June 21, 2016
Gearing up for negotiations over the Pennsylvania budget, Governor Wolf unveiled his list of priorities while stressing the ability to do so without a tax increase.
On Tuesday, Gov. Wolf was interviewed on CBS Pittsburgh Radio and highlighted three key proposals for the budget: funding education, funding addiction treatment and reducing the deficit.
"I think all this can be done without a broad based tax increase. I’m not asking for a Sales Tax increase or Personal Income Tax increase," Gov. Wolf said. "I think we can do all this; the balanced budget, the increase in education, and heroin initiatives without a broad based tax increase."
Citing education as his top priority, Gov. Wolf wants a $250 million increase for basic education, $30 million for early childhood education and $30 million for special education.
With a significant investment in education, Gov. Wolf warned that the state could be faced with a $1 billion cut to education.
The administration also wants $34 million to address the state's heroin and opioid crisis.
Gov. Wolf recently hosted a social media town hall on how the state is currently battling the issue.
The final proposal was to balance the state budget with a tax increase to residents.
"I think that we’re making some good progress. I think we’re very close,” Gov. Wolf said.
