FEBRUARY 7, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Pennsylvania State Budget Background & 2012 Preview

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 2012-13 budget will require even more difficult decisions by the General Assembly and Governor Corbett to put Pennsylvania on a path to prosperity.

FEBRUARY 6, 2012 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Pennsylvania State Budget Toolkit

2012 Budget Resources

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 2012-13 budget will require even more difficult decisions by the General Assembly and Governor Corbett to put Pennsylvania on a path to prosperity.

FEBRUARY 2, 2012 | Commentary by RICHARD DREYFUSS

Will our Grandchildren be Budget Losers?

As the Governor's state budget address approaches, there is no shortage of speculation surrounding various fiscal austerity proposals and which departments and programs will likely be the ultimate budgetary "winners and losers."

JULY 6, 2011 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD

Corbett's First Inning Scorecard

July signals the coming of two breaks in Pennsylvania—Major League Baseball's All-Star break and the end of the state budget season.   Having endured his first budget as the commonwealth's chief executive, Gov. Tom Corbett has effectively finished the first inning of a nine-inning baseball game.  The question is, how did he do at bat?

JULY 1, 2011 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

The Good, The Bad and The Undone

What you need to know about Pa.'s new state budget

The Commonwealth Foundation praised Gov. Tom Corbett and the General Assembly for closing Pennsylvania's $4.2 billion budget gap without raising taxes on working Pennsylvanians, but a thorough review of the final budget and other policy changes found some good, some bad, and some critical pieces of legislation left undone.

JUNE 30, 2011 | Infographic by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Pennsylvania Budget for Smarties

Five Fiscal Facts about the PA State Budget You Might Have Missed

The total state operating budget is $64 billion...and will be reduced for the first time in at least 40 years. While adults employed in public schools complain education is being cut to the bone, school districts have amassed $3 billion in reserves thanks to dramatic increases in state aid and property taxes. There is no "surplus". State government is not paying all its bills, including passing off payments for pensions onto our children. Pennsylvania will soon become the 37th state in the nation to put all state government spending online.

JUNE 30, 2011 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

General Fund Spending in Budget Deal

The FY 2011-12 budget deal includes $27.1 billion in General Fund spending, as part of the state's approximately $64 billion total operating budget. The deal represents a reduction of $3 billion from FY 2010-11—the first reduction in the operating budget in at least 40 years. This budget restores overall spending to pre-stimulus levels and includes no new taxes.

JUNE 6, 2011 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Pennsylvania State Pension Liabilities

PSERS and SERS project total taxpayer contributions will increase from $1.1 billion this year to more than $5.5 billion in 2016—a 421% increase in five years.

JUNE 2, 2011 | Policy Brief by NICHOLAS FETT

Pennsylvania's State Union Contracts

On June 30, 2011, 15 of the state's 19 government union contracts expire, with two more expiring in August. These 19 public sector unions represent 62,271 state employees, whose compensation from taxpayers exceeds $4.6 billion.  Here are some of the main provisions concerning wages, benefits, and key provisions in the contracts include.

MAY 11, 2011 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD

A Penny Saved or a Penny Burned?

For any family, saving a few dollars for the future and paying off credit card bills would be the fiscally prudent path.  Likewise, state lawmakers should resist the temptation to spend every penny they have, and consider retaining any surplus to pay off debt or put toward pensions.