HARRISBURG, Feb. 5, 2013 — State Sen. Anthony H. Williams today said the governor’s 2013-14 state budget plan was incomplete at best, highlighting some Pennsylvanians while avoiding the plight of many more who have suffered from previous deep budget cuts.
“During his budget address, the governor talked about the lives of several Pennsylvanians and their struggles, but he didn’t mention the huge crowd outside the door yelling about the pain and suffering his budgets have caused. While he spoke about a few people, there are many more people clamoring in great need across this commonwealth.
“The governor said that lawmakers don’t come to Harrisburg to adapt the status quo. To do that, under this budget, you don’t need Band-aids, you need surgery. My question to him is, Why are we not revolutionizing how we generate revenue so that we can maintain all human conditions across the commonwealth? Simply cutting taxes to entities that he favors doesn’t result in economic gain. We need to change our tax policy.
“He played favorites today in his speech, and he’s done the same thing with his tax policy. He’s allowed certain people to be favored, like those who benefit from the Delaware Loophole.
“I hope that when the governor said he is open to a bipartisan conversation that he means it. If he does, we will join him in not just changing Harrisburg but revolutionizing Harrisburg, which will require him to get out of a partisan perspective and really reveal himself to be a governor for all people in Pennsylvania.”