PA GOP blasts House Dems, Rendell on budget, taxes

From the Republican Party of Pennsylvania:

PA GOP: HOUSE DEMOCRATS PUSH MOST EXPENSIVE STATE GOVERNMENT SPENDING BILL IN OUR COMMONWEALTH'S HISTORY

Gov. Rendell calls increasing the taxes of hardworking Pennsylvanians 'EASIEST' way to resolve budget crisis

HARRISBURG – Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason was outraged that Democrats in the state House of Representatives advanced an extremely irresponsible budget plan that will result in a drastic increase in government spending and eliminates higher education funding in a cheap political ploy to push for increased taxes.

"Pennsylvanians deserve much better than the bill the House Democrats passed today," Gleason said. "As many Pennsylvanians are struggling to make ends meet, House Democrats made it clear that they want to take more money from Pennsylvania taxpayers at a time when many are making less.

"Governor Ed Rendell and his Democrat colleagues are committed to passing a budget that includes higher taxes and spends more money than any previous budget in the history of our Commonwealth. The Democrats are holding higher education funding and our state employees' hostage in order to get their way!

"According to the Governor today, he sees his plan for a dramatic 16% increase in the personal income tax as the 'easiest' way to resolve the budget crisis. Easy for who? Sorry Governor, but I don't think Pennsylvanians really think that raising their taxes is the 'easiest' solution to the budget crisis. Pennsylvania taxpayers need leaders in Harrisburg who are willing to make the difficult decisions that will not shift the burden of higher spending to our already overtaxed backs!

"Thankfully for hardworking families all across our Commonwealth, Republicans are willing to make the tough decisions and fight for a fiscally responsible state budget that does not raise taxes during these troubled economic times."