80 Ideas for a Prosperous PA

Member Group : Commonwealth Foundation

Contact: Jay Ostrich 717.671.1901; cell: 717.649.6547 | [email protected]

80 Ideas for a Prosperous Pennsylvania
CF unveils roadmap to drive commonwealth to economic health

HARRISBURG, PA (1.18.11) — As Tom Corbett is sworn in today as the 46th Governor of Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth Foundation unveiled its 80 Ideas for a Prosperous Pennsylvania, providing a roadmap of policy reforms for Gov. Corbett and the General Assembly to transform state government.

"Pennsylvania’s newly-elected governor and the 2011-12 General Assembly will face a host of challenges created by a tax-borrow-and-spend governing philosophy that has driven the commonwealth into a potential $5 billion budget shortfall," said Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette. "Today marks the beginning of a new era, but the time for action is now. Pennsylvania must undergo a rapid transformation to reverse the poor policy decisions that have eroded economic freedoms and brought our state to its present condition."

These fiscal challenges also include an education system with a wide achievement gap for students and parents demanding more options for their children, a recession that has led to the highest unemployment rate in 30 years, a public that has lost faith in its leaders and economic growth that has trailed the rest of the nation for decades.

The 80 recommendations are aimed at tackling major policy issues in: Budget and spending; taxes; education; government reform; public employees pension and benefits; energy; privatization; higher education; economic freedom; health care; Medicaid; long-term care; transportation; criminal justice; and, unions and labor policy.

"Gov. Corbett has committed to balancing the budget without raising taxes, and we want to help him keep that promise," said Brouillette. "But in order to keep that promise, our entire state government must transform itself with fiscal restraint and the courage to stand up for the public’s interest against the special interests."

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The full report, 80 Ideas for a Prosperous Pennsylvania, is available at CommonwealthFoundation.org and by calling 717.671.1901.
The Commonwealth Foundation (CommonwealthFoundation.org) is an independent, non-profit public policy research and educational institute based in Harrisburg, PA.

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