The state House Appropriations Committee began budget hearings Tuesday, hearing testimony from representatives of the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), the Department of Revenue, and the Department of Aging.
The Department of Revenue estimates revenue for the 2020-21 fiscal year will total $950 million less than IFO projections.
Aging Secretary Robert Torres testified he had not been consulted on the development or expansion of the Wolf administration’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan despite 88 percent of those who have died of the disease being older than 65.
Older Adult Protective Services reports an 80 percent increase in need, but the administration plans to slash funding for these programs by nearly $1 million, Torres said.
Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed a $7 billion Personal Income Tax increase. According to Revenue Secretary Dan Hassel, this would result in 100 different effective tax rates.
“Not only is the governor’s proposed Personal Income Tax increase unconstitutional, it is absolutely absurd for the governor to try to increase taxes on middle-class families and small businesses at a time like this,” House Appropriations Chairman Stan Saylor (R-York), House Appropriations chairman, said. “I was also shocked to hear that our seniors continue to be an afterthought for this administration, especially as we know that seniors are most at risk under COVID-19.”