Common Sense Weekly

Welcome to Common Sense Weekly! This is Commonwealth Foundation's weekly news roundup of policy issues being debated in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania.

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Where is Gov. Shapiro’s Leadership on the State Budget?

Gov. Josh Shapiro once said, “Leaders have a responsibility to speak truth.” Yet, truth be told, the governor’s lack of leadership on this year’s state budget is concerning.

It all began with his budget address in February. Shapiro’s 2025–26 budget proposal was an unrealistic, irresponsible nonstarter. His $51.5 billion budget proposal – about 8% higher than this fiscal year – is chock full of excessive government spending, including hundreds of millions in handouts to government unions and other special interests. Pennsylvanians work hard to live within their means, and their government should do the same. They deserve a governor who prioritizes their needs over special interests.

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The Hypocrisy of the ‘No Kings’ Protests

This past week, left-wing advocacy groups organized nationwide protests under the banner “No Kings,” opposing President Donald Trump. Let’s be real: These protests aren’t about what the name implies. The protests were not about monarchy. A monarch hasn’t ruled the United States since 1776, and none of these groups organizing the No Kings rallies are protesting the nations that have a monarch.

It shouldn’t be lost that protests tolerated and celebrated in this country would be stifled by a genuinely totalitarian regime. And though many protested Elon Musk, the protests weren’t really about billionaires or special interests having too much power.

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Valuable, Affordable, and Impactful: School Choice Works

Education is the path to economic and social success: Every student’s educational path should be individualized and personal. One single educational solution will not work for every child.

Each year, American students engage in a diverse array of school choice options. In Pennsylvania alone, there are more than 2,000 private or non-public schools, with more than 221,000 students enrolled during the 2022-2023 School Year, according to the 2024 State of Education Report.

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With $64 Million in the Bank, Central Bucks School District Still Increases Taxes

The bill for public education is about to rise in Bucks County — again. Homeowners in Central Bucks School District are facing a 5.9 percent tax hike for the 2025–26 school year, according to The Bucks County Herald.

Yet, the district is sitting on a $64 million reserve fund. To justify the tax hike, the district cites rising special education costs and pension expenses. Meanwhile, the district’s reserve funds continue to grow, and the district received an additional $900,000 in basic education state funding last year. Something isn’t adding up.

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Pennsylvania Labor Policies Rank Low Nationally

Pennsylvania labor policies rank among the lowest nationally, according to a new report.

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) published States That Work: A Labor Policy Roadmap Across America, highlighting how each state fosters “a labor policy landscape that promotes flexibility and removes barriers to help individuals access work and thrive on the job.” The report also compares states and produces rankings based on how well they prioritize “labor freedom.”

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