Smart Talk: Where do Gov. Wolf and Republicans differ on budget?
Photo by Scott LaMar/WITF
What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, July 1, 2015:
Wednesday is July 1 — the first day of Pennsylvania’s 2015-2016 fiscal year. A new state budget is supposed to be in place but as budget negotiations heated up in the last few weeks between the Democratic administration of Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican leaders in the Senate and House, it became apparent the two sides were far apart in several key areas.
A little over a month after being inaugurated, Gov. Wolf outlined a spending plan that totaled $33.8 billion. It included property tax relief and a reduced corporate net income tax but called for a new tax on natural gas drillers and higher sales and income taxes. To fulfill a promise he made during his successful campaign for office, the governor wanted a significant increase in money for Pennsylvania’s public schools.
From the beginning of the process, Republicans, who have majorities in both chambers of the legislature said their priorities were a solution to a $50 billion unfunded public pension debt and privatizing the state’s liquor stores.
Last week, the Republican-controlled General Assembly approved a $30 billion budget that didn’t include the tax increases and education funding Gov. Wolf ask for.
On Wednesday’s Smart Talk, we’ll hear from two organizations that on are opposite sides of the budget debate.
Matthew Brouillette is the President and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation and Mark Price is a labor economist with the Keystone Research Center.
Mark Price and Matthew Brouillette on Smart Talk
