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Education
Pennsylvania Senator Kim Ward endorses Lifeline Scholarships after Gov. Shapiro’s budget address
Pennsylvania Senator Kim Ward encourages Gov. Josh Shapiro to support Lifeline Scholarships following the budget address.
Read More: Pennsylvania Senator Kim Ward endorses Lifeline Scholarships after Gov. Shapiro’s budget address
Prosperity
Commonwealth Foundation Sr. VP Nathan Benefield Responds to Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Priorities
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Sr. VP Nathan Benefield Responds to Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Priorities
Prosperity
Commonwealth Foundation’s Nathan Benefield Statement of Governor Shapiro’s Budget Priorities
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation’s Nathan Benefield Statement of Governor Shapiro’s Budget Priorities
Wolf Reluctantly Gives In On Transparency During Emergencies
Yesterday, a transparency bill requiring state and local government to continue fulfilling Right-to-Know requests under the Pa. Open Records law during emergency declarations became law without the governor’s signature.
Media
Read More: Wolf Reluctantly Gives In On Transparency During EmergenciesEducation
Public Charter Schools Discounted, Ignored During COVID-19
We were told that school districts and Intermediate Units were the experts on cyber education. We were told they were so great that alternatives, like cyber charter schools, should be eliminated.
Media
Read More: Public Charter Schools Discounted, Ignored During COVID-19
How is Gov. Wolf Handling COVID – Good
Thanks for voting! We'll send out the results when the poll ends next week. Further thoughts to share? Let us know! We want to hear how you're doing. Wolf Poll…
Media
Read More: How is Gov. Wolf Handling COVID – Good
How is Gov. Wolf Handling COVID – Toss-Up
Thanks for voting! We'll send out the results when the poll ends next week. Further thoughts to share? Let us know! We want to hear how you're doing. Wolf Poll…
Media
Read More: How is Gov. Wolf Handling COVID – Toss-Up
How is Gov. Wolf Handling COVID – Terrible
Thanks for voting! We'll send out the results when the poll ends next week. Further thoughts to share? Let us know! We want to hear how you're doing. Wolf Poll…
Media
Read More: How is Gov. Wolf Handling COVID – Terrible
Pa. Legislature Looks to Help Families with Education Expenses
July 15, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Members of the Pa. House and Senate have sponsored legislation would create “Back on Track” Education Scholarship Accounts (ESA) to help families afford growing education…
Press Release
Read More: Pa. Legislature Looks to Help Families with Education ExpensesGovernment Accountability
Pa. Supreme Court Grants Governor Unchecked Emergency Powers
July 1, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Pa. Supreme Court ignored the commonwealth’s tradition of checks and balances between branches of government in a ruling on a lawsuit between…
Press Release
Read More: Pa. Supreme Court Grants Governor Unchecked Emergency PowersGovernment Accountability
CF Amicus Brief Calls out Wolf for Overstepping his Authority
Commonwealth Foundation filed an amicus curiae brief in the case of Wolf v. Scarnati et. al.—arguing that the Governor must follow the legislature’s concurrent resolution to end the declaration of…
Testimony
Read More: CF Amicus Brief Calls out Wolf for Overstepping his AuthorityRegulation
Occupational Licensing Reform Passes Unanimously, Goes to Wolf
June 25, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Pa. General Assembly unanimously passed SB 637 (Sens. DiSanto and Schwank), a bill that will remove professional licensing employment barriers for roughly 3 million…
Press Release
Read More: Occupational Licensing Reform Passes Unanimously, Goes to Wolf
Commonwealth Foundation Congratulates New House Leadership
June 24, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Following the retirement of House Speaker Mike Turzai, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ elected a new Speaker and several new members of the majority…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Congratulates New House Leadership
Commonwealth Foundation Congratulates Speaker Cutler
June 22, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, Rep. Bryan Cutler of Lancaster County earned a bi-partisan majority vote to become the next speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Commonwealth Foundation Vice President…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Congratulates Speaker CutlerGovernment Accountability
Pa?s unemployment rate down in May, but still at near-record levels
More than 13% of Pennsylvania workers were officially unemployed in May, according to U.S. Department of Labor data released Friday. That’s an improvement from April’s record-setting 15.1% unemployment rate, but still the second highest rate…
Media
Read More: Pa?s unemployment rate down in May, but still at near-record levelsCriminal Justice Reform
Legislation Moves to Reform Licensing Laws for Citizens with Criminal Records
With a unanimous committee vote, the state House has opened the door to prosperity for 3 million Pennsylvanians. This week, the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee passed legislation helping incarcerated citizens…
Media
Read More: Legislation Moves to Reform Licensing Laws for Citizens with Criminal RecordsEducation
Understanding Back on Track ESAs
Key Points Pennsylvania children lost months of schooling—many without access to educational resources. Families are bearing increased expenses from at-home learning. Back on Track Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) will help…
Media
Read More: Understanding Back on Track ESAs
Shutdown Poll: 74% of Pa. Voters Support Relaxing Restrictions on Businesses
June 11, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — An overwhelming majority of Pennsylvanians favor allowing businesses to safely resume operations, according to a poll released today by the Commonwealth Foundation. The poll of…
Press Release
Read More: Shutdown Poll: 74% of Pa. Voters Support Relaxing Restrictions on Businesses
Commonwealth Foundation Thanks Speaker Mike Turzai
June 10, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Mike Turzai announced that he will resign from his seat in the General Assembly effective June 15. Turzai…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Thanks Speaker Mike Turzai
Pa. Legislature Votes to End Gov. Wolf’s COVID Disaster Declaration
June 9, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, the Pa. Legislature passed a resolution (HR 836) to end Gov. Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 disaster declaration with bi-partisan majorities in both chambers.
Press Release
Read More: Pa. Legislature Votes to End Gov. Wolf’s COVID Disaster DeclarationGovernment Accountability
Fed Data Shows Wolf’s Shutdown Caused Unemployment Spike
June 5, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s shutdown was done earlier, was more expansive, and had fewer exemptions than most other states, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of…
Media
Read More: Fed Data Shows Wolf’s Shutdown Caused Unemployment SpikeHealthcare
How Bad are April’s Unemployment Numbers for Pa?
More than 15% of Pennsylvania workers were unemployed—the highest level on record—according to U.S. Department of Labor data released today. More than 1.1 million payroll jobs were lost since February,…
Media
Read More: How Bad are April’s Unemployment Numbers for Pa?Government Accountability
Pa. Shutdown Revolt Met with Threats from Governor
May 11, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — After this weekend's news that at least eight counties in Pennsylvania would no longer participate in the governor's reopening directives, Gov. Wolf has…
Press Release
Read More: Pa. Shutdown Revolt Met with Threats from GovernorGovernment Accountability
Wolf Makes Reopening Concessions, but Stops Short of Transparency
April 20, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, Governor Wolf vetoed a bill, SB 613, that would have brought clarity to Pennsylvania’s controversial business shutdown and provided hope for the future. But…
Press Release
Read More: Wolf Makes Reopening Concessions, but Stops Short of Transparency