Rendell: We Can’t Cut Budget; Must Raise Income Tax Rate

WPXI (Pittsburgh) ^ | 06/16/2009 | staff

[Kid Shelleen]

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell announced at a press conference that an increase in the state personal income tax was the only way to deal with a $3.2 billion state budget deficit.

At the Westinghouse complex in Cranberry, Rendell said he is going to have to increase state personal income tax to 3.57 percent. After three years, he said the tax rate will return to its current 3.07 percent.

Channel 11 News looked up the latest census data on Pennsylvania and found that the median household income was $49,145. A household with this income would pay an additional $245.73 a year in state taxes

[Kid Shelleen]

**** Philly Metro/Delaware Valley Ping ****

Darn; there goes my Obama tax cut !

[pnh102]

LOL. The income tax rate in Penna. has been “temporarily” hiked since what, 1990?

[WackySam]

Rendell said he is going to have to increase state personal income tax to 3.57 percent. After three years, he said the tax rate will return to its current 3.07 percent.

LOL!

[reefdiver]

I’m sure if a responsible person looked at this budget, cut’s would be found and made. But He’s right, He can’t do it. So He should resign.

[headstamp 2]

“At the Westinghouse complex in Cranberry, Rendell said he is going to have to increase state personal income tax to 3.57 percent. After three years, he said the tax rate will return to its current 3.07 percent.”

I see Fast Eddie is also a comedian.

[JavaJumpy]

Somebody please search the net...wasn’t it Rendell sitting with two others (I think one female, one male) during the Dem convention who shook his finger into the camera and promised America not one penny more in taxes? I’d love to see that video clip right now. The news media in Pittsburgh should air it right along with this story, in fact.

[karatemom]

Yeah, right Eddie! It will return to its current 3.07 percent!!!BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

[2banana]

FYI - When Gov. Ed Rendell took office - the state income tax was 2%.

[orinoco]

It was Wall Street and the governments fault for not enforcing regulations and ignoring problems when they were reported to finance committees.

Pa. government is big and inefficient. Cuts can and should be made. Raising taxes is the easy way out for the socialist Rendell.

[Lancey Howard]

After three years, he said the tax rate will return to its current 3.07 percent.

LMBO!!!

Thank goodness we have an overwhelming (29 - 21) GOP Senate firewall here in Pennsylvania.

[VRWC For Truth]

Democrats can cut. It's that they WON'T is the problem. Rendell needs to be taken to the woodshed and how.

[JohnLongIsland]

Pat Toomey, time to pounce on this.

[Gritty]

Good idea, Ed. Raise taxes in the midst of a deep recession just so you don't have to look for any cuts in the bloated state budget!

Rendell is either unbelievably lazy, totally incompetent, or simply doesn't care to cut state costs.

It is not believable there aren't many programs which can either be cut or entirely eliminated. I'd wager cutting 10-15% would be a piece of cake. But then, why would a Liberal want to do that? He gets elected by handing out other people's hard earned money for votes!

[Graybeard58]

Biggest damn'd lie ever told, "temporary tax hike".

[Lancey Howard]

This isn’t what you had in mind, but it’s close:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmMCkBWE1T0

[lowbridge]

Rendell: We Can’t Cut Budget

Not can't. Won't.

[Jeb21]

Tell it to Sarah Palin. She’s cutting her budget in Alaska while their financial situation is relatively GOOD.

[popdonnelly]

Translation: He can’t cut the budget, because he owes a political debt to too many groups who benefit from it.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

And my property taxes in Adams County just went up 4%, with a re-assessment under way.

Rendell may have trouble with this plan of his though since the Pennsylvania legislature is controlled by Republicans (barely).

[paul51]

Rendell: We Can’t Cut Budget; Must Raise Income Tax Rate

He's been talking to shwartzenegger

[patton]

No, “the tolls on the PA turnpike are temporary.”

I think that sets the record.

[mom-7]

Hey eddie STOP THE SPENDING.

[Ikemeister]

In the 1930’s, PA enacted a “temporary” tax to deal with the Johnstown Flood. It is still being collected.

[JavaJumpy]

Thanks. I was just reading an entry at HuffPo found by doing a search (because I try not to click on that site) dated November 1, 2008 (Denise Dennis) in which Rendell held a press conference to ‘fight the smears’ of Palin and McCain - like the smear that by electing Obama, taxes on the middle class would be raised. Rendell insisted no taxes would be raised of any kind.

I kind of sat there for awhile just staring at the screen. Rendell needs to be called out on this in a big way by the local media.

[oldbill]

Pennsylvanians vote for Democrats - let them suffer.

