Education
2024–25 State Budget Analysis
Key Points Pennsylvania’s $47.6 billion 2024–25 budget creates a $3.6 billion structural deficit. This will exhaust General Fund reserves, which will require draining from the Rainy Day fund—illegally—or raising taxes…
Read More: 2024–25 State Budget AnalysisPennsylvania’s complex state budget has enabled policymakers to keep taxpayers in the dark when it comes to state spending. Year after year, some elected officials use budget gimmicks to both make the budget appear balanced and to secure their own agendas. Pennsylvanians deserve reforms that bring true transparency to the budgeting process. We must limit spending growth to a sustainable rate, ensuring the state government—like hardworking taxpayers—live within its means.
2024 state budget resources
State Budget
Rendell: Budget Could Be Worse
Governor Rendell names states who will be increasing their budgets faster than PA. Ironically, his list is identical to our list of “States we least want to emulate.” From…
Media
Read More: Rendell: Budget Could Be WorseState Budget
Budget expected to win support
Budget story in the Patriot-News… “Democrats are having a field day watching the Republicans help negotiate a budget that spends more than the 4 percent increase Rendell proposed in…
Media
Read More: Budget expected to win supportRegulation
Senators vs. Pork
Not a game between minor league baseball teams, but three State Senators (Jane Orie, R-Allison Park, Pat Vance, R-Silver Spring Twp, and Pat Browne, R-Allentown) trying to Shift Focus…
Media
Read More: Senators vs. PorkRegulation
Oink-oink: Spend, spend, spend
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial on corporate welfare and ‘walking around money’: “Better for Pennsylvanians if their money never ‘walked’ at all.”…
Media
Read More: Oink-oink: Spend, spend, spendPublic Union Democracy
Your Tax Dollars at Work
Fine tribute to public sector unions, paid for with your tax dollars. I guess we were wrong to identify the Historical and Museum Commission as an example of pork…
Media
Read More: Your Tax Dollars at WorkEducation
Arrogant PHEAA: More stonewalling
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial review on how the public agency PHEAA refuses to disclose how they spend their money. Hence we propose privatizing PHEAA in our Pennsylvania Piglet…
Media
Read More: Arrogant PHEAA: More stonewallingEducation
Cut the Fat
While Gov. Ed Rendell claims that his administration is “squeezing every nickel out of government,” an analysis of state spending released by the Commonwealth Foundation and Citizens Against Government Waste…
Commentary
Read More: Cut the FatState Budget
Don’t spend state surplus; instead trim the pork : The Morning Call Online
Commonwealth Foundation Fellow Grant Gulibon in today’s Morning Call.
Media
Read More: Don’t spend state surplus; instead trim the pork : The Morning Call OnlineState Budget
Cut (half) the Waste!
Williamsport Sun-Gazette editorial on the Pennsylvania Piglet Book 2006.
Media
Read More: Cut (half) the Waste!State Budget
Ending Pennsylvanias Business as Usual Budget
The General Assembly’s post-primary return to Harrisburg signals the start of budget season in Pennsylvania—and taxpayers all across the Commonwealth should be clutching their wallets a little tighter in nervous…
Commentary
Read More: Ending Pennsylvanias Business as Usual BudgetState Budget
When Fish is Really Pork
A press release from the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) attempts to justify the Fish Fund as a core function of government. However, we maintain our assertion…
Media
Read More: When Fish is Really PorkRegulation
Groups identify $4.3 billion in ‘wasteful’ spending
Public Radio Capitol News on our Piglet Book 2006. Although reporter Damon Baughmer probably doesn’t appreciate the fact that we think his employer (we, the taxpayers) should be funding…
Media
Read More: Groups identify $4.3 billion in ‘wasteful’ spendingState Budget
Piglet Book Coverage
Coverage of the Pennsylvania Piglet Book in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Download the full Piglet Book here.
Media
Read More: Piglet Book CoverageState Budget
Pennsylvania Piglet Book 2006
The Pennsylvania Piglet Book 2006 is the joint effort of the Commonwealth Foundation and Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) to make the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania aware of…
Report
Read More: Pennsylvania Piglet Book 2006State Budget
Return the Windfall Profits
There is a massive organization imposing a financial burden on the Pennsylvania economy. It is consuming an ever larger portion of the average person’s income. The costs for what it…
Commentary
Read More: Return the Windfall ProfitsState Budget
Gov. Rendells Blah, Blah, Blah Campaign Strategy
Ever had a conversation with someone who starts to tell a story and then, midway through, says “Blah blah blah” (or words to that effect) and then skips ahead to…
Commentary
Read More: Gov. Rendells Blah, Blah, Blah Campaign StrategyState Budget
Should American troops die for pork?
A look at the $17 billion in Pork Spending added to the President’s request for funding of troops and Hurricane Katrina Relief from the Heritage Foundation.
Media
Read More: Should American troops die for pork?State Budget
Line-Item Veto Draws Sen. Byrd’s Scorn – Yahoo! News
Shockingly, the man responsible for more pork-barrel spending than anyone opposes limiting pork-barrel spending. From Yahoo! News…
Media
Read More: Line-Item Veto Draws Sen. Byrd’s Scorn – Yahoo! NewsState Budget
Breaking Pennsylvania’s Budget Tradition
Traditionally in Pennsylvania’s “budget season,” the governor has submitted his spending plan for the coming fiscal year, and the General Assembly has accepted it as the starting point for the…
Commentary
Read More: Breaking Pennsylvania’s Budget TraditionState Budget
Rendell’s faux budget hides real growth in spending : The Morning Call Online
Read Grant Gulibon’s commentary in today’s Allentown Morning Call.
Media
Read More: Rendell’s faux budget hides real growth in spending : The Morning Call OnlineState Budget
Are they really “Fake” Republicans?
OpinionJournal – John Fund on the Trail: “‘The Republican Party is now principally moderate, if not liberal’ on spending, Mr. Specter told reporters after a majority of GOP senators…
Media
Read More: Are they really “Fake” Republicans?