Governor’s $40.2 Billion Budget Plan Ignores Reality, Says Staats
HARRISBURG ? Rep. Craig Staats (R-Bucks) responded to Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2021-22 state budget address, in which the governor proposes to spend a record $40.2 billion on the backs of Pennsylvania’s middle-class workers and small businesses.
“The governor is proposing a $7 billion increase in the Personal Income Tax. The 46% tax hike would have a direct impact on the middle-class and small businesses at a time of record unemployment and financial insecurity in the Commonwealth.
“Wolf ordered the shutdown of the state’s economy, forcing businesses to close and putting many residents out of work. Those disenfranchised by the mitigation plan were further victimized by a state Unemployment Compensation program that was unable to handle the volume of claims and crashed on several occasions, delaying or denying claims. Furthermore, just this week, we learned that the administration is lagging in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines – our greatest hope for getting back to normal.
“It should come as no surprise that I am a firm ‘NO’ on this budget and view it as dead on arrival,” said Staats. “Pennsylvania’s middle-class families and struggling businesses deserve the opportunity to recover and not be subjected to a budget that further inhibits them and ignores their financial realities. It’s time for the General Assembly to get to work on a sensible budget plan and determine how we can best assist our businesses and working families.”
Budget hearings will be held at the Capitol this month. The budget deadline is June 30.
Representative Craig Staats
145th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
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