WOLF’S BUDGET
WHO’S HOT…..WHO’S NOT
HOT
HOT
If you break down the proposed budget, there are groups that will make out better than others.
Penn State: Wolf is proposing a nearly 10 per cent increase for state schools.
Schools: The Governor is asking for 400 million dollars more for basic education increasing that budget to over 6 billion dollars. The question is will more money improve the schools or will we continue to educate less than stellar students in this state?
The Great Outdoors: State Parks, Forests, and stricter enforcement for oil and natural gas wells.
Business: A cut in the corporate profits tax rate from 9.99 percent to 5.99 percent. Also there will be new bond funding to aid in business infrastructure.
Workers and Farmers: A raise of the minimum wage to nearly ten dollars an hour. An increase in funding to develop programs to promote farming.
Corrections: An increase in money for Corrections and the State Police.
Health Care: Not saying no to the Federal Government Medicaid expansion, and expanded services for seniors. Antoinette Kraus, Director of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network released the following statement in response to the Governor’s message :
"Governor Wolf's health care proposals, as outlined in his budget, will make our health care system more efficient and remove harmful barriers to care that have jeopardized the health and economic security of Pennsylvania families".
NOT
The state Courts, The Museum Commission, and Libraries will stay stagnant. What is mystifying to me is that Libraries are never funded fully when Education spending increases. Yet it is the Library that is the cornerstone of the community educational system.
Reaction from the GOP was predictable. Senator Jake Corman said that they could start from scratch. Wolf in his address said it was okay to say no but to come to the table with an idea. He said no idea or saying no would not be helpful.
Wolf’s budget is ambitious and calls for tax increases on goods and services which will put every taxpayer’s skin in the game. Hopefully there will be relief for property tax owners who have been carrying the burden of paying for education for years. A sales tax will be fair and equitable to everyone from the richest landowner to the person living in public housing. Everyone will pay. Plus the middle class will finally get a break. If a person makes more than $50,000 a year an owns a home, it is conceivable their taxes will go down by 16 percent.
Wolf was strong in his presentation and has shown a willingness to compromise. Let’s see how the GOP reacts.
