Fairness
Op-Ed: Paycheck protection needed to prevent government payroll from funding partisan political activism
Originally published at Broad + Liberty Under Pennsylvania law, government agencies are permitted to use taxpayer resources to collect and distribute political campaign money on behalf of public employee unions.
Read More: Op-Ed: Paycheck protection needed to prevent government payroll from funding partisan political activismPennsylvania will only become a beacon for opportunity when its policies are in the hands of taxpayers and citizens, not special interests and bureaucrats. It’s vital that our government is accountable to the people—not organizations or institutions. Policies that advance transparency and restore workers’ rights are the keys to this happening.
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Government Accountability
Paycheck Protection, the Ethics Reform Wolf Should Pursue
Governor Wolf unveiled today his Citizens First Ethics Plan, which should cause Pennsylvanians to wonder, how willing is the governor to truly pursue ethics reform? The plan includes a…
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Pittsburgh Teachers’ Strike Averted, but Transparency is Still Needed
After nearly nine months without a contract, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT) and Pittsburgh Public Schools have tentatively reached an agreement, which will stave off this Friday’s impending…
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Will Philly’s New School Board Welcome Choice?
Yesterday the Educational Nominating Panel for Philadelphia’s new school board voted to recommend board candidates to Mayor Kenney. Here is who made the list: Sarah-Ashley Andrews, Jenne Ayers,…
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Pa. Teachers Support Worker Freedom Case Before Supreme
This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in a historic case, Janus v. AFSCME, that could free thousands of Pennsylvania teachers and other government workers from workplace coercion.
Press Release
Read More: Pa. Teachers Support Worker Freedom Case Before SupremePublic Union Democracy
What Janus v. AFSCME Means for Public-Sector Workers
The Case Plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME contend compulsory union fees for public-sector workers violates their First Amendment rights. The Players Plaintiffs: Mark Janus,…
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Ending the Government Union Skimming Scam
Imagine being disabled or sick and requiring help to bathe, eat, and even move from room to room within your own home. Medicaid, a taxpayer-funded health insurance program helps pay…
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Three Ways Government Unions Marginalize Members
Unionization doesn’t guarantee representation. Penn State graduate assistants may soon learn this lesson. Shortly after the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board ruled the graduate assistants can unionize, the Pittsburgh Federation…
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Transparency a Must for Philly School Board Nominations
“The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.” These words are as true today as…
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Are PA Courts Biased Against Employers?
Every year, the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) produces a report announcing the “Judicial Hellholes” across the nation. In the 2017 edition, Pennsylvania makes their list- twice. The…
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Read More: Are PA Courts Biased Against Employers?Government Accountability
Restoring State Budget Transparency
A House appropriations subcommittee hosted a hearing last week on Pennsylvania’s tax structure and fiscal policy. One of the issues highlighted – Pennsylvania’s lack of state budget transparency. Robert P.
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New Board, New Opportunities in Philadelphia School District
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney recently appointed a 13-member nominating panel that will shape the district’s new school board. High on the panel’s list of requirements should be instilling a…
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Unions Send $1B of Members’ Dues to Liberal Groups
No one should be forced to fund values they disagree with—yet that’s exactly what’s happening to union members. Dues collected from workers’ paychecks, often at taxpayer expense, are used for…
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2017 Labor Reform Roundup
Is Pennsylvania a worker-friendly state? According to our updated, comprehensive report grading each state’s public sector labor laws’, the answer is no. Pennsylvania ranks a measly “D” compared to others…
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Taxpayers Notch Another Win Against Ghost Teaching
Reading residents received an early Christmas present this week, as the city’s teachers’ union agreed to reimburse taxpayers for the costs of ghost teaching in the Reading School District.
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Paycheck Protection Timeline
Paycheck protection is a commonsense reform that moves Pennsylvania a significant step closer to ethical government. Though recently stalled in the House, a brief history of paycheck protection demonstrates…
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Fifty State Labor Report 2017
We've updated a nationwide comparison of public sector labor laws - Pennsylvania again scores a D.
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SB 166 Falls Short in the House
Last night, Pennsylvania’s government union leaders preserved their exclusive political privilege. By a close vote of 90-102, the state House voted down SB 166 which would have prohibited…
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Read More: SB 166 Falls Short in the HouseGovernment Accountability
Overhauling Pennsylvania’s Budget Practices
Pennsylvania’s broken budget process hurts working Pennsylvanians. In the last two years, the state legislature passed spending packages, which Gov. Wolf allowed to become law without his signature, before authorizing…
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House Nears Vote to Protect Public Resources
This Monday, House lawmakers have a chance to vote for landmark ethics reform, Senate Bill 166 Passing this legislation – and sending it to the Senate and governor for approval…
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SB 166: Restoring Integrity to PA Government
Pennsylvania has a golden opportunity to enact good government reform, so it’s worth reiterating why SB 166, which House lawmakers continue to debate, deserves legislative approval and the governor’s…
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It’s Time to Enact Paycheck Protection Once and For All
Here's the bottom line: Taxpayers shouldn't be the middleman for anyone's political agenda, which is why Pa. needs SB 166.
Commentary
Read More: It’s Time to Enact Paycheck Protection Once and For All