Gov. Tom Corbett said Wednesday that while he believes that he kept his pledge from his 2010 campaign that he wouldn’t raise taxes, he won’t be able to make the same promise heading into this November’s election.
Corbett, however, did during his first term increase and institute new fees during his first term and signed a transportation bill that increased gas taxes. All this despite the fact that he stated in a debate during the 2010 general election campaign that he would not raise any fees.
“I think when you talk to taxpayers and, as a whole, you say, ‘Is Gov. Corbett keeping his promises on the issue of taxes?’ I think they’re going to say ‘yes’ because they’re not paying more taxes in the personal income tax,” Corbett said. “They’re not paying more taxes in the sales tax. They’re not paying more taxes in new taxes.”
Last November, Corbett signed a transportation bill that received bipartisan support – including a nod from opponent Tom Wolf – that centered mostly around an increase on gas taxes. Corbett, however, argues that he did not increase the percentage of gas taxes per say, but instead allowed them to increase as gas prices increase.
In the past five months, Corbett has signed legislation doubling the fee for birth certificate copies, increasing the fee on court filings, and imposing local impact fees on oil and gas drillers.
In addition, last year he delayed a decrease in the capital stock and franchise tax, which both the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association – both organizations that generally support Corbett – called a tax increase. Corbett disagrees.
Corbett claimed that while he cannot make the same pledge this year, he will do everything he can to continue to keep taxes “under control.”
“What I’m saying is, we’re going to continue doing what we’re doing and that’s trying to provide the best possible government we possibly can, to be the most efficient we can, to be a government that encourages the growth of the private sector in Pennsylvania so that more people can keep more money in their pockets.”
When asked if he regretted making the promise not to raise taxes four years ago, he said that predicting the large amount of new revenue PA would need during his term would have been impossible.
“Nobody has the crystal ball that’s going to say, ‘Well, I can say this and not worry about it; I can say that and not worry about it,'” Corbett said.
18 Responses
barks, you aint even no me so how u can say me aint no what I is saying. I know lotts people in harsburg and I aint never wrong bout knowin whose gonna win all the elctions.,
“barek their bean many democ. guvs. in that time, all u gotta do is look it up.”
Well now Cgris M, your answer is very revealing, suspicions confirmed, you absolutely do not know what you are talking about, but that is OK, your asinine speech is protected.
dug I aint no what you meen by caling me horrible, it aint true, I am who I am and dat is a good person who says weather you like it or u aint like it, each party get 8 yrs as guvenoro in penna. and then the other partie gets 8 yrs. that the way it works hear.
barek their bean many democ. guvs. in that time, all u gotta do is look it up.
So if Corbett and the Corbett Republicans are going to spend more, borrow more and tax more as they have done for past 3 1/2 years like Democrats, please tell me the difference between Corbett and a Democrat.
Team Corbett seems to have figured out that making promises they don’t intend to keep won’t work a second tiem.
There is lot to be said for divided government. The Republican base has figured out that Republican party flies a false flag.
The guy behind the Chris Martinez thing is just horrible. It wasn’t funny the first time dude, and it just gets worse. You are trying way too hard.
Cgris M, Name the Democrats elected Governor in Pennsylvania between 1861 and 1955.
bareks what you are saying? theirs been many democ that been guv of penna, many more then you say
Cgris, what history book(s) have you been reading? For not quite 100 years only three times did a Democrat win and the first two times it was the same Democrat.
barecks I aint never work for no campane, I onlee think guevenor corbitt is gonna win a land slide because in penna the way it works is repubs are guv for 8 yrs than the demos. are guv for 8 yrs.
Chris, if you do not work for the Corbett campaign, you should, you have the exact same mind set.
The expression is “per se”
wow Im sure glad that the extra hundreds of dollars im paying in FEES and GAS INCREASES are not taxes.Thanks for clarifying that ONE TERM TOM
It is stupid politics to say this, this is basically a gaffe on his part.
Everyone click the youtube lilnk below. Never in my life have I been happier that someone disagreed with me. Good God.
The “tax pledge” which wants no new taxes forever is divorced from reality. Corbett is wise to leave this foolish pledge behind him.
My first performance art piece, is now on YouTube. It is a political satire, entitled “Taking the Tea Party Republican Tax Pledge”. Here is the Youtube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfk6eVoUGPM
do you think they’ll still have an election? Because now he’s chipping away at his own base. Yikes.
bone you is wrong, guevonore cobitt aint never raise no new tax and that is what he said hed do before he became guv few yrs ago and that meens he keeped his promise.
What is the increase in the gas tax, chopped liver? While I am a supporter of the increase, whatever way you slice or dice it, it is an increase regardless of whether or not it increases the personal income tax or sales tax. It is an increase just the same as stated by Grover Norquist when first proposed.