Wolf Budget Proposal: Cuts, Consolidations, But No Income Or Sales Tax Hikes
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- As promised, Governor Wolf in his budget address today proposed closing a multi-billion dollar budget gap with cuts and savings, but no increases in broad-based taxes.
Governor Wolf says he is not asking for increases in the state sales tax or income tax in his budget proposal. Instead…
"It contains the largest cuts to, and consolidations of government bureaucracy in our history."
Some of Wolf's initiatives were already announced, including the consolidation of four state departments. But new initiatives are far ranging. Some of them include eliminating the University of Pennsylvania's subsidy for veterinary programs.
The governor also wants to charge local municipalities that rely solely on state police for law enforcement. Wolf wants to increase education spending while reducing payments for student transportation. And he is again seeking a tax on natural gas extraction.
Senate majority Republican leaders remain cool to that idea and criticized Wolf's lack of a proposal to cut pension costs.