PA Budget Secretary Defends Spending Plan, Minimum Wage Hike
The Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg.
Credit: PA Internet News Service
Pennsylvania Budget Secretary Jen Swails spent three hours defending Gov. Tom Wolf’s spending plan – a proposal many Republicans criticize as lofty and unrealistic – before the House Appropriations Committee last week.
The meeting concluded three weeks of hearings with different state agencies over how Wolf’s $37.8 billion proposal, partly funded by a 46% personal income tax increase on the top third of earners, would be spent. The governor’s concurrent call to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next seven years percolated to the surface of the hearing often.
Feb 3, 2021
HARRISBURG Gov. Tom Wolf will propose a sweeping new plan to dramatically boost funding for public schools, to be supported by an increase in Pennsylvania’s personal income tax rate that also expands exemptions for lower-wage earners, administration officials said Tuesday.
Wolf’s administration began releasing details of the plan to The Associated Press ahead of today’s planned budget address.
Under the plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1, Wolf, a Democrat, will ask the Republican-controlled Legislature for what Republicans say will be a $7 billion, full-year increase in the personal income tax, before refunds, or almost 50%.
That, under Wolf’s plan, would provide a massive boost to public schools and help fill a multibillion-dollar deficit inflicted by the pandemic. Expanding exemptions in the personal income tax means that two-thirds of income-tax payers will pay less or the same, administration officials said.
Wolf seeks big increase in school funding, tax increase – Times News Online tnonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tnonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG Gov. Tom Wolf will propose a sweeping new plan to dramatically boost funding for public schools, to be supported by an increase in the state’s personal income tax rate that also expands exemptions for lower-wage earners, administration officials said Tuesday.
Wolf’s administration began releasing details of the plan to The Associated Press ahead of Wednesday’s planned budget address.
Under the plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1, Wolf, a Democrat, will ask the Republican-controlled Legislature for a $3 billion increase in the personal income tax to provide a massive boost to public schools and help fill a multibillion-dollar deficit inflicted by the pandemic.
Governor seeks big increase in school funding, tax increase fredericksburg.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fredericksburg.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.