SUNBURY – As the state House debated Governor Wolf’s tax proposal, one local representative says raising taxes to expand government is not a solution. Rep. Fred Keller (R-85th, Kreamer) says the Governor’s proposal increases personal income taxes by 16.25 percent.
Keller says there doesn’t seem to be much support in Harrisburg for the Governor’s plan, “The Governor needs to come to a realization that there’s not the support for all these taxes.”
Keller says the budget deficit stems from too many years of spending that outpaced economic growth. Increasing taxes to pay down a debt is more palatable, but Keller says where the new tax money would go is unclear, “What are you going to do with the money? If you’re trying to pay down a debt we already have so our children don’t have to pay it, let’s have that discussion. There’s nothing of that in this.”
Governor Wolf removed an increase in state sales tax from his current proposal, but it was still defeated in the House Wednesday by a vote of 127-73. (Jennifer Wakeman)