Jul. 16, 2015
On June 30, the Pennsylvania House and Senate sent a balanced budget proposal – with historic investments in education and reforms to the state’s pension and liquor systems – to Gov. Tom Wolf. Unlike the governor’s budget proposal, which would have raised a total of $12.7 billion in new taxes after the second year, the General Assembly’s proposal did not include any new or increased taxes.
Despite the significant differences on taxes, an overwhelming majority – 274 of the 401 funding items, or nearly 70 percent – of the General Assembly’s budget was exactly what the governor proposed in his budget. But because the proposal did not tax Pennsylvanians enough, the governor decided to fully veto the entire budget, including the two-thirds that were agreed upon.
Wolf's decision to fully veto the entire budget effectively eliminates all state funding for the new fiscal year. Given the negative impact a full veto will have on the hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians who rely on state funding, Wolf’s full veto marked the first time in more than 40 years that a Pennsylvania governor had chosen to do so.
Because of Wolf’s full veto, state-supported programs and services, like tuition for orphans, foster homes, veterans’ programs, the SHINE after-school program, education, domestic violence programs, child care and even cancer screenings will not receive state funding until an agreement is reached on the budget.
Wolf could have line-item vetoed specific aspects of the budget with which he did not agree; doing so would have maintained funding for vital – and agreed upon – state government programs and services. Unfortunately, he decided to eliminate all state funding.
Meanwhile, Wolf continues to travel the campaign trail pushing for his proposed massive tax increases that have no legislative support. In early June, the House brought his tax plan up for a vote. Not a single House member, Democrat nor Republican, voted for Wolf’s plan. It failed by a unanimous 0-193 vote.
The governor’s tax increases would force every Pennsylvanian to pay more in new taxes. The Independent Fiscal Office confirmed this in its statutorily required analysis when it determined that the governor’s plan would result in “a net tax increase for all groups, including a small net increase for the lowest income group.”
Carbon County taxpayers who rely on their hard-earned income to pay their bills and put food on their tables cannot afford the governor’s excessive tax increases. Seniors and working families are looking for property tax relief, not tax increases. They are taxed enough as it is.
Despite the unanimous vote against his plan, Wolf refuses to back off any of his proposed tax increases. The House and Senate in response passed a responsible, balanced and solid budget plan that increased education funding by nearly $400 million, fully funded vital human services and did not raise taxes.
There are currently two budget plans before Pennsylvania taxpayers: The governor’s plan would raise more than $12 billion in new taxes and send 32 percent of its education dollars to the Philadelphia School District, leaving the other 499 school districts across the Commonwealth to split what’s left; whereas the General Assembly’s plan holds the line on taxes while equitably distributing nearly $400 million in new education dollars across the state. It would also distribute basic education funding to the Commonwealth’s school districts using the fair education funding formula developed by a bipartisan commission.
I am hopeful that the governor will come to the table and work with the Legislature. It is time to work together for the people of Pennsylvania and pass a budget that respects taxpayers.
Representative Doyle Heffley
122nd District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jonathan Anzur
717.260-6610
janzur@pahousegop.com
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