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 will improve student learning. Unfortunately, this narrative distorts reality and omits key facts. As the late Paul Harvey would say, it is time you know the rest of the story.

February 16, 2012 | Policy Report by ELIZABETH STELLE

Ending the Cycle: Reforming Welfare in Pennsylvania

Government welfare, with its goal to provide a helping hand to those in need, has instead become a vast series of programs that fall far short of the good intentions behind them. Welfare spending in the Keystone State consumes a growing share of the state budget, and is projected to crowd out spending on other government programs in the near future. In addition to being costly, too many welfare programs frequently provide low-quality care to recipients. The result is that Pennsylvania's welfare system promotes greater dependence on government - instead of independence and personal responsibility - resulting in higher, rather than reduced poverty. This doesn't have to be the case.

January 24, 2012 | Commentary by ELIZABETH STELLE, JAY OSTRICH

Welfare Reforms Protect Poor, Taxpayers

Regardless of where you stand on taxpayer-funded entitlements, few Americans argue against the maintenance of temporary safety nets or modifications aimed at ending welfare fraud, waste and abuse.

September 20, 2011 | Commentary by ELIZABETH STELLE

Public-Private Parking Prevents Tax Hikes

Facing immense fiscal and political pressures, many local governments are looking for ways to fund services without raising taxes. But officials need not curb their enthusiasm for fiscal responsibility if they simply put the brakes on being in the parking business.

Pennsylvania has 41 special government parking authorities; the rest of the nation, combined, has five. Despite their abundance, few can explain exactly why Pennsylvania relies on government-run parking monopolies.

August 26, 2011 | Testimony by ELIZABETH STELLE

Marcellus Shale Local Impact Fee

Testimony of Elizabeth Stelle to the Marcellus Shale Municipal Co-Op

Good evening.  I am Elizabeth Stelle, a Policy Analyst for the Commonwealth Foundation.  We are Pennsylvania's free market think that crafts and promotes free-market policies based on guiding principles like limited government and personal responsibility.  I would like to thank Representative White and members of the Co-op for the opportunity to discuss a local impact fee on natural gas development.

June 16, 2011 | Commentary by ELIZABETH STELLE, NATHAN BENEFIELD

How Taxpayers are Funding Big Labor's Education Failures

More than $92 million in taxpayer dollars for public education is being funneled through school districts back to these special interest groups, including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA). These groups that profit from the $26 billion Pennsylvania taxpayers dole out on public schools have formed a coalition against school vouchers, ramped up their lobbying efforts and run attack ads against school choice and other education reforms.  Our tax dollars are funding organizations working to protect their fiefdom of failure against the best interests of taxpayers and school children.

May 26, 2011 | Policy Report by LEONARD GILROY, HARRIS KENNY, KATRINA CURRIE, ELIZABETH STELLE

Privatizing "Yellow Pages" Government

This report surveys the scope of Yellow Pages Government in Pennsylvania, looks at examples of state and local privatization throughout the country, and outlines best practices to equip lawmakers to successfully transition government out of unnecessary services by implementing a variety of models.

April 4, 2011 | Commentary by ELIZABETH STELLE

Scholars Aren't Made from Dollars

All indications say academic performance remains inadequate, with thousands of children trapped in failing schools while waiting lists for charter schools and Educational Improvement Tax Credit scholarships grow.  Proponents of the education status quo say they need still more time and more money.  But can Pennsylvania afford to allow another generation of children to fail in a broken system?

March 2, 2011 | Commentary by ELIZABETH STELLE

Spending Transparency Coming to Pennsylvania?

PennWATCH (House Bill 15), sponsored by Rep. Jim Christiana, would create a user-friendly database with searchable information on all state government spending. The bill passed the Pennsylvania House unanimously on February 9. A similar proposal in the Senate, Senate Bill 105, sponsored by Sen. Pat Browne, is starting to move on the other side of the Capitol.

January 24, 2011 | Policy Brief by ELIZABETH STELLE, KATRINA CURRIE

Citizen's Guide to Electric Choice & Competition 2011

In the late 1990s, Pennsylvania's electricity rates were 15% above the national average, despite the abundance of low-cost coal generation in the Commonwealth. At that time, electricity was sold by a monopoly utility provider in each designated region. Federal regulations then changed to allow electricity markets to develop. The state legislature responded with the Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act, signed in December 1996, promising lower prices and better service through consumer choice and generation competition.