400

Presentation to Commonwealth Foundation Luncheon April 29, 2008

In the beginning of Time Magazine’s report, “How to Bring our Schools Out of the 20th Century”, Rip Van Winkle awakens in the 21st century after a “hundred-year snooze” utterly bewildered by the technology and rapid paced society surrounding him. Yet, when he walks into a school room he knows exactly where he is, “This is a school he declares. We used to have these back in 1906. Only now the blackboards are green.”

Healthcare Affordability

nate — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:42:49 -0400

Healthcare Reform Principles

Every reform action should be tested against two criteria:

• Does it take costs out of the system?
• Does it price insurance in proportion to expected usage of the system?

Current Status

Insurance involves the interrelationship of three concepts: (1) the pooling of unexpected risks, (2) covering risks of a significant nature, (3) establishing premiums which accurately reflect the underlying risk profile of the insured.

Ethanol Mandates Cause Rising Food Prices

bethany — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Food prices are rising worldwide. Some nations, such as Egypt and Cameroon, are facing riots as the prices for basic food stuffs rise.

Other countries from India to Cambodia have banned food exports to try and keep prices low and reduce voter anger.

In the U.S., the Wall Street Journal last week gave advice normally associated with survivalists warning about the end of civilization.

Readers were warned to start hoarding non-perishables ("Dried pasta, rice, cereals, and cans of everything from tuna fish to fruit and vegetables").

The Who, What, Why, How of PA’s Cyber Schools

nate — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:19:10 -0400

New report addresses myths and facts about online learning

HARRISBURG, PA — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation released A Primer on Pennsylvania’s Cyber Schools, a policy brief which answers the many of the questions about Pennsylvania’s public cyber schools, as well as separating the myths from the facts about online learning.

A Primer on Pennsylvania Cyber Schools

nate — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:59:27 -0400

Executive Summary

An increasing number of parents are choosing Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools for their children every year. Between 2001 and 2006, enrollment grew from 1,848 to almost 16,000 students. Although cyber schools receive less funding than traditional public schools, they perform well academically despite frequently serving students who are hard to educate. In the 2006-07 school year, Pennsylvania’s cyber schools collectively met 64 out of 78 of the state’s academic criteria for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).