In the meantime, check out our work on privatization here.

In the meantime, check out our work on privatization here.

In the meantime, check out our work on privatization here.

• Pennsylvania is one of only two states where the government controls the sale of wine and spirits. The other is Utah.
   
• The government run liquor stores are antiquated, costing taxpayers and local economies money and jobs.
   
• The government run liquor stores’ bafflingly bad customer service was on full display with its failed response to COVID-19.  
   
• Pennsylvania residents are sick of bootlegging alcohol from other states!

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

There is legislation on the table in Harrisburg to get government out of the booze business.

Pennsylvania schools will reopen in the Fall, and school district leaders are tasked with balancing student learning needs with staff and student safety. As numerous innovative solutions are proposed every day, all signs point in one direction—fewer kids will occupy the same physical space at any given time than in years past.

Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) are the answer. ESAs help parents customize their child’s education, while reducing district classroom size and preserving district resources.

Even before COVID-19, nearly three-quarters of Pennsylvanians supported ESAs. Post-pandemic, families, teachers, and school leaders will need educational flexibility more than ever.

ADDITIONAL REPORT INFORMATION

 2020 EdChoice Questionnaire and Topline Results 

 2020 EdChoice Screening Questions 

 2020 EdChoice Survey Methodology and Data Sources

In the June 2018 court decision Janus v. AFSCME, the United State Supreme Court struck down union agency fees as unconstitutional–meaning non-union public sector workers are no longer forced to pay union fees to keep their jobs. 

If you are a current union member, use the pointers below to guide you through the resignation process, or follow a simple three-step process at Americans for Fair Treatment.

Sample Resignation Letter

1. Generally, by Supreme Court precedent, you may resign union membership at any time. However, Pennsylvania’s Public Employe Relations Act allows all public employee unions to include a “maintenance of membership” clause that limits when members may resign. Check your union’s contract (“collective bargaining agreement”) for details regarding “maintenance of membership.” It frequently includes a 15-day resignation period prior to your contract’s expiration.
2. You may be able to resign outside your permitted resignation period, yet the union may continue to deduct full membership dues from your paycheck until the expiration of the contract.
3. If your contract is expired, the union may still expect you to resign before the expiration of the last contract. In addition to consulting your contract, check your union enrollment form for a paragraph, usually above your signature, explaining how and when to resign. Typically, you will be required to submit written notice to your employer and union via certified mail.
4. For a smooth exit, follow the resignation steps outlined in your union contract and submit your resignation letter during the “maintenance of membership” period, keep a copy of the letter for your records, and request a return receipt. 

Education savings accounts (ESAs) allow parents to customize their child's education. With an ESA, qualifying families can access state education funding to purchase private school tuition or approved education services best suited to the unique needs of their child.

It's time for ESAs in PA! Follow the steps below to let your state senator know that you support more educational opportunities in our state and legislation that would create ESAs!

Read on to learn more about how ESAs work, legislation that would enact ESAs in PA, and if your child would qualify!

Privacy Policy

• Paycheck Protection Primer
• Policy Memo: Ending Taxpayer-Funded Collection of Campaign Contributions
• Policy Memo: Government Union Political Spending Trends
• Policy Memo: Political Spending by Government Unions During the 2015 Election
• Policy Point: Government Unions' Political Spending
• Government Unions Outspend Natural Gas Industry
• Infographic: Union Campaign Contributions
• Infographic: PA Government Union Political Spending
• Infographic: What does Paycheck Protection Do?
• Infographic: Pennsylvania's Government Unions

Polling

• October 2015: Large Majorities in PA Back Transparency & Accountability Reforms
• Compilation of Statewide Poll Results
• February 2014 Union Household Survey
• July 2013 Statewide Voter Poll Summary | Toplines

Commentaries

• Time to End the Special Interest Loophole
• Rep. Bryan Cutler: It's Time the House Makes Paycheck Protection a Priority
• Teacher Pays for Politics She Never Supported
• Paycheck Protection is About Morality, not Cost
• Bill Frye: Why I Left Teaching: Union Politics
• Matthew Brouillette: For Union Leaders, the Law Doesn't Apply
• Nathan Benefield: Super PACs Supersize Union Political Spending
• Nathan Benefield: Wolf's Multi-Million Dollar Conflict of Interest
• Elizabeth Stelle: Time for Paycheck Protection in Pennsylvania
• Christian Leinbach: Why Paycheck Protection is Needed Now
• Gina Diorio: Union Politicking Shows Need for Mary's Law

FAQs

• Union Executives Refuse to Answer Lawmakers' Questions
• The Real Cost of Paycheck Protection
• How do Union Dues Fund SuperPACs?
• How Public Employees are Forced to Fund Attack Ads
• Union Dues are Used for Politics (and Members Don't Know It)
• Top 5 Reasons We Need a Paycheck Protection Law
• Answering the Critics on Paycheck Protection
• Testimony: The Case for Paycheck Protection
• Resolved: Pass Paycheck Protection

If you're having any problems submitting your information, please try the form here.

