Mar. 11, 2016
HEIDELBERG (Allegheny County) – A group of local Republican state House members today called for Gov. Tom Wolf to drop his demands for massive tax increases and release $3 billion in state education funding.
More than a half-dozen state representatives from the Pittsburgh area joined local businesspeople in rejecting substantial broad-based tax hikes being proposed by Wolf and legislative Democrats.
“We’re hearing it loud and clear from a vast majority of Pennsylvanians – senior citizens, working families, small business owners – they oppose higher taxes for higher levels of state spending,” said Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Allegheny/Washington).
“The hard-working taxpayers of western Pennsylvania cannot afford the governor’s tax increases, especially a state income tax hike retroactive to January 1.”
The governor is seeking $7.4 billion in supplemental spending for the current fiscal year which is an increase of 5.8 percent as compared to what was enacted in 2014-15. For 2016-17, the governor wants an additional $2.45 billion on top of his $7.4 billion in supplementals for 2015-16. This would be an increase of 7.9 percent.
Ortitay was joined by Jim Christiana (R-Beaver/Washington), Reps. John Maher (R-Allegheny/ Washington), George Dunbar (R-Washington), Eli Evankovich (R-Allegheny/Westmoreland), Rick Saccone (R-Allegheny/Washington), Steinberger’s Floors owner David Steinberger and Victorian Finance President Sonny Bringol.
“Small businesses create 65 percent of new private sector jobs in Pennsylvania,” said Steinberger. “And 80 percent of us pay the personal income taxes rather than corporate taxes. The governor tax plans will inhibit our ability to create new jobs in the state.”
“That’s the biggest problem with this governor’s plans,” said Christiana. “He is demanding higher spending and substantially higher taxes that people can’t afford. And by proposing a retroactive tax increase, he asking people to raid their own saving accounts to pay for it.”
“The governor should back off his demands for massive tax hikes and release the $3 billion in education funding which he’s holding hostage.”
Wolf cut basic education funding by more than half as part of his partial veto of the House-passed budget in December. The lawmakers said the governor should work with the Legislature to keep the state operating without resorting to broad-based tax increases.
The General Assembly enacted three different budgets, in June, October and December. The governor vetoed the first two completely, and signed most of the third. He vetoed approximately $6 billion of the third budget.
The lawmakers also expressed frustration that while the administration complains of a projected structural deficit, it proposes increasing spending by billions of dollars. In contrast, the House members pointed to their recently unveiled PennSAVE initiative as a means to realize savings, accountability, value and efficiency in state spending.
“The PennSAVE initiative will allow us to review state government operations and procurement practices and be more innovative in savings and efficiencies,” said Ortitay. “And it’s not just in Harrisburg. We want the public to join us and submit cost-saving ideas.”
The lawmakers also invited Wolf to join them in developing a responsible budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year while releasing funds already appropriated for education and other essential services in the state.
Representative Jason Ortitay
46th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tom Pyne
717.798.1699
tpyne@pahousegop.com
Rick Leiner
717.497.8478
rleiner@pahousegop.com
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