Pennsylvania’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

Pennsylvania Needs the Ramsey Method

  • Tirzah Duren
  • November 12, 2019

High debt, reckless spending, and impending financial ruin. That description fits both Pennsylvania and budget guru Dave Ramsey’s life before he achieved financial stability. The Ramsey method has helped millions of…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Needs the Ramsey Method

State Budget

Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 2

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • October 28, 2019

The state legislature controls less than half of all state revenue. The rest is on autopilot, flowing automatically through a maze of accounts and undermining the constituional plan for accountabilty…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 2

Regulation

Good Returns Won’t Close the Gap

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • October 9, 2019

The state teachers’ pension fund, PSERS, just reported a 6.7% return over the past twelve months. That is a very good investment return. Sadly, when starting from a deep…

Media

Read More: Good Returns Won’t Close the Gap

Regulation

Pensions and Pa’s Poor Fiscal Health

  • October 4, 2019

Pennsylvania recently underwent a “fiscal physical’ and didn’t exactly come out with a clean bill of health. Truth in Accounting, an economic think tank, recently released its report on the…

Media

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State Budget

Soda Taxes Target the Poor

  • Tirzah Duren
  • October 4, 2019

Soda may not be on the list of Seven Deadly Sins but try telling that to lawmakers in Philadelphia. On January 1, 2017, the city instituted a tax of 1.5…

Media

Read More: Soda Taxes Target the Poor

Regulation

Mimosa Monopoly

  • Tirzah Duren
  • October 2, 2019

Pennsylvania is waging a secret war on millennials. Okay, maybe not on millennials, but definitely on brunch, and that’s pretty much the same thing. The deleterious effect of Pennsylvania’s sky-high…

Media

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State Budget

How to Improve State Budgeting Practices

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • October 1, 2019

The following testimony was given at the Pennsylvania Fiscal and Economic Summit at York College on August 22, 2019. Thank you for the opportunity to address you this morning on…

Testimony

Read More: How to Improve State Budgeting Practices

State Budget

The Taxpayer Protection Act Is Commonsense

  • Tirzah Duren
  • August 21, 2019

For over a decade, various lawmakers have introduced Taxpayer Protection Act (TPA) legislation to get a handle on Pennsylvania’s out of control budget. This overspending hurts our economy, drives away…

Media

Read More: The Taxpayer Protection Act Is Commonsense

State Budget

Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 1

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • August 21, 2019

Pennsylvania's largest budget items are growing unsustainably fast. The budget can only be brought under control only if these cost drivers are addressed.

Fact Sheet

Read More: Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 1

State Budget

A $673 Million Mistake…Isn’t a Mistake

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • August 5, 2019

In June, when the state legislature passed the budget, they included something extra: a $673 million “supplemental appropriation” to cover overspending in the previous fiscal year. In other words, the Wolf…

Media

Read More: A $673 Million Mistake…Isn’t a Mistake

State Budget

Pennsylvania is NOT Taking Care of Business

  • July 24, 2019

Pennsylvania is the 5th worst state to start a business, according to a new study by Wallethub. Only Connecticut, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Rhode Island fare worse. Then,…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania is NOT Taking Care of Business

State Budget

Applause for ‘Mature’ Debt Reform, but More Needed

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • July 15, 2019

Good policy isn’t always controversial. House Bill 24, which was signed into law on July 2, caused no floor theatrics, mass tweeting, or activist howls. The bill, proposed by Rep. John Lawrence…

Media

Read More: Applause for ‘Mature’ Debt Reform, but More Needed

Government Accountability

Budget Earmarks: Sneaky and Unconstitutional

  • Andrew Abramczyk, Jessica Barnett
  • July 12, 2019

A wise buyer should always read the fine print, but it isn’t easy. Documents like cell phone contracts and software user agreements can be hard to read, often by design. The dense language…

Media

Read More: Budget Earmarks: Sneaky and Unconstitutional

Education

Getting Real About Education Spending

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • July 8, 2019

Another budget season has come and gone in Harrisburg.  As usual, education spending was one of the hottest topics. Constant demands for “more money” by teachers’ unions and their…

Media

Read More: Getting Real About Education Spending

State Budget

This Year’s Budget Continues Past Trends

  • Tirzah Duren
  • June 28, 2019

The 2019-2020 budget spending bill is on the governor’s desk and lawmakers are claiming it represents an increase of only 1.8 percent over last year. If this were true, it would…

Media

Read More: This Year’s Budget Continues Past Trends

State Budget

State Can Build on Tax Reform Boom

  • Tirzah Duren
  • June 27, 2019

To attract the investment and job creators that will secure our future, we can—and must—do better. Luckily, lawmakers have the blueprint they need to make our state competitive: Control spending…

Commentary

Read More: State Can Build on Tax Reform Boom

Education

Common EITC and OSTC Misconceptions

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • June 26, 2019

“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” This saying is even more true in the internet age. Case in point: recent falsehoods…

Media

Read More: Common EITC and OSTC Misconceptions

Education

Five Things Lawmakers Should Know About the State Budget Deal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 25, 2019

Less than a week before the start of the 2019-20 fiscal year, legislative leaders unveiled a proposed state budget—including both the spending and revenue outline, and several policy changes that…

Media

Read More: Five Things Lawmakers Should Know About the State Budget Deal