Corbett rejects idea of tax hike as Pa. budget shortfall grows
Gov. Tom Corbett is telling lawmakers that he’s against solving Pennsylvania’s growing budget shortfall with new tax increases.Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jake Corman said Corbett told him and other top Republican lawmakers in a Monday meeting that he wants to balance the budget with spending cuts and one-time money transfers.
Corman said he’ll explore whether the Senate’s Republican majority will support such a plan. But Corman didn’t want to reveal details before he briefs rank-and-file Republican senators.
A Corbett spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
May’s tax collections added more bad news, with senators saying the state collected $106 million below expectations. That compounds a gap of more than $1 billion projected in Corbett’s proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
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