On February 3, 2021, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf outlined his budget plan to remove barriers and cut taxes for working class families in Pennsylvania while investing billions of dollars into Pennsylvania schools and workforce development initiatives. The governor’s plan would make Pennsylvania’s tax structure more fair and equitable, cutting taxes for working class families while still making historic investments in public education through the fair funding formula.
“We will defeat COVID, but we can’t yet say when it will be safe for life to return to normal – and it’s hard to know what ‘normal’ will even look like. But I refuse to tell any young family in Pennsylvania that they just happen to be starting out at the wrong time – that, with everything going on, 2021 just isn’t going to be the year we get around to lifting the barriers that stand between them and the future they hope to provide for their children,” Gov. Wolf said. “I think it’s more important than ever that we act boldly and courageously to remove those barriers once and for all. So, today, I’m proposing a budget designed to do exactly that.”
The governor is asking Pennsylvanians to join him in urging the General Assembly to focus on these priorities as the 2021-22 state budget negotiations begin.
“We can have a great public school for every child in every neighborhood in Pennsylvania, good job opportunities for everyone who wants them, and an economy strong enough to provide for everyone. It is possible to pursue a legislative agenda for this commonwealth that is good for families, good for businesses, and good for the economy,” Gov. Wolf said. “Most of all, I think your family’s future is important enough that we ought to just have this argument right now instead of putting it off until next year, and the year after that, and the year after that. Let’s make Pennsylvania an even better place to live, work, and dream big dreams for your kids.”
Governor Wolf’s budget plan builds on his recently unveiled 2021 agenda.
- Cutting Taxes for Pennsylvania Working Class Families and Making the Tax System More Fair and Equitable
- Reaffirm Our Commitment to Build the Strongest Education System in the Country
-
- Put all Basic Education Funding through the Fair Funding Formula
- Stabilizing Child Care and Ensuring Equal Access for Families
- Increase Special Education, Head Start and PreK Funding
- Introduce Accountability into the EITC and OSTC
- Nellie Bly College Tuition Program
- Attract and Retain the Best Teachers for Our Children
- Comprehensive Charter School Law Reform
- Applying the Special Education Formula to All Charter Schools: Establishing a Statewide Cyber Charter Tuition Rate
- Improving the Redirection Process
- Get Pennsylvania Back on Track After the Pandemic
- Inject Billions into a Reformed Workforce Development System
- Invest in Public Infrastructure, Including School Buildings
- Increase the Minimum Wage to $12/hour, with a path to $15/hour
- Build on Bipartisan Progress
- Reform the Criminal Justice System
- Reduce the Corporate Net Income Tax and Close the Delaware Loophole
- Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis
- Change Harrisburg by Demanding Accountability
- Reintroduce the Governor’s Government Reform Plan
- Curb Special Interest Influence
- Build on Election Reform
Watch the Governor’s address at pacast.com/.
For more information: