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APRIL 3, 2012 | Commentary by ELIZABETH STELLE
Education Spending: The Rest of the Story
Since Gov. Corbett's budget proposal, those who profit from Pennsylvania's $26 billion a year public school system have been gnashing teeth over what they claim is an "underfunding" of the public schools. This misinformation campaign builds on the faulty premises that education spending in Pennsylvania has been cut to the bone and more money wil
MARCH 5, 2012 | Policy Report by PRIYA ABRAHAM, CARA DOCHAT
The Squeeze: Government Unions' Grip on Pennsylvanians
Pennsylvania's government unions wield tremendous political influence and advance policies that harm the commonwealth's taxpayers, children, and even their own members. Pennsylvania is a forced union state, meaning even workers who are not official union members must pay fees to the union as a condition of their employment. A single union usuall
OCTOBER 27, 2011 | Commentary by CARA DOCHAT, PRIYA ABRAHAM
Government Unions Steal Worker Freedom
Pennsylvania is one of 28 states in which workers can be compelled to give part of their paycheck to a union just to keep their job. Moreover, even non-membership is costly. Those able to evade union coercion are still compelled to pay hundreds of dollars in fair share fees, or agency fees, to cover their supposed share of benefits
Recent Blog Posts
APRIL 17, 2012
Who are Teacher Unions Protecting?
The Patriot-News published my letter that questions whether teacher unions protect teachers.
Union lobbying to create an unsustainable pension program is directly connected to the Central Dauphin School Board's decision to let go more than 70 teachers and raise property taxes by more than 3 percent. Sadly, that's only the beginning of student, teacher and taxpayer pain.
Taxpayer contributions for school and state worker pensions will increase from $1.7 billion in 2011-12 to more than $6.1 billion in 2016-17 - a 257 percent increase. Next school year, the average homeowner will pay an additional $370 just for increases in required pension contributions.
Ultimately, the cause of this crisis is not an underfunding of education (education spending has doubled since 1995), but a failure of politicians to recognize they had surrendered to an unsustainable pension plan.
The union that had intended to protect teachers contributed to this crisis that threatens thousands of jobs. The PSEA not only lobbied for increases in pension benefits, but also for the 2003 and 2010 legislation to delay pension payments. That bill is now coming due. Teachers at Central Dauphin should be upset with their union for not only creating the crisis, but refusing to protect jobs.
Given the choice between teacher layoffs and forgoing a 3.75 percent raise next year, the union opted for layoffs. This makes one wonder, who are teacher unions really protecting? It was never kids or taxpayers, and it sure doesn't look like teachers, either.
posted by ELIZABETH STELLE | 10:50 AM | 0 comment
APRIL 10, 2012
Think Government Union Dues aren't Used for Politics? Think Again
Government unions often defend their dues—and the fact that taxpayers subsidize the collection of dues—by claiming dues cannot be used for politics. That is not the case. Union dues cannot be given directly to a candidate or a PAC, but they can be used for politicking in other ways: lobbying, independent advertising in support of a candidate, get out the vote efforts, mailings to members, etc.
For example, a reader recently sent us a scanned mailer they received from the PSEA, paid for with union dues. The mailer endorses a Republican incumbent in the primary, based on his opposition to school vouchers (a major focus of the PSEA's $4.2 million in lobbying spending), opposing reforms to a broken pension system, and supporting a "living wage" for school employees, whatever that means.
It is time we end collection of political money with taxpayer resources. For more on how government unions use dues for politics, and for the benefit of union bosses, check out our report, The Squeeze.
PSEA Campaign Mailer 2012 Primary
posted by NATHAN BENEFIELD | 10:30 AM | 0 comment
APRIL 5, 2012
I'm Bringing Some Gumbo to the State Capitol
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal refused to let government unions push him around. His reward? A sweet victory not just for himself, but for the taxpayers, parents, and students of Louisiana. Here's the word from our friends at the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice and CF's sister think tank, the Pelican Institute:
BATON ROUGE - Louisiana will be home to one of the nation's largest school voucher programs once Gov. Bobby Jindal signs legislation that recently passed his state's legislature. Today, by a vote of 60-42, the Louisiana House of Representatives approved Gov. Jindal's voucher expansion, which passed the Senate last night 24-15.
"This is a momentous day for the families of Louisiana," State Superintendent of Education John White said. "All students deserve a fair chance in life, and that begins with the opportunity to attend a high-quality school. These policy changes are aligned with that central belief, and Gov. Jindal and state lawmakers have demonstrated a clear commitment to prioritize the educational rights of Louisiana's next generation above all else."
The expansion of the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program will allow low- and middle-income students in Louisiana public schools graded "C," "D," or "F" by the state accountability system to receive government-funded vouchers to attend private schools. Currently, that option is available only to children in New Orleans and students with special needs in eligible parishes.
Last month, a poll commissioned by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, an organization supportive of school vouchers, found that 60 percent of Louisiana voters surveyed were in favor of Gov. Jindal's plan to provide vouchers to more families statewide.
"In passing this measure, lawmakers listened to their constituents who are demanding high-quality education options for Louisiana families," Robert Enlow, president and CEO of the Friedman Foundation, said. Enlow's organization was founded by Nobel laureate Milton Friedman, who first developed the idea of school vouchers. "This measure puts control of kids' educations where it belongs-in the hands of their parents. We applaud Gov. Jindal, Superintendent White, and the legislative leaders who are making Louisiana a lead state in putting students first."
Currently, 18 states, including Louisiana, and Washington, D.C., provide some type of private school choice either through vouchers or the tax code. With more than half of its student population now voucher-eligible, the magnitude of Louisiana's voucher program rivals only Indiana's, which enacted a similar statewide program last year.
"Louisiana just opened the doors of opportunity to thousands of children," Kevin Kane, president of Louisiana's Pelican Institute, said. "By expanding school choice, our K-12 education system will be more effective, innovative, and fiscally responsible. Students and parents will be the immediate beneficiaries, but, in the long run, Louisiana as a whole will prosper with a better educated population."
posted by CHARLES MITCHELL | 01:50 PM | 0 comment
