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
Education
State System Error: Proposed Scholarship Program is a Bailout
Governor Wolf's scholarship plan is a disguised bailout for the financially distressed State System colleges.
Commentary
Read More: State System Error: Proposed Scholarship Program is a BailoutGovernment Accountability
Three Steps to an Honest Budget: Fiscal Reform Priorities 2020-2021
Our legislative roadmap to a balanced budget, a spending limit and a more transparent fiscal process.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Three Steps to an Honest Budget: Fiscal Reform Priorities 2020-2021Health Care
Where Have All the Human Service Dollars Gone?
Nearly half of Pennsylvania's budget goes to human services or welfare. Governor Wolf wants to increase human service spending by $1.4 billion next year. But how well are these programs…
Commentary
Read More: Where Have All the Human Service Dollars Gone?State Budget
5 Takeaways from Governor Wolf’s 2020 Budget Address
Governor Wolf unveiled his sixth budget proposal today. Here are five key takeaways.
Commentary
Read More: 5 Takeaways from Governor Wolf’s 2020 Budget AddressGovernment Accountability
Lawmakers Send Message to Wolf on Eve of Budget Address
February 3, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, on the eve of Gov. Wolf’s sixth state budget address, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a much-needed fiscal reform called the…
Press Release
Read More: Lawmakers Send Message to Wolf on Eve of Budget AddressState Budget
The Road to Better Infrastructure
Anyone who has ever driven on Pennsylvania’s roads knows this state is filled with structurally deficient bridges—3,770 to be exact—and that the skill of artfully swerving around potholes is essential…
Commentary
Read More: The Road to Better InfrastructureState Budget
Mid-Year Budget Briefing: $779 Million Projected Overspend
This week is the midpoint of the commonwealth fiscal year, which ends on June 30. Every year, as required by law, the Office of the Budget gives a mid-year budget briefing…
Media
Read More: Mid-Year Budget Briefing: $779 Million Projected OverspendCriminal Justice Reform
CF’s 2020 Vision
The Commonwealth Foundation’s mission sounds pretty simple: transform free-market ideas into public policies so all Pennsylvanians can flourish. Accomplishing that mission—with a divided government, powerful special interests, and a diverse…
Media
Read More: CF’s 2020 VisionGovernment Accountability
How to Make an Easy Six Million
A week ago the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office announced charges against Wing Tat Chiu and Ivy Hiu-Ying Li, a married couple whom they accuse of earning $6 million in illegal…
Media
Read More: How to Make an Easy Six MillionRegulation
Economic Freedom and Flourishing in Pennsylvania
We live in a free country, but when it comes to our economy, Pennsylvanians aren’t free. Unpredictable regulation makes owning a business a huge risk in Pennsylvania, and when it…
Media
Read More: Economic Freedom and Flourishing in PennsylvaniaState Budget
It Won’t Get Easier: Our Take on the State’s Five Year Outlook
Last week the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) presented its annual set of fiscal and economic projections for the next five years. The full report and summary presentation are available…
Media
Read More: It Won’t Get Easier: Our Take on the State’s Five Year OutlookState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Overspending: A $1 Billion-Per-Year Disaster in the Making
November 15, 2019, Harrisburg, Pa. — A new report from the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office projects that state government will run annual deficits around $1 billion for…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Overspending: A $1 Billion-Per-Year Disaster in the MakingState Budget
Pennsylvania Needs the Ramsey Method
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 MethodState Budget
Pa. Voters Support the Taxpayer Protection Act
Nearly 2/3rds of Pennsylvanians support the Taxpayer Protection Act.
Poll
Read More: Pa. Voters Support the Taxpayer Protection ActState Budget
Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 2
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 2Regulation
Good Returns Won’t Close the Gap
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 GapRegulation
Pensions and Pa’s Poor Fiscal Health
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
Read More: Pensions and Pa’s Poor Fiscal HealthState Budget
Soda Taxes Target the Poor
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 PoorRegulation
Mimosa Monopoly
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
Read More: Mimosa MonopolyState Budget
How to Improve State Budgeting Practices
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 PracticesState Budget
The Taxpayer Protection Act Is Commonsense
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