Here's Commonwealth Foundation's weekly news roundup of policy issues being debated in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania.
When Our Republic Stops Talking
America lost a faith-filled husband, father, and patriot. For many, there will be a permanent hole in their hearts and a void in their lives that will never be filled.
To say this was a senseless tragedy is an understatement and brushes aside the true nature of what really happened: Charlie Kirk was murdered for loving God, his family, and America by those who don’t. Our political climate has reached a fever-pitch, and our beloved America, our grand experiment, our fragile republic, is broken. Many today are wondering if it is broken beyond repair.
The Violent Schools Democratic Governors Don’t Want You to Know About
Democratic governors have recently made headlines by downplaying the violence their constituents face daily. But what’s even more alarming is the amount of school violence these governors—many of whom have presidential ambitions—have swept under the rug.
Governors comprise the majority of those vying to take on President Donald Trump in 2028. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are all on the short list of possible candidates. Interestingly, all these governors oversee statewide education agencies that all make the same bold claim: They have zero dangerous schools.
We Must Protect the Rainy Day Fund
READ MORE: Commonwealth Foundation Urges Legal Protection of State’s Rainy Day Fund
An Important Lesson From Past Budget Impasses
Last week, Shapiro leaked a “compromise” of $49.9 billion (“don’t call it $50 billion”) with no significant policy reforms. This budget still spends $5.3 billion more than it generates in revenue. It would require draining reserves and implementing tax hikes of $1,600 per family of four to balance the budget.
These are the gimmicks Shapiro plays—propose an absurd budget, then attempt to seem reasonable with a still-extreme spending binge, without compromising on policies to make Pennsylvania more competitive. Shapiro’s radicalism is why there’s a state budget impasse.
IN DEPTH: A Timeline of Shapiro's Budget Impasse
Don’t Believe the Hype: Wind and Solar Aren’t Cheap
As electricity prices continue to rise, advocates for “clean” energy claim switching from natural gas and coal to solar and wind will save money on your utility bills.
But nothing could be further from the truth: The Green New Deal-style policies pitched by environmentalists will only increase energy costs and force households and businesses to shell out more money when their monthly bills arrive in the mail.
