Why Pennsylvania Needs Probation Reform
Pennsylvania has an overburdened probation system that delivers substandard results. The commonwealth’s recidivism rate is 41 percent—one of the highest in the nation.
How Pa. Governments Use Tax Dollars to Pay Associations to Lobby
Prohibiting local governments and government agencies from diverting public funds to these associations would increase transparency and prevent taxpayers’ dollars from funding lobbying harmful to taxpayers.
How Pa. Governments Use Tax Dollars to Pay Contract Lobbyists
Prohibiting local governments and government agencies from diverting public funds to these associations would increase transparency and prevent taxpayers’ dollars from funding lobbying harmful to taxpayers.
Fiscal Earmarks Reduce State Budget Transparency
The 2021–2022 Fiscal Code contains at least $5.5 billion in federal and state funds earmarked for special projects across the state, up from $120 million last year. Most of this increase is due to one-time funding through federal COVID-19 bills.
The Truth About Education Spending in Pennsylvania
Ben Franklin once said, “in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” If he lived in Pennsylvania today, he might have an addition to his list: claims of underfunding by the education establishment. But repeating a falsehood doesn’t make it true. Here’s the truth about education funding.
Public Sector Union 2020 Election Spending
Public sector union political action committees (PAC) spent $16.7 million in Pennsylvania during the 2019–2020 election cycle, principally on behalf of Democratic politicians.
Fiscal Health of School Districts in the Pandemic
Pennsylvania school officials are projecting local tax revenue losses for the upcoming year due to the wreckage from COVID-19 restrictions. Even if local tax revenue declines, most schools have a robust rainy day fund and received CARES funding from the federal government. Overall, school districts are well funded to overcome the challenges of this academic year.
Caring for Kids and Communities: The 2021 State Budget
A successful recovery is not dependent on government aid; it requires education lifelines for families, regulatory and tax relief for small businesses, and health care reforms to bolster patient access to care.
How to Balance the State Budget without Raising Taxes in a Pandemic
Reducing spending to reflect how the pandemic impacted state agencies and balance the budget without tax hikes or borrowing is the first step. Without additional structural spending changes laid out in our backgrounder Reforms Beyond the Current Budget, future tax hikes will occur.