Pennsylvania’s $71 billion unfunded pension liability is unsustainable for taxpayers and puts public employees at risk. Without timely reform, pension payments will crowd out funding for other services, property taxes will rise, and teachers may be laid off.

• Pennsylvania has enough assets to cover just 60% of liabilities. Only four states have pension plans with a worse funding ratio.
• The Independent Fiscal Office estimates pension payments in 2019-20 will consume 9.4% of the state’s General Fund. That’s more than double the share of pension payments in 2011-12.
• About 15 years ago, Pennsylvania’s public pension plans enjoyed a surplus. Stock market losses, retroactive benefit increases, and delayed pension payments created an unfunded liability growing from $7.6 billion in 2006 to $71 billion in 2016.

Good Pension Reform

Good pension reform means fixing the broken system and paying down pension debt without new taxes or borrowing. Establishing a predictable retirement system is a critical first step.

Senate Bill 1: This side-by-side hybrid plan contains a 401(k)-component paired with a smaller defined benefit component for new employees. New and current employees can also choose a 401(k)-style only plan. SB 1 accomplishes key goals of good pension reform:

• Predictability: Unlike defined benefit plans, the 401k component is not subject to political manipulation. Any reform that reduces the political aspect of the pension system is an improvement.
• Employee control: SB 1’s defined contribution component will provide portability and retirement control for public employees.
• Slowing the accumulation of debt: Since the defined contribution portion is, by definition, fully-funded it cannot add to our unfunded liability. Pew Charitable Trust notes the side-by-side hybrid approach would mitigate more risk than any state that has enacted pension reform, while protecting workers.

Five Reasons Pension Reform Can’t Wait

1. The pension crisis is driving property tax hikes. From 2009 to 2015, school district revenue statewide grew by $3.9 billion, yet 47% of this increase went to pension payments. This represents an increase of more than $578 per homeowner. In fact, over the last five years, 99% of school districts seeking exemptions to raise property taxes cited pension costs.
2. School budgets are getting squeezed. In one year, Pittsburgh School District’s pension debt grew 10%, equal to the average salary of more than 1,000 classroom teachers.
3. Our pension system discourages young teaching talent: A defined contribution retirement would correct the bias against new employees. Only 36% of Pennsylvania’s teachers are projected to become vested in the pension system, meaning the defined benefit plan is not attractive enough to retain talent.
4. Public employees’ retirements are at risk: Detroit’s bankruptcy showed earned pension benefits can be reduced. Public employees should not have to worry if the state will make good on its pension funding promises.
5. Pennsylvanians want pension reform. Polling shows 54 percent of voters supported placing new state employees in a 401(k)-style retirement plan. Pension reform isn't a partisan issue: 67% of Republicans, 51% of Independents and a plurality of Democrats are in favor.

Political communications, endorsements, mailers & advertisements funded by union dues

• A PSEA endorsement mailer from the 2016 election.
• Pennsylvania AFL-CIO conducted a "Ground Game for Labor 2016 Campaign" with over 500,000 mailers, including this Katie McGinty endorsement.
• A sample email from SEIU 668, urging members to contact their legislators and pass Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget.
• A 2014 mailer from AFT-PA endorsing Tom Wolf.
• PSEA sent a 2012 political endorsement to union members.
• UFCW’s anti-liquor privatization TV ad claiming privatization will kill Pennsylvanians. Additional ads from 2011 include: UFCW radio ads attacking Representative Mike Turzai and UFCW TV ads attacking Senators Browne and Mensch.

Fundraising for PAC contributions

• Donate to PACE or join the "Tom Corbett Fan Club" (pages 15-18).

Direct contributions to political organizations and SuperPACs that advocate for or against issues and politicians[2] 

• "Philadelphians for a Fair Future" received $50,000 to advocate for the Philadelphia Soda Tax. 
• The National Public Pension Coalition, which ran social media ads attacking House Republicans, received $160,000 from government unions.
• America Works USA, an affiliated of the Democratic Governor’ Association, launched radio and TV ads attacking Republicans to build support for Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2015 budget proposal. America Works received $1.8 million in dues from AFSCME, AFSCME 13, NEA, and SEIU local affiliates, while DGA received an additional $2.2 million from AFSCME, AFT, and UFCW 1776.  
• SuperPAC "Pennsylvanian’s for Judicial Reform" ran ads targeting 2015 Supreme Court judicial candidates with the aid of $675,000 from AFSCME and SEIU State Leadership Council.
• NEA- and SEIU-funded "Pennsylvanians for Accountability" spent $1 million on ads attacking Governor Corbett.