HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf today announced his intentions to pursue an expanded sales tax and an increased Personal Income Tax during his budget proposal for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
The governor’s proposal, formally unveiled today in Harrisburg, includes an 11 percent increase in the Personal Income Tax, retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year. It also proposes to expand the purchases subject to Sales and Use Tax as well as a $1 per pack increase in the cigarette tax.
State Reps. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) and Tommy Sankey (R-Clearfield/Cambria) issued the following statement in response to the governor’s proposal:
“We remain committed to honest, workable solutions that serve Pennsylvania’s citizens and taxpayers, and we are disappointed that the proposal we heard today was neither honest nor realistic.
“The governor’s budget proposal is not honest because it is based on inflated, inaccurate numbers and not the actual spending contained in either the passed or enacted budget. It is not realistic because it is based on retroactive tax increases that we believe to be illegal and impossible to enact, and which would be devastating to hard-working families, seniors and job creators in our state.
“We passed a full, balanced 2015-16 budget that remains partially incomplete solely because of the governor’s veto pen, which he used to cut funding for schools, agriculture and critical access hospitals. We fully support solutions that respect the taxpayers and make government work for citizens. We call on Gov. Wolf to join us in working on behalf of taxpayers to do what is best for Pennsylvania.”
