Top 5 Blog Posts of 2013

As 2013 winds to a close, we thought we’d run down the top stories of the past year.  Here are Commonwealth Foundation’s top 5 blog posts, as chosen by you the readers:

1) SAT Scores by State 2013

We have compiled each state’s average SAT score into one, easy-access spreadsheet ranking states by their mean combined scores. The results show that Pennsylvania lags behind the national average.

2) Historic Vote Huge Step to Liquor Liberty

Members of the House of Representatives made a historic vote today by passing HB 790, a vote to end the state government’s Prohibition-era liquor system in Pennsylvania.

3) Many Pennsylvanians to See Insurance Premiums Skyrocket

Three days into the live exchanges many still do not know if their rates will increase. For many Pennsylvanians, the answer is most assuredly yes. Yesterday, the federal government released a sample of rates on the exchange for each county in the nation. We did a quick analysis of current insurance premiums on ehealthinsurance.com in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.We compared the lowest premiums to the minimum rates that will be available on the exchange. Not surprisingly, young adults will face the largest premium hikes.

4) Shocking Sheetz Statement Shames Senator

I am a Western Pennsylvanian and my Sheetz card is practically falling off my keychain due to overuse.  But you don’t need to know a Shmiscuit from a Shmuffin to be embarrassed by recent comments about Sheetz in a Senate liquor privatization hearing: “They rip people off every day.”  Another outrageous union boss comment? No, a state senator.

5) Union Gave $650,000 from Teachers’ Dues to Anti-Republican Group

Remember the shadowy group, Pennsylvanians for Accountability, which ran “shell game” prime time attack ads on Gov. Tom Corbett for “bankrolling big tax cuts for his corporate backers”?  Now it turns out the National Education Association gave a whopping $650,000 to Pennsylvanians for Accountability this year.