Letter: Wolf is fighting for middle class families

To The Editor,

Governor Wolf is fighting for middle-class families in Pennsylvania by reversing the damaging Republican cuts to education and human service providers. The governor’s budget invests in education, provides property tax relief, and fixes the budget deficit created by Republicans without using gimmicks or games. Standing firm in his commitment to these priorities, the governor has consistently been willing to compromise with Republican leaders to pass a real budget.

The governor presented historic reforms to the state’s pension and liquor systems. He proposed a pension plan that includes a 401K component and saves more than $20 billion in savings for taxpayers, $10 billion more than the Republican plan saves. The governor also proposed privatizing the operations of the liquor system’s wholesale and retail operations.

Instead of getting serious about Pennsylvania’s future and working to reach a final agreement with the governor, Republicans passed a stopgap budget that continues the failed status quo and once again kicks the can down the road.

It’s past time for Republicans to get serious about funding education through a commonsense severance tax, providing property tax relief to middle-class families and seniors, and fixing the deficit they created without gimmicks.

Their games and political stunts need to end. The people of Pennsylvania deserve better.

John Hanger,

Secretary of Policy and Planning for

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.