Wolf Says He Won’t Seek Major Tax Increase to Balance Budget
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf says he won’t ask Pennsylvania lawmakers to raise taxes on sales or income in his upcoming budget proposal, even as the state faces a yawning deficit…. Read More
News
North Carolina Legislature Fails to Repeal ‘Bathroom Bill’
North Carolina legislators failed to repeal the state’s “bathroom bill” on Wednesday during a special session called for that purpose. Click here for full article. Source: CNN, Dec. 21, 2016…. Read More
Commentary: Plan to Eliminate Property Taxes Falls Short
As we think about tax fairness, think about all the large companies in your community. Consider the big-box national chain stores, the shopping malls owned by developers, the car dealerships,… Read More
New Truancy Law Factsheet
Governor Wolf signed new truancy legislation into law on Thursday, November 3, 2016. This factsheet highlights important provisions of the new law relating to the rights of families, and obligations… Read More
Pennsylvania Budget Shortfall not Without Precedent, but Still Dire
Pennsylvania’s mid-fiscal year budget report has confirmed what the Independent Fiscal Office has been warning for well over a month: Underperforming revenues are putting the commonwealth on track for a… Read More
Opinion: Pennsylvania’s Pension Crisis Just Got Worse, and the Legislature Must Act
Rising teacher pension costs are a main driver of increased property taxes. According to the PSERS projections, school districts’ rate of contribution is expected to rise to 36% over the next four… Read More
Opinion: Pre-K Investments Pay Dividends
Approximately 177,000 children across the state are eligible for publicly funded pre-kindergarten programs and nearly 64,000 are being served, according to a report issued by the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children…. Read More
New Grades for Schools would Give Less Weight to Testing
Parents, students and taxpayers in Pennsylvania would get a new look at how their public schools are doing under a proposed revamp of the statewide grading system that gives less… Read More
PA School Districts Brace for Higher Pension Costs
Pennsylvania’s school districts have gotten an early lump of coal this holiday season from Harrisburg: word that teacher pension costs, which have taken ever larger bites out of budgets in… Read More
State’s Education Secretary Talks About the Future of Education During Bristol Township Visit
Pennsylvania Education Secretary Pedro Rivera said Friday he is striving for a public school system that employs a more “holistic” approach to learning, with less emphasis on standardized tests as… Read More