The reaction of lawmakers in the region to Gov. Tom Wolfâs $40 billion budget proposal was about as cold as the temperature outside this time of year.
State Rep. Josh Kail, a Beaver County Republican whose district includes part of Washington County, summed up the negative response when he described it as âtaxes, taxes and more taxes.â
âUnfortunately, instead of advancing pro-worker and pro-growth policies, we still have the same problems that we had when the governor was elected in 2014, and heâs still trying to use the same failed tax policy in response.â
Wolf, a Democrat, and the Republican-majority General Assembly locking horns over the budget has been an annual rite for most of the governorâs time in office. In his budget address Wednesday, Wolf called for an increase in personal income taxes in the 2021-22 fiscal year, a severance tax on the natural gas industry and a 17% increase in spending overall to boost public schools and job training programs. The spending increase would also help erase the deficit caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.