Gabler Issues Statement on Wolf's Partial Budget Veto
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) released the following statement in reaction to Gov. Tom Wolf’s partial veto of
House Bill 1460, the budget legislation passed last week by the General Assembly:
“I am glad Gov. Wolf has finally recognized what we have been saying for six months – it is wrong to hold the citizens of Pennsylvania hostage for an increase in taxes on hard working people. Whether it is a sales tax hike or an income tax increase, these are taxes that will take money out of every family’s pockets.
“This Monday, Jan. 4, schools across Pennsylvania will be open. Human service providers will receive their critical funds. That being said, today’s line-item veto of our budget bill represents where we should have been in June or July – not December. The legislature is not six months behind - our governor is.
“We all know it would be unacceptable to force schools to close. That is why both the House and Senate ensured that a budget arrived on Gov. Wolf’s desk, despite ongoing disagreements among the various parties. We recognized the importance of releasing funds to schools and human service providers. We applaud the governor for recognizing this fact and finally allowing funds to start flowing. He now acknowledges the merits of our arguments and the problems he created with his unilateral and indiscriminate full budget veto on June 30.
“Now, it is important to address the real issue that has been at the core of this six-month impasse - tax increases. Multiple proposals to raise taxes on hard-working Pennsylvanians – proposals that would be necessary to fund the governor’s spending proposals - have failed by wide, bipartisan margins over the past six months.
“The most recent vote on Senate Bill 1073, the $30.8 billion spending plan that required broad-based tax increases to balance, received only 100 votes in the House. It takes 102 votes to pass, so Senate Bill 1073 was not a viable bill to provide immediate funding.
“As a result, the $30.3 billion plan contained in House Bill 1460 is the prudent, responsible, and immediate way to provide necessary, critical funding to Pennsylvania’s schools, human service providers and government agencies. It earned my vote because of my commitment to working and getting the job done in a way that respects the taxpayers of our great Commonwealth.”
Representative Matt Gabler
75th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Scott Little
717.260.6137
slittle@pahousegop.com
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