Harrisburg, PA — Tom Corbett’s new ad highlights his hypocrisy and many inconsistencies on important economic issues. Tom Corbett says that he will oppose a tax increase, but in his only budget vote he raised property taxes by 20 percent. Tom Corbett also flip-flopped on including fees in his no tax pledge, first saying he would not raise fees and later putting fee increases on the table. Corbett talks tough on spending, but he has drastically increased the budget in his department during his tenure.

“Tom Corbett has a long record of hypocrisy and inconsistency. How can Pennsylvanians trust anything he says when he has increased taxes and refused to cut spending?” said Mark Nicastre, spokesman with the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. “Tom Corbett drastically increased taxes in his only budget vote, and now he’s flip flopped on increasing fees. While he talks about spending cuts, he refuses to cut spending for his department. How can Pennsylvanians trust anything Tom Corbett says?”

“Just like national Republicans, when it comes to fiscal responsibility Tom Corbett is all bark and no bite. Pennsylvania families know that the economic policies of George W. Bush and Tom Corbett brought our economy to the brink of collapse, and we can’t risk putting them back in charge.”

Corbett has supported massive tax increases. As a Shaler Township Commissioner, Tom Corbett raised property taxes by 20 percent in his only budget vote and earlier this year Corbett flip flopped on tax increases. In January, Corbett said tax increases were “a last resort” but he refused to rule them out. Only a month later, he signed the no tax increase pledge that he touts in his new ad. [Capitolwire, 1/9/2010 and Associated Press, 8/24/10]

Corbett has been inconsistent on fee increases. In March, Corbett told KDKA that his no tax pledge prevented him from increasing fees, but just last week a Corbett staffer told reporters that fees were not included in the pledge. [KDKA, 3/8/2010 and Capitolwire, 8/25/2010]

Corbett has a hypocritical record on spending. As Attorney General, Corbett has asked for an increase each year in office, including a 12 percent increase this year. At the same time, he has called for “across the board” spending cuts while promoting a campaign plan to cut spending in all agencies by 10 percent. [Harrisburg Patriot-News, 6/11/2010 and Capitolwire, 3/22/2010]