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

SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 | Commentary by MAURICE MCTIGUE

Making PA Budgets Honest

American governments are built around the power of legislatures to challenge administrations through public debate. From this debate come better policy decisions. However, if one side has a monopoly on fiscal information, it can hamper reasonable debate about government budgets. This is the situation in Pennsylvania, where the state

JULY 22, 2010 | Commentary by MICHAEL NEROZZI, NATHAN BENEFIELD

I&R: Our Inalienable Right to Reform

It is clear our government will not reform itself.  Article I, Section 2 of the Pennsylvania Constitution recognizes the right of the citizens to "alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think proper."  It is past time to exercise this right, but the General Assembly and Governor have not provided the m

APRIL 30, 2010 | Testimony by NATHAN BENEFIELD

Does Legislative Size Matter?

Testimony of Nathan A. Benefield to the Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee

In summary, our analysis suggests that a reduction in the size of the Pennsylvania General Assembly could improve the lawmaking process, but only if it includes other, more comprehensive reforms such as those I just outlined.  We, at the Commonwealth Foundation, would be pleased to work with you on any of these good government reform me

APRIL 20, 2010 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Poll Shows Voters Support Pension Reform, I&R, and Spending Limits

Today, the Commonwealth Foundation released results of a recently commissioned statewide measuring Pennsylvanians' opinion of three landmark reforms.  The poll of 700 registered voters was conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research Company between April 7 and 12, 2010.

MARCH 19, 2010 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD

The Case for a Part-Time Legislature

There is a direct link between our full-time legislature and our state economy.  A Commonwealth Foundation analysis shows a strong connection between legislative professionalization and higher spending per capita, a higher tax burden, and less economic freedom. Specifically, each increase in the level of professionalization results in

MARCH 11, 2010 | Policy Brief by NATHAN BENEFIELD, ELIZABETH STELLE

The Case for a Citizen Legislature

The operating cost of the Pennsylvania General Assembly has steadily increased, while Pennsylvania's economy has been stagnant. The Keystone State's burden of state and local taxes is among the heaviest in the country, while it ranks near the bottom in economic growth and freedom. This reality can be addressed by a number of reforms that woul

DECEMBER 14, 2009 | Testimony by JOE STERNS

Qualifications for Governor (HB 2083)

House Bill 2083 begs us to consider whether or not an Attorney General longing to be Governor would be inclined to abuse his power to achieve his political goals, and further, whether or not there should be a four-year hiatus between an Attorney General's transition to Governor. House Bill 2083 doesn't apply the logic of its premise to the spect

NOVEMBER 23, 2009 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE, TIM POTTS, BARRY KAUFFMAN, OLIVIA THORNE

Every Generation Needs A Revolution

Pennsylvania's government is a prime exhibition of Lord Acton's well-known admonition that "power corrupts."

NOVEMBER 16, 2009 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Good government groups unveil "A Citizens' Guide to a Modern Constitutional Convention"

The Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention Commission, in conjunction with the Civic Research Alliance, today unveiled "A Citizens' Guide to a Modern Constitutional Convention."