Maybe they’ll soon learn their lesson. Meanwhile, let them enjoy Rendell, Obama, Casey, and Specter - and Murtha.

[SECURE AMERICA]

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell announced at a press conference that an increase in the state personal income tax was the only way to deal with a $3.2 billion state budget deficit.

The ONLY WAY?
Ever hear of reducing spending? Cutting Back? Living within your means?
Sorry Fast Eddie but you and Obama already are taking more from the American workers then we can afford so take your tax increase and shove it where the light won’t hit it...

[bill1952]

Rendell said he is going to have to increase state personal income tax to ..

He is? Who elected him king?

[Graybeard58]

I haven’t been on the Pa. turnpike since the mid 60s, I don’t remember paying a toll then. Is my memory faulty?

Also in 1967 I was pulled over by a Pa. state trooper on the turnpike for doing 120 mph. He gave me a verbal warning. I’ll bet that doesn’t happen any more either. I was in uniform and that may have helped my case.

[TruthConquers]

Bunch of blood sucking vampires ...

[patton]

Yep - the PA Turnpike was the first Eisenhoewer Interstate built in the US. The deal was, PA could collect tolls until their share of the construction cost was paid off.

So they never stopped construction.

And, ironically, a 2000 year-old Roman would sneer at the road - it is one of the worst-built I have ever seen. An absolute disgrace.

[Dogfaced Soldier]

That seems strange as the Johnstown flood was in 1889.

[layman]

It’s a shame we don’t have a bunch of worthless bureaucrats sitting around on their fat asses who we could fire. But, fat ass Ed has looked into that and has determined that every relative and political hack kiss-ass is absolutely essential to the survival of the state. So it only makes sense to get rid of police and firemen. I’ve heard it all before and it makes me want to puke.

[lightman]

Anyone else see the irony that Philly Fats is going to kill the state’s economy with a 3.57?

[Hacksaw]

Anyone else see the irony that Philly Fats is going to kill the state’s economy with a 3.57?

If Fast Eddie would take my suggestion and give Philth-a-delphia to New Jersey, problem would be solved.

[JrsyJack]

Believe it...isn’t the Johnstown flood tax still being charged?

[lightman]

Second the motion!

Can we make it package deal that Jersey gets Spendell,too?

[JrsyJack]

If Fast Eddie would take my suggestion and give Philth-a-delphia to New Jersey, problem would be solved.

OK but you have to take Camden and Trenton

[mo]

Maybe. somewhere....are some good Pennsylvanians...ala Thomas Paine...capable of schooling the good governor...

[GOPJ]

After three years, he said the tax rate will return to its current 3.07 percent.

I'll bet against that...

[nd2bfree]

Just watched replay on PA gubmit network. Frat Eddie blamed “those evil millionaires on Wall Street”!

[PGalt]

Ed internal/eternal enemy Rendell BUMP!

[Think free or die]

Arghhhhh. . . make it stop! We just drove home from a ball game tonight and made a point of avoiding a stretch of turnpike to save 95 cents. Rendell already has enough of our money with the toll increase earlier this year. He can go pound sand, as far as I’m concerned.

[Tribune7]

ping

[4yearlurker]

Meanwhile here in Washington County,PA.(and other counties) the State Police started “TACT” on 6/15/09. “Targeting Aggressive Cars & Trucks” on the interstates and Turnpike. Staties are pulling vehicles left and right stroking tickets like they are free. cops=revenuers. Also just starting is State sales tax officials visiting local flea markets harassing vendors for their sales tax number.That's right. Sell some junk from your garage and Fast Eddie wants his 6 percent. Rendell,the gift that keeps on giving. Just sickening.

[GOPJ]

I’m soooooooo glad I don’t live in Pennsylvania...

[GOPJ]

...shook his finger into the camera and promised America not one penny more in taxes? I’d love to see that video clip right now. The news media in Pittsburgh should air it right along with this story, in fact.

You have a better chance sending your request to Fox News - they might cover it. Hannity would love it.

[Antoninus]

Raising taxes during a recession. Are these Democrats geniuses or what?

Of course, the budget can NEVER be cut.

[wireman]

Eisenhower wasn’t even a general when the first section of the Turnpike opened in 1940.

[patton]

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System (or simply, the Interstate System), is a network of limited-access highways (also called freeways or expressways) in the United States that is named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who championed its creation. The entire system, as of 2006[update], has a total length of 46,876 miles (75,440 km),[1] making it both the largest highway system in the world and the largest public works project in history.[2] The Interstate Highway System is a subsystem of the National Highway System.

Named for him later.