Oct. 07, 2015
HARRISBURG – Rep. Craig Staats (R-Bucks) voted, along with House Republicans and several House Democrats, to defeat Gov. Tom Wolf’s tax increase proposal this afternoon. The governor’s latest spending plan included a Personal Income Tax increase and a severance tax on natural gas. Staats issued the following statement.
“Today’s vote, which garnered ‘no’ votes from both sides of the aisle, was a clear message from the people of Pennsylvania. Middle-class families cannot afford additional taxes. The governor’s latest proposal would have increased taxes on those families and small businesses by 16 percent. I find the severance tax problematic because we already tax the natural gas industry through the impact fee, which generates around $220 million per year. It’s important that this industry remains in Pennsylvania because of the economic opportunities it provides for Pennsylvanians. We also need to address the pension crisis. Our unfunded pension liability is part of this problem, and it needs to be part of the budget solution.
“I do think Gov. Wolf is moving in the right direction. We have come a long way from his original $12 billion tax proposal, and we still have some negotiating to do. I hope we are moving closer to a reasonable budget. Hopefully today’s vote was a message to the governor showing him what Pennsylvanians are willing and unwilling to accept. It’s time to get serious about a budget.”
The governor’s proposal, which failed by a 73-127 vote, would have increased the Personal Income Tax to 3.57 percent from 3.07 percent. The Marcellus Shale tax, had it passed as part of the plan, would have made Pennsylvania’s taxes on the natural gas industry the highest in the nation.
Representative Craig Staats
145th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Morgan Dux
mdux@pahousegop.com
www.RepStaats.net /
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