Tobash: This Governor is Manufacturing Anxiety for Massive Tax Hikes
Responding to governor’s budget proposal and address that lacked details
HARRISBURG – Rep. Mike Tobash (R-Schuylkill/Dauphin) issued the following statement today after listening to Gov. Tom Wolf’s address before a joint session of the General Assembly and reviewing Wolf’s budget proposal for the 2016-17 fiscal year:
“The governor did not include any details of his budget proposal today, but that wasn’t the only thing he didn’t mention. He didn’t mention his plans for finishing the current year’s budget. He did, however, mention the work my colleagues and I have done on the budget for the last year was full of gimmicks. With all due respect, the biggest gimmick I see is him holding up the $6 billion that’s already been collected from taxpayers, instead of releasing it to our education, corrections and agriculture communities.
“Most people I talk to believe that our state government is big enough, and it does not need to be paid for by a larger percentage of their paychecks. Many Pennsylvanians cannot afford massive tax increases. I have been working on reforms to our public pension system and to our welfare system. We have offered plans to reduce expenses and we have set record investments to our public education system. Taxpayers should not have to pay more for the governor’s plan, which again, seeks to increase the size and control of government.
“Over the last year, this governor has manufactured anxiety within our schools, counties and human services agencies. He held these groups hostage for six months, promising them more if they just waited a bit longer – for what? Here’s what I do know: There is no financial reason to increase people’s taxes at this time. We have proven we can operate within our means, without massive, widespread tax increases. This governor is attempting to fear monger the Legislature and the people of Pennsylvania into believing one thing, without implementing his massive tax increases, and we are headed for financial crisis. It’s not going to work, governor. Instead I urge him to get serious, release the payments he has been withholding, and negotiate from a position of cooperation in the best interest of schools, taxpayers and the future of Pennsylvania.”
For more information about this statement, or any other state-related issue, contact Tobash’s district office in Schuylkill Haven located at 988 East Main St., by calling 570-385-8235. Information can also be found online at
RepTobash.com or
Facebook.com/RepTobash.
Representative Mike Tobash
125th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Krisinda Corbin
717.705.2032
kcorbin@pahousegop.com
RepTobash.com /
Facebook.com/RepTobash