Lancaster House Delegation Stands Firm Against Higher Taxes
Encourages public to visit StopPATaxHike.com to have voices heard
Members of the Lancaster House Delegation released the following statement regarding Pennsylvania starting another fiscal year without a budget in place:
“Since Gov. Ed Rendell presented his proposal to the General Assembly in February, there has been absolutely no action on this budget in the House of Representatives. It is inexcusable that the budget deadline has been missed for the seventh year in row, and we are further behind in the process than ever. The House Appropriations Committee, on a party-line vote, rejected the Senate’s no-tax-increase budget and have not even considered Chairman Dwight Evan’s proposal. It is time for the House Democrats to get serious and bring a bill to the floor for a vote, as we have repeatedly called on them to do.
“When the governor presented his budget, he assured the Legislature that it would not require a broad-based tax increase. As that is no longer the case, the governor needs to go back to the drawing board and make the necessary cuts to balance his budget. This does not mean cutting a few million, as he has agreed to do, but he must cut the billions that the Commonwealth’s coffers are short to support his spending requests. This is our opportunity to fully examine spending and cut those programs that are failing, while maintaining the core functions of state government without a tax increase.
“President Barack Obama has even acknowledged that a recession is the worst time to raise taxes. It stifles the economy and prolongs economic turmoil. We cannot spend our way out of this recession, but we can budget responsibly and allow the economy to heal by encouraging consumer spending. Higher taxes will strangle people’s ability to pump money into the economy through personal spending. An increase to the Personal Income Tax (PIT) is not an option. The people of Pennsylvania cannot afford a tax increase. They want government to live within its means, and that is precisely what we are fighting for.
“We stand firm in our opposition to the proposed 16 percent tax increase, and we want the people to have their voices heard on this matter. Those who are against higher taxes can visit StopPATaxHike.com and sign the petition, write a comment or post a home video, as nearly 14,000 other people have done. If we are united in our efforts, we may be able to stop Rendell and the House Democrats from raising taxes on the hard-working families of Pennsylvania.”
The Lancaster Republican House Delegation is comprised of Reps. John Bear (R-Lititz), Scott Boyd (R-Lampeter), Tom Creighton (R-Manheim), Bryan Cutler (R-Peach Bottom), Gordon Denlinger (R-Narvon), Dave Hickernell (R-Elizabethtown) and Katie True (R-East Hempfield).
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Lancaster County Republican Delegation
Contact: Nicole Wamsley
(717) 783-8063
PAHouseGOP.com