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 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 antiquat

FEBRUARY 14, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Pennsylvania's Prevailing Wage Law

Pennsylvania's Prevailing Wage Law was enacted in 1961 to protect construction workers from out-of-state competition, mandating that contractors pay the wages that "prevail" in each region on all government construction projects more than $25,000. This limits the number of construction jobs in the state and forces state and local governments to

APRIL 22, 2011 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

School Taxpayer Referendum & Property Tax Relief

Gov. Tom Corbett's FY 2011-12 budget proposal includes $63.6 billion in total operating spending—$27.3 billion in General Fund spending—a reduction of $3.3 billion from FY 2010-11. This budget restores overall spending to pre-stimulus levels and proposes no new taxes. This is the fifth in a series of fact sheets on the state budge

MARCH 22, 2011 | Testimony by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

Prevailing Wage in Pennsylvania

Prevailing Wage law also harms taxpayers, as it forces them to pay higher labor costs on public construction projects. Construction companies forced to pay union-inflated wages and benefits will pay upward of 30 percent more in labor costs for identical work on private sector projects.

MARCH 15, 2011 | Policy Report by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Streamlining State Government

Reforming the Regulatory Structure of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania businesses must navigate a complex web of regulations from more than 340 independent state agencies, offices, state departments, boards, commissions, and committees stemming from the executive branch. Several other boards, committees, and commissions in state government primarily provide an advisory or public relat

MARCH 15, 2011 | Testimony by NATHAN BENEFIELD

Streamlining State Government Testimony

Testimony of Nathan A. Benefield to the Senate Inter-Governmental Operations Committee

Pennsylvania businesses must navigate a complex web of regulations from more than 340 independent state agencies, offices, state departments, boards, commissions, and committees stemming from the executive branch. Several other boards, committees, and commissions in state government primarily provide an advisory or public relations ro

JANUARY 17, 2011 | Policy Report by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

80 Ideas for a Prosperous Pennsylvania

A Blueprint for Transforming the Commonwealth

Pennsylvania must undergo a rapid transformation to reverse the poor policy decisions that have eroded economic freedoms and brought the state to its present condition.  To provide a roadmap for success in this critical endeavor, the Commonwealth Foundation has compiled a list of 80 policy recommendations for Gov. Corbett and state legi

JANUARY 17, 2011 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE

How Corbett can Balance the Budget without Raising Taxes

Even before Gov.-elect Tom Corbett raises his right hand high Tuesday swearing to tackle the problems left from the previous administration's tax-borrow-and-spend agenda, doubters are lining up to take potshots at the notion that Harrisburg can close Pennsylvania's a potential $5 billion budget gap without a tax increase.

AUGUST 17, 2010 | Commentary by NATALIE ROGOL

Time to Exit Rendell's Road to Higher Taxes

Governor Rendell has proposed a series of tax increases to fill a $415 million transportation funding deficit created when the federal government rejected his plan to toll I-80 for a third time. The state's highway system is in sorry condition, but not because taxpayers pay too little. Pennsylvania spends more on transportation