Wolf’s Tax Proposals Will Hurt Higher Education, Lawmakers Say
HARRISBURG – Following Gov. Tom Wolf’s visit today to the J.D. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship at York College, Reps. Seth Grove (R-Dover), Stan Saylor (R-Red Lion), Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York Township) and Kate Klunk (R-Hanover) and Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York) issued the following statement explaining the impact of the governor’s proposed budget on higher education in Pennsylvania:
“The J.D. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship at York College is a shining example of collaboration between higher education, our business community, and state government. We are very proud of what York College has accomplished for its students and our community. It is good Gov. Wolf visited there to see first-hand how these entities are working together to grow our economy. Unfortunately, Gov. Wolf’s proposed budget would hurt this entrepreneurial spirit and York College students.
“The negative impacts of the governor’s tax increase scheme (as shown in recent opinion editorials,
Wolf’s Budget: Sure the Spending Sounds Good, But at What Cost?,
Administration’s Gamesmanship a Disservice to PA College Students,
Don’t Be Fooled – Gov. Wolf’s Budget Will Cost You) are hard hitting. Wolf’s talking point of “jobs that pay” does not match his policy initiatives. Instead, his budget will hurt business startup incubators such as the J.D. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship because just one of the over 550 taxes he proposes is specifically on business startups. And, that’s on top of a 20 percent income tax increase, a 40 percent increase in sales tax (increase in rate and expansion), and increasing costs for Pennsylvania businesses by well over $1 billion within his proposed $10.10 per hour minimum wage increase. Furthermore, Gov. Wolf’s budget includes a new child care tax, which will drive more workers to stay at home hurting child care centers, family incomes and business development.
“Wolf’s sales tax expansion on higher education will increase not only York College students’ costs and debt by thousands over the life of their student loans, but ensure our colleges and universities will be less competitive nationally. Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education students would see a $401 per student funding ($45 million for more than 112,000 students) increase in his budget, but those same students will be taxed $428 per year. Student debt is already a major issue; we don’t need to add to it. It is a bad deal.
“Gov. Wolf’s $12.7 billion tax increase over two fiscal years on hard-working Pennsylvanians is not a solution. We can and must do better than just taxing our way to economic obscurity as the governor proposes. We look forward to working with all stakeholders to develop a fiscally responsible budget which prioritizes the desires of Pennsylvanians by June 30.”
Representative Seth Grove
196th District
Representative Stan Saylor
94th Legislative District
Representative Kristin Phillips-Hill
93rd Legislative District
Representative Kate Klunk
169th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Nick Ruffner
717.260.6258