Oct. 07, 2015
HARRISBURG – Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming/Union) and Rep. Jeff C. Wheeland (R-Lycoming) today issued this statement on the income and severance tax increase amendment that was voted down by the House:
“It is clear that a Personal Income Tax increase on our working families and individuals is not what the Commonwealth needs. Taking more money out of their paychecks is clearly unreasonable. There have been alternatives proposed to move toward an overall budget agreement, and they have all been rejected.
“The debate over a severance tax on natural gas drilling has been disingenuous at best. The proposal for this ‘special tax’ on one industry was to be directed to education, but instead, was set to go to the General Fund, where it could be spent anywhere.
“According to the Tax Foundation, Pennsylvania already carries the 10th highest tax burden in the nation. This already hits residents and businesses hard. It is not in the best interest of our economic climate in the Commonwealth to drive up taxes and thus endanger jobs and growth.
“With this vote in the House today, it is unmistakably clear that there is no broad-based support for broad-based tax increases. The Senate has also indicated the same. That is the reality. What must now happen is a serious round of negotiations that result in a budget agreement that benefits our residents, not penalizes them. They cannot afford a reduction in their paychecks, and we must not do that to them.”
Rep. Jeff C. Wheeland
83rd District
Rep. Garth D. Everett
84th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Raymond Smith
House Republican Communications
717.705.1834
rsmith@pahousegop.com
RepWheeland.com
RepEverett.com