Education

What $17.4 Billion Cant Buy

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • March 21, 2003

There are few things in Pennsylvania that $17,438,840,000 cannot buy. Yet in signing the 2003-04 Budget, Governor Rendell told Pennsylvanians that $10,400 average per-pupil revenue is simply not enough to…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Sizing Up Pennsylvanias Next DEP Secretary

  • March 17, 2003

Today, the acronym DEP still stands for the “Department of Environmental Protection,” thanks to the era of relative cooperation between government and industry established by former DEP Secretaries James Seif…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Parent Reform: The Next Movement in Public Education?

  • February 21, 2003

Lebanon sure isn’t Lake Wobegon where, as Garrison Keillor tells it, all the children are above average. Heck, this Lebanon, Pennsylvania school district is apparently so troubled by children, it’s…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Creating A Truly New Pennsylvania

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • January 30, 2003

Pennsylvanians with high hopes that Governor Ed Rendell’s economic development policies will create a “new Pennsylvania” had better be prepared for disappointment. The new governor’s recent public comments make it…

Commentary

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Education

School Taxes and Education Quality: Rendells Rhetoric Versus Reality

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • January 22, 2003

Governor Rendell’s inaugural speech reiterated his campaign promise to reform Pennsylvania’s school funding and property tax system while boosting the state’s share of total school revenue to 50 percent. But…

Commentary

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Public Union Democracy

Nobody should be forced to pay for someone elses politics!

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • October 22, 2002

Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation Thank you Mr. Chairman and Members of the House Labor Relations Committee for the invitation to testify this morning on an important…

Commentary

Read More: Nobody should be forced to pay for someone elses politics!

Education

Waiting at the Cradle

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • October 16, 2002

"Hey, what about the kids?" That is the slogan for a multimillion-dollar public relations campaign called "Focus Five for Kids," created to highlight children's issues during the Pennsylvania gubernatorial campaign.

Commentary

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Education

The Pennsylvania State (Everything But) Education Association

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • September 25, 2002

Almost as predictable as the beginning of the football season is the start of the strike season by public school employees in Pennsylvania. And the kick-off to the 2002-03 school…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Special Session on Property Tax Relief

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • September 25, 2002

Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation Thank you, Chairman Wenger and members of the Committee for the invitation to testify this afternoon. My name is Matthew Brouillette and…

Commentary

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Public Union Democracy

Pennsylvania Businesses Can Now Spend Less Time In The Courtroom

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • June 21, 2002

By their very nature, businesspeople are willing to take significant risks to compete in the marketplace. Indeed, every day the profit motive compels people to invest their life savings in…

Commentary

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Education

More Dollars Will Not Produce More Scholars

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • May 1, 2002

Just one day after Pennsylvania celebrated Tax Freedom Day 2002—the day when citizens stop toiling just to pay their federal, state, and local taxes and are finally free to work…

Commentary

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Education

Do Our Schools Really Need More Money?

  • March 14, 2002

If your wallet starts feeling a lot lighter, you can thank the administrators of Pennsylvania’s public school system. On March 12, over 50 superintendents and board members descended on the…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Philadelphia Stadium Deal: Great for Teams, Not for Taxpayers

  • December 20, 2000

After years of asking Santa for shiny new stadiums, the Phillies and Eagles may finally fulfill that Christmas wish courtesy of Philadelphia Mayor John Street and his merry band of…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Kvaerner Audit On Course With Details, Sails By Larger Question

  • August 20, 2000

A new state audit is re-aggravating a seasickness that has been plaguing Pennsylvanians since the launch of the deal to bring a Norwegian shipbuilding company to the former Philadelphia Naval…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

Stadiums Don’t Deliver On Promises

  • June 20, 2000

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this hearing. My name is Grant Gulibon, and I am Senior Policy Analyst with The Commonwealth Foundation…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

If You Build It, They Will Still Leave

  • March 20, 2000

After months of wrangling, City Council and the Street Administration have finally agreed on a blueprint to put deals in place for taxpayer-funded stadiums for the Phillies and Eagles. While…

Commentary

Read More: If You Build It, They Will Still Leave