By David A. Atkinson UPDATE – In early September 2022 The Department of Conservation and Nature Resources awarded $90 million – considered a record amount – for 330 projects across Pennsylvania under a first round of state grants for open space, recreation, conservation and trail projects. Officials highlighted $318,000 for the Lloyd Clark trail at […]
The Edward H. Arnold Institute for Policy Studies
The Dispute That Never Dies: Do Charter Schools Earn An A+ Or F-?
By David A. Atkinson Because there are no higher stakes than the future of our children, education debates are traditionally fraught and furious affairs. There are more theories on how to fix problems than channels in the standard cable package. For those sitting in the stands, education is easy. You know, the everything I learned […]
Accurate American History Was Made In Many Hues: It Should Be Remembered, Debated, And Taught That Way
By David A. Atkinson The education calendar features Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month. These designations have become more controversial and less placating during this time of rising contention over how history is taught. On disputatious issues ranging from community policing to health care access to wealth accumulation to education inequity, […]
Adding Jack Daniels And Old Grand-Dad To Our Constitutional Rights
By David A. Atkinson Every state legislator takes an oath of office to support and defend the Constitution. Presumably, that oath is meant to include ensuring the integrity and functionality of our state Constitution. There are not fine-print exceptions for when legislating becomes hard, or for when the governor is difficult to negotiate with, or […]
Shuffling Cards No Guarantee State Universities Hold A Better Hand In Enrollment Poker Game; Fresh Dice Do Not Mean A Fairer Funding Craps Shoot
By David A. Atkinson Fourteen state-owned universities are not out of proportion to Pennsylvania’s population, economic stature, or legacy of affordable higher education options. If anything, this may well constitute underrepresentation. For a parallel, look to when the community colleges were created during the 1960s. The prospective map called for twenty-eight. Yet only fourteen were […]
Public School Quality, Education Funding Sufficiency, And Level Student Opportunity On Trial In Landmark Case
As if we really needed any reminders, 2021 proved again that it is easy to get folks riled about emotional issues. How about difficult problems, ones requiring keen analysis of options and bipartisan cooperation in approving and implementing fixes and reforms? Good luck with those. If an issue does not reduce to a bumper sticker […]
Pennsylvania Benefits When The Religious-Minded Participate in Policy Debates
The intersection of religion and politics is never clear of emotional disputes over lanes and right of way. Even at that, there is growing intensity to debates these days about the appropriateness of religious groups and individuals motivated by faith setting up shop in the public square. This question requires sorting through prominent misconceptions. To […]
Team Play Concept in Politics Far Removed From Sports
By David A. Atkinson A recent quote from Erie state Senator Dan Laughlin reveals more about the troubles in state politics than he perhaps intended. His statement is a refreshingly candid assertion: “One of the things that disappoints me the most about politics is that it’s a little bit too much of a team sport. […]
National Lawsuits Should Reflect Pennsylvania Consensus
By David A. Atkinson No matter which party holds the governorship, and no matter the political philosophy of the individual occupying the position, Pennsylvania is indisputably a strong governor state. This causes natural tension between the chief executive and the legislature, because it tilts the balance of power. Additional friction occurs when governors invariably have […]
Farmland Preservation – The Economic Gift That Keeps On Growing
By David A. Atkinson A recent program on WITF public radio celebrated the success of farmland preservation in Lancaster County, a cutting edge leader in securing the development rights to prime agricultural land. Over the past 33 years, the Lancaster Farmland Trust has made a substantial investment in ensuring agriculture is a staple way of […]