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

Future Growth Depends on Today’s Lawmakers

  • Tirzah Duren
  • June 20, 2019

Federal tax cuts made Pennsylvania’s current economic growth possible, but state reform could make it sustainable. Today Pennsylvanians are enjoying $866 million in surplus state revenue, an all-time low unemployment rate,…

Media

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State Budget

Lawmakers Show Signs of Budget Restraint

  • Tirzah Duren
  • June 18, 2019

When state revenues outpace spending there’s always a temptation to spend more—in fact, even when revenues fall short…

Media

Read More: Lawmakers Show Signs of Budget Restraint

Education

Fiscal Forgetfulness

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • June 12, 2019

Next year the governor wants to spend $1.4 billion more than he requested for this year, according to his recent budget proposal. Separately he’ll need as much as $750 million…

Media

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Government Accountability

The Shadow Budget Comes to Light

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Tirzah Duren
  • June 6, 2019

The shadow budget is coming into the light in an unlikely way this…

Media

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State Budget

Making Bad Investments Won’t Restore PA

  • Tirzah Duren
  • June 3, 2019

Governor Wolf’s Restore PA plan utilizes a natural gas severance tax and borrowing to fund infrastructure improvements. There’s a better way to improve our infrastructure.

Memo

Read More: Making Bad Investments Won’t Restore PA

State Budget

Harrisburg’s Notoriously Big Choice

  • Tirzah Duren
  • June 3, 2019

“More money, more problems.” It seems that Pennsylvania lawmakers and The Notorious B.I.G. may have found some common ground. Surplus revenues have been a hot topic since the Independent Fiscal…

Media

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State Budget

Federal Tax Reform: A Pennsylvania Gold Rush

  • Tirzah Duren
  • May 23, 2019

After centuries of hopeless panning and prospecting, gold has finally been discovered right here in Harrisburg. The historic find weighs in…

Media

Read More: Federal Tax Reform: A Pennsylvania Gold Rush

Criminal Justice Reform

Up, Up, and Away: Snapshots from Wolf’s Budget

  • May 21, 2019

Soon lawmakers in Harrisburg will begin debating the 2019-2020 budget and what to do with excess revenue from the booming economy. Here’s your two-minute summary of the budget situation and…

Media

Read More: Up, Up, and Away: Snapshots from Wolf’s Budget

State Budget

Failure to Save Now Means Tax Hikes Later

  • Tirzah Duren
  • May 7, 2019

Anyone who’s had to pinch a few pennies knows this to be true: Failure to save in good years means you’re not prepared for the bad ones. This is a…

Media

Read More: Failure to Save Now Means Tax Hikes Later

Criminal Justice Reform

Four Ways Lawmakers Are Setting Up Pa. For Success

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 3, 2019

Freedom and opportunity are on the move in the Keystone State. In the past week, lawmakers have taken four serious strides for the families and business owners of Pennsylvania. We’re…

Media

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State Budget

Tax Reforms Not Football Will Keep People in Pa.

  • May 1, 2019

The Steelers may not be the most recent Pennsylvania team to win a Super Bowl, but that doesn’t stop them from having the second highest out-of-state fan base. The…

Media

Read More: Tax Reforms Not Football Will Keep People in Pa.

State Budget

Protecting Pa.’s Future: The Taxpayer Protection Act

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • April 30, 2019

Pennsylvanians currently owe more than $128 billion in state and local debt—an astounding $10,015 for every man, woman, and child. Yet, our state government is raking in more revenue from…

Media

Read More: Protecting Pa.’s Future: The Taxpayer Protection Act

Criminal Justice Reform

Moving Toward Efficient, Effective Criminal Justice

  • Jessica Barnett
  • April 22, 2019

The economy is growing, but Pennsylvania just keeps sinking deeper into debt. Since 1970, we’ve tripled our overall operating budget—but our population has grown only 8 percent. Even adjusting for…

Media

Read More: Moving Toward Efficient, Effective Criminal Justice

Education

Gov. Wolf Blinded to Benefits of School Choice

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • April 16, 2019

Gov. Wolf’s 2019 budget promotes public and private options for pre-K and post-secondary education. He calls Pennsylvania’s post-secondary institutions “laboratories for innovation.” Most remarkably, the governor touts Pennsylvania Higher…

Media

Read More: Gov. Wolf Blinded to Benefits of School Choice

State Budget

It’s Time to Tackle Debt

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • April 5, 2019

An ostrich burying its head in the sand is a classic analogy for avoiding difficult decisions. Though this is a mischaracterization—their heads are buried to protect their eggs from predators—the metaphor…

Media

Read More: It’s Time to Tackle Debt

State Budget

Rein in Spending, So Pa.’s Economy Can Race

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • March 1, 2019

My daughter recently started horseback riding lessons. She’s learning how to hold the reins with enough give for the horse to move but tight enough that the horse follows her directions. Like…

Media

Read More: Rein in Spending, So Pa.’s Economy Can Race

State Budget

The Taxpayer Protection Act: An Updated Legislator’s Guide

  • February 14, 2019

Pennsylvanians pay $4,589 per person in state and local taxes, which equals 10.2 percent of residents’ total income. This trend must be reversed by restraining spending growth through long-term reforms…

Fact Sheet

Read More: The Taxpayer Protection Act: An Updated Legislator’s Guide

State Budget

Wolf’s Budget Rhetoric a Relief, but Doesn’t Match Reality

  • February 5, 2019

Charles Mitchell, president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Wolf’s fifth budget address: What a change four years and nine defeated…

Press Release

Read More: Wolf’s Budget Rhetoric a Relief, but Doesn’t Match Reality

State Budget

5 Takeaways from Gov. Wolf’s 2019 Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 5, 2019

1. Dramatic cost overruns lead to a $86 billion budget.  Gov. Wolf proposed a $34.146 billion General Fund budget and a total operating budget of $85.804 billion.

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Why There’s “Money in Politics”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 4, 2019

The recent public corruption indictment of John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, leader of the IBEW 98 labor union, Philadelphia City Council member Bobby Henon, and a slew of other IBEW leaders shows…

Media

Read More: Why There’s “Money in Politics”