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MAY 8, 2012 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
CF Applauds Pa. Senate Budget Use of TPA Index
HARRISBURG, PA (05.08.12) - The Commonwealth Foundation applauded Pennsylvania Senate leadership today for using the Taxpayer Protection Act index - inflation plus population growth - to compose their fiscal year 2012-13 budget.
APRIL 10, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
State Spending Limits for Pennsylvania
Prior to 2011-12, Pennsylvania's total operating budget had increased for at least 40 consecutive years. The Taxpayer Protection Act (TPA) would force lawmakers to limit government spending during boom years, put money aside in a Rainy Day Fund, and prepare for periods of economic stagnation.
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
APRIL 2, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Pennsylvania Higher Education Spending
Pennsylvania taxpayers subsidize higher education through appropriations to 14 state-owned universities (Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, or PASSHE), four state-related universities (Penn State, Pittsburgh, Temple, and Lincoln), community colleges, and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), which awards grants
MARCH 21, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Pennsylvania Government Debt
Today, Pennsylvanians owe $121 billion in state and local government debt. This equates to more than $9,400 for every person, and almost $38,000 for the average family of four in the commonwealth.
MARCH 15, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Pennsylvania State and School Pension Costs
Pennsylvania taxpayers fund two statewide pension plans for government employees—the State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) for state employees and the Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) for school employees. PSERS and SERS project total taxpayer contributions for these two plans will increase from $1.7 billion in 20
FEBRUARY 29, 2012 | Commentary by STEPHEN BLOOM, JOHN EICHELBERGER
Sounding the Alarm to Save Pennsylvania
A four-alarm fire is engulfing Pennsylvania's economy. If we don't regain control of the state debt, corrections costs, public welfare growth and government employee pensions, our state taxpayers will be burned, and Pennsylvania's children will inherit only the ashes of our once great commonwealth.
FEBRUARY 29, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Pennsylvania K-12 Education Spending
Pennsylvania's K-12 education revenue increased from $13 billion in 1995-96 to $26 billion in 2009-10. Adjusted for inflation, that represents a 44% increase in revenue per student.
FEBRUARY 22, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Pennsylvania Welfare Spending
The FY 2011-12 total operating budget of $63.4 billion, which included $27.1 billion in General Fund spending, represented the first year-to-year reduction in state spending in at least 40 years. However, as the economy continues to struggle out of a recession and with increasing costs in public welfare, corrections, pensions, and debt, the FY 2
FEBRUARY 14, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Pennsylvania Corrections Spending
The FY 2011-12 total operating budget of $63.4 billion, which included $27.1 billion in General Fund spending, represented the first year-to-year reduction in state spending in at least 40 years. However, as the economy continues to struggle out of a recession and with increasing costs in public welfare, corrections, pensions, and debt, the FY 2
