Nesbit Disappointed with Governor’s Budget Veto
HARRISBURG – Rep. Tedd Nesbit (R-Mercer/Butler) today expressed his extreme disappointment after the governor announced his veto of the 2015-16 budget package, which includes additional funding for education, human services and public safety, while holding the line on overall spending and not increasing taxes on working families and job creators.
“My colleagues stood together throughout the budget process, committing ourselves to a responsible budget that doesn’t raise taxes while prioritizing core functions of government -- a budget that truly represents the needs of residents throughout Pennsylvania and especially here at home in Mercer and Butler counties,” Nesbit said.
The governor’s veto of the entire budget package, which includes also rejecting important changes in both the fiscal and education codes, hurts everyone impacted by the state budget, namely public schools and human service programs. This is the first time in 40 years that a governor has outright vetoed the annual budget.
“The governor is standing firm on his desire to tax our residents by $12.7 billion over the next two years, all to send additional education funding to Philadelphia,” Nesbit added. “Of the new education money he is insisting upon, nearly one-third would go to Philadelphia, and the nine school districts in the 8th District would share just 1 percent of that total amount of new funds. That’s inherently unfair, since our residents would still be picking up the tab for the increased sales and income taxes.”
In fact, Nesbit pointed out that the House considered the governor’s tax package on June 1, and every member of the House, Republicans and Democrats alike, voted it down.
Nesbit also contended that a severance tax on natural gas drilling in the Commonwealth would not be the windfall supporters anticipate, with estimates coming in around $160 million. For the past four years, the natural gas industry has paid more than $850 million in impact fees, which represents an effective 4.7 percent tax rate, as calculated by the state’s Independent Fiscal Office.
“The industry is already paying its fair share, with impact fees in the hundreds of millions of dollars, not to mention the corporate and income taxes levied every year on their businesses that adds to our overall economic health,” Nesbit continued. “Further taxing this industry would discourage additional development, and could put a halt to existing jobs, as evidenced this week by an energy company in Indiana County announcing the elimination of 90 jobs and the relocation of 300 others to Ohio. That’s not the right path for Pennsylvania, and I’m committed to the budget package we delivered to his desk this week.”
Representative Tedd Nesbit
8th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jennifer Keaton
(717) 705-2094
jkeaton@pahousegop.com
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