It seems Gov. Tom Wolf wants to open up budget talks with the GOP leadership in the state legislature. Specifically, he wants to invite anyone who’s interested.
In his latest attempt to have his demands heard in the Capitol Building, Wolf emailed supporters with the office numbers for Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, House Speaker Mike Turzai and David Reed, the House Majority Leader.
In his email, Wolf tells Pennsylvanians to talk to the GOP leaders about “how budget cuts have negatively impacted your school district, talk about how property taxes have gone up, and talk about how kicking the can down the road harms our state’s prospects for economic growth.”
“Throughout the budget process, I have strived to keep an open mind and I have expressed a willingness to work with Republicans in the legislature on a number of issues,” Wolf begins the message. “But I will do what Pennsylvanians elected me to do: restore funding for education, make big oil and gas pay their fair share, and fix the fiscal mess Harrisburg has ignored for years.”
Since vetoing the GOP-approved budget on June 30, the Governor has also rejected the pension, education and liquor privatization bills that landed on his desk.
One of many of the sticking points in the budget is talk from the Governor’s office of a $3 billion structural deficit in the state, a number Republicans disagree with.
“He’s a consistent candidate who has yet to transition to government,” Spokesman for the House Republican Caucus Stephen Miskin told Brad Bumsted of the Tribune-Review. “The email borders the line between politics and lobbying. It is his campaign lobbying for his budget.”
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19 Responses
Tax the gas company which have started getting people in pa a job. The shaling process is expensive and tax them will cause them to be unprofitable and the will stop their operations layoff people. Then the government will come to the people to makeup the tax money they don’t get from the gas companies, These gas companies will go somewhere its cheaper to operate the companies.
Governor Wolf —
Keep pushing for your budget goals, just like we elected you to do.
Love,
The 1.9 million Pennsylvanians who overwhelmingly elected you less than nine months ago.
Governor, the budget that the Legislature placed on your desk funded the majority of line items with the same amount or MORE than your proposed tax bill-I mean “budget”-all without raising taxes. Their budget funded education at a HIGHER amount than yours did, but you & your campaign team have twisted things to make the Republicans look like the bad guys & that they are unwilling to fund their local school districts. Shame on you. Your lies are bad enough, but when you travel the Commonwealth on MY DIME, all while spouting lies in front of elementary schools to drive home the falsehoods that your office is spinning, that is stealing from me, my children, & my neighbors. All of the people on the State payroll are being paid to campaign for the democratic party & it is WRONG. STOP the campaign tactics & tantrums, pull on your Big Boy panties, & sit down at the table & get to work. Not your campaign team, not the woman who has alienated everyone in the building & is poised to throw her hat in the ring for something bigger & better,just YOU. Buck stops with you, remember? Get the job done.
Signed,
Abby Adams & all of the frustrated Constituents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
No more taxes. Let the schools come up with ways to raise their own funds like private schools do. I was taxed out of Delaware County Now I live in beautiful Chester County were things are run right. Teachers got to opt out of Obama Care maybe they should have to pay more in medical this way the schools would have more funds. Wolf we are tired of paying hiring taxes for schools. Again no more taxes.
Dumb to go out on this limb without the support of his own party. Makes the message look too partisan and shows weakness. Dumb play, hes a one termer for sure.
Factually Wolf was elected because people did not vote for CORBETT and not to support Wolf. He is in fact a DEFAULT GOVERNOR. Proof of that is the HISTORICAL ELECTIONS OF PA SENATE AND ESPECIALLY THE HOUSE. Further PROOF are HISTORICAL ELECTIONS OF GOVERNORS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND RECORD HELD LESILATORS in the ENTIRE US. So WOLF better readjust his BOXER SHORTS and LIBERALS BETTER START SEEING A PSYCHIRISTS. As for the REST OF THE ELECTORATE, WE HAVE CALLED TO THANK THE GOP for their VOTES. EVEN THE Democrats are in open disarray.
If raising taxes funds education, especially early childhood, you are welcome to raise mine. BUT tax big business and the shale/fracking industry before you tax me.
I’m just a simple, affluent, Bible Thumping Randy from up here in central PA. We don’t want none of these liberal taxes, progressive infrastructures, or social networking safety nets. We don’t weren’t none of it. Tom Wolf is going to have to tuck and run if he thinks he’ll be coming up to take my guns. GOP Proud, Fox News – because everything else is science.
Robot-
You left out bundy, unreasonable R and a few others.
Montco PA Dem-
Wolf was overwhelming elected, but had underwhelming (negative) coattails and we lost ground in house/senate. The blame for that falls squarely on Wolf and the members of his campaign team that agreed to the failed “appeasement” strategy and Wolf’s refusal to do commercials with St. Leg candidates pointing out how the GOP opponents were with Corbett on all those bad policies that Wolf was fighting.
This mess is a self-inflicted political wound that Wolf and his team brought upon themselves. Wolf needs to strap on a pair and show them how far he is willing to go with this severance tax.
He’s already willing to sacrifice the lives and health of the local residents whose water has been contaminated, and ignore the latest reports on increased hospitalizations clustered around fracking sites in PA. So, he’s not going to have much regard for the PA GOP.
New pPolitics PA Poll suggestion: Who is more hacktastic on this site? Montco PA Dem, David Diano or the Porn Email Kathleen Kane Cheerleeder?
Wolf was overwhelmingly elected last fall to do exactly what he is now doing — holding the legislature to a higher standard, funding education, fixing roads and infrastructure, taxing frackers, and raising the minimum wage. He should not compromise on any of this. Expose this do-nothing legislature for the fraud that it has become.
Tom Wolf-
There is a blindingly easy/simple solution to the budget crisis to get your severance tax through. Contact the Auditor General, if he has not already contacted you with the answer.
I plan on calling my Dem Rep and telling her to vote with the GOP and against Wolf. It will be a complete waste of my time but I’ll make the call. This governor is clueless!
Which is worse? The Governor’s ill advised attempt to convince everyone that increasing their taxes by 4 billion dollars is a good thing for them (something only and out of touch millionaire would even try to do) or the fact that he has a candidate for statewide office as his chief of staff. Anybody that thinks we will reach a compromise while Mcginty is setting herself up to get through a primary next year, is fooling themselves.
Wolf and Obama both employ the same strategy. Throw rocks at your opponents and then accuse them of being obstructionist when they don’t feel like cooperating with you.
I have a better idea Governor; YOU CALL THEM! Show some humility and respect for the Senate. Have Stack call them if you can’t lower yourself to do it! Stop hiring every has been Montco hack from 35 years ago. Geez. And I got news for you forget the GOP for a second TheDems ya you better call them too. Mcginty has done so much damage to BOTH sides. Get a shovel and start digging your way out!
Who is advising Wolf? Oh yea, the person who wants to run for the United States Senate. God help us.
Wolf is in over his head. He has no idea how to compromise and work with the legislature. Tom Wolf is just another politician who would rather spend his time campaigning than actually working for the people of Pennsylvania. I’m glad my State Representative voted against the Wolf tax hikes! And thanks for the mailers reminding me every other day that my legislator is doing his job!
IMHO, the Governor’s direct mail campaign is a colossal waste of money and political capital. The negative mailers he has sent out targeting State Reps has only hardened their position against him on the budget issues. One legislator I spoke with who was a target of Wolf said he had gotten 12 calls on the budget into his office. All of them OPPOSED Wolf’s budget, the increases in the PIT and sales tax, etc.