A Commonwealth Reader
Edited by Michelle J. Atherton and J. Wesley LeckroneDesigned to showcase current issues of interest, Pennsylvania Politics and Policy, Volume 2 is the second reader consisting of updated chapters from recent issues of Commonwealth: A Journal of Pennsylvania Politics and Policy. The editors and contributors to this volume focus on government institutions, election laws, the judiciary, government finance and budgeting, the opioid crisis, childcare, property taxes, environmental policy, demographics, and more. Each chapter is supplemented by discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, and forums with arguments in support of or opposed to contested elements of state policy.
In addition, Pennsylvania Politics and Policy, Volume 2 includes a detailed guide to researching state government and policy online, as well as a comprehensive chapter on the structure of Pennsylvania government. It is designed as a text or supplement for college or advanced high school classes in American government, state and local politics, public policy, and public administration.
Contributors: John Arway, Jeffrey Carroll, Bob Dick, Ashley Harden, Jenna Becker Kane, Stefanie I. Kasparek, Vera Krekanova, Maureen W. McClure, John F. McDonald, Josh Shapiro, Marc Stier, Jennie Sweet-Cushman, James Vike, and the editors
“Pennsylvania Politics and Policy is an invaluable resource for government professionals, academics, researchers, students and the general reader with an interest in state and local politics. This volume includes an overview of the function of the state’s government and electoral structure while addressing specific current issues such as the opioid crisis in the Commonwealth, the need to tax natural gas extraction, and the changing demographics of Pennsylvania’s school districts. The reader provides in-depth analysis in an accessible format that reaches all audiences. I highly recommend this volume for the classroom or for the personal or university library collection.”
—Paula A. Holoviak, Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Kutztown University
“ I used Pennsylvania Politics and Policy in my Pennsylvania Politics class at St. Joseph’s University and was happy that I did. The first volume not only gave in-depth background to many vital issues affecting the state, but also provided a starting point for interesting class discussions about those issues. As a former Acting Secretary in the Department of Environmental Protection, I was particularly attracted to the section concerning the severance tax, but there were many other topical issues of interest as well. As valuable as Volume 1 was, Volume 2 is a not only an update, but an enhancement in its issues and layout. I will use Pennsylvania Politics and Policy again and recommend it to others.”
—Joseph R. Powers, Adjunct Professor of Political Science at St. Joseph’s University
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