REGAN RESPONDS TO WOLF’S CALL FOR TAX INCREASE

HARRISBURG – Today the General Assembly heard the Governor’s annual budget address through a pre-recorded video message, and Senator Mike Regan (R-Cumberland/York) issued the following statement in response.

“While the manner in which Governor Wolf delivered his budget address was new, his veiled tax and spend message was not. He spoke to the people of Pennsylvania claiming he wants to reduce their taxes, when in reality he is calling for a $3 billion increase in spending, and he wants to hike the Personal Income Tax (PIT) from 3.07% to 4.49%.

“Such an increase in the PIT will impact individuals and businesses alike with an astounding 46.3% tax increase.  Upwards of 1 million Pennsylvania small businesses will be affected, seeing as these pass-through businesses, such as LLCs, S Corps, and Partnerships, pay the Personal Income Tax.

“These are the same small businesses that are still recovering from the impacts of the pandemic. The same small businesses that the Governor forced to close. The same small businesses that the Governor wants to tax more.

“Furthermore, the Governor claims to want to provide more funding to schools and to remove barriers to quality education, but a child’s safety is key to a quality education, and Governor Wolf wants to cut school safety funding by $40 million.

“Quite frankly, the only positive thing I actually heard the Governor state in his feel-good, photo-filled video address is that he wants to streamline the administration of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program to provide $35 million more in scholarships to students taking advantage of the freedom of school choice in Pennsylvania.

“Fortunately, this is only the Governor’s proposal, and we have months to work as a legislature to actually formulate and approve a responsible budget for Pennsylvanians that do not drive them, or our Commonwealth, into financial ruin.”

 

CONTACT: Bruce McLanahan, Chief of Staff, 717-787-8524, bmclanahan@pasen.gov

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