May 22, 2012 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE, GEORGE LEADER

Commonsense Can Correct Corrections

Kyle, a convicted burglar sentenced to 1-3 years in Pennsylvania state prison, was granted parole in June 2011, but spent an extra 100 days in jail, not because he failed to serve time for his crime, but because he couldn't pay an administrative fine.  According to the Department of Corrections, his due was $13.70.

March 28, 2012 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

Change We Can’t Afford

This week, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act celebrated its two-year anniversary before the U.S. Supreme Court. The controversial health care law finds itself in front of the highest court in the land after Pennsylvania and 25 other states joined together to challenge its constitutionality.

March 19, 2012 | Commentary by THOMAS J. GENTZEL, MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

Public Schools Can Do More with Less - If We Let Them

As families across Pennsylvania try to figure out how to do more with less in this difficult economy, our local public schools must also do the same.  But unlike fiscally sound kitchen-table decisions that can be made in the morning and implemented by lunch, elected school board members are forced to waste taxpayer money because of antiquated and unfair mandates from Harrisburg that do nothing to improve the quality of public education.

February 6, 2012 | Feature by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

Memo on Marcellus Shale Impact Fee "Deal"

Memo from Matthew Brouillette to Pennsylvania General Assembly on Marcellus Shale Impact Fee "Deal."

January 11, 2012 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

A Decade Left Behind

My first career started a few decades ago in the classroom as a high school history teacher.  While much has changed since then – including the use of technology and smaller class sizes – the one constant is the need for "reform" to improve our education system.

December 5, 2011 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

What Will You See in 17 Minutes?

Seventeen minutes is a small sliver of time for most people.  In those few moments, most people could take a shower, prepare a meal, or watch half a sitcom.  But for 82,000 kids in Pennsylvania, 17 minutes is no ordinary or laughing matter, it is pain that can last a lifetime.

November 7, 2011 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

WIFM: What's In It for Me?

"What's in it for me?"  Legislators will ask that question from time to time when they don't see the direct political benefit in voting for something controversial.  Recently, as Gov. Corbett and the General Assembly consider a package of education reform bills, legislators - particularly those in suburban and rural districts - are asking "What's in it for me?" more often.

October 5, 2011 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

Principles Must Lead Shale Fee Proposal

Before sound could travel from Gov. Corbett's lips to Pennsylvanians' ears, special interest groups and tax-and-spend politicians unwisely laid waste his plan to protect job growth and stave off family budget-crushing tax hikes through a non-punitive natural gas drilling impact fee.

September 28, 2011 | Testimony by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

Transportation Funding Must be Tied to Reform

Governor Corbett's Transportation Funding Advisory Commission identified the dilapidated state of Pennsylvania's roads and bridges and future infrastructure needs.  Pennsylvania routinely finishes among the worst states in rankings of road conditions, and among the highest in the number of structurally deficient bridges.  Yet Pennsylvania also ranks high among states in terms of spending on roads and bridges, both in terms of spending per capita and spending per highway mile.

In other words, Pennsylvania's transportation system is one of high costs and poor quality.

August 24, 2011 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

Green Light More Education Tax Credits

Would you ever give a green light or a hard-earned nickel to a business model that showed it was going to hire more staff to service fewer customers by doubling the cost of production while keeping the quality substandard and worse than the global competition? Of course not, but that is exactly the model Pennsylvanians invested in through the public education system in the last decade.