Corbett's Budget and education cuts - Merged threads (Harrisburg, Lincoln: public schools, universities)

[psulions2007]

I have a feeling PA is about to see Wisconsin-style protests in Harrisburg... especially from students at the state-related institutions.

PSU, Pitt, Temple, and Lincoln all seeing their funding cut in half? These institutions were already barely funded as it is... this is just ridiculous!

What we need to do is reduce the size of the legislature... actually, PA just needs to have a unicameral legislature like Nebraska. There is no reason a state needs a bicameral legislature except to give more paychecks to more political cronies.

Then PA can recall Corbett.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by psulions2007

What we need to do is reduce the size of the legislature

If you run for governor, I'll vote for you!

[bnepler]

Originally Posted by psulions2007

I have a feeling PA is about to see Wisconsin-style protests in Harrisburg... especially from students at the state-related institutions.

PSU, Pitt, Temple, and Lincoln all seeing their funding cut in half? These institutions were already barely funded as it is... this is just ridiculous!

What we need to do is reduce the size of the legislature... actually, PA just needs to have a unicameral legislature like Nebraska. There is no reason a state needs a bicameral legislature except to give more paychecks to more political cronies.

Then PA can recall Corbett.

If the dems were in control of the state, I'm sure your opinion would be different. Let those institutions support themselves!

[sp2007]

Maybe if the state reps run to Ohio to hide and refuse to vote, PA voters can recall them too.

[airwair]

As a parent, I'm devastated. I came to Pennsylvania from Tennessee so that my children could have a shot at a decent education, K-12 and beyond. A budget that will likely reduce the schools to the same quality of education they have down south is not what I had in mind.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by airwair

As a parent, I'm devastated. I came to Pennsylvania from Tennessee so that my children could have a shot at a decent education, K-12 and beyond. A budget that will likely reduce the schools to the same quality of education they have down south is not what I had in mind.

While I am also highly frustrated with Corbett's cuts to public schools/universities, Pennsylvania certainly isn't alone in that regard. The vast majority of states are being forced into reducing funding for their public school systems, partly because of the expiration in federal stimulus dollars that was just delaying the inevitable.

What makes it particularly frustrating is that Corbett obviously doesn't want to take the blame for tax increases, so he's essentially passing the buck to local municipalities to deal with tax increases. School boards must now decide on a case-by-case basis how to raise revenue for funding gaps through all but certain property tax hikes. So we're going to get higher taxes; the governor just wanted to throw all local elected officials under the bus to maintain his unrealistic "no tax increase" pledge.

Meanwhile, around 80% of businesses in Pennsylvania pay no corporate net-income tax -- but yet we're such an "business-unfriendly" state.

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by Duderino

Meanwhile, around 80% of businesses in Pennsylvania pay no corporate net-income tax -- but yet we're such an "business-unfriendly" state.

Careful what you say. Don't be a politician and lie through statistics. To what type of businesses in PA are you referring?

And, for the record, Corbett reinstated the phaseout of the anti-business capital stock tax. He did not propose a cut in the anti-business 9.99% corporate net income tax, which is 3rd-highest in the nation.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by BPP1999

Careful what you say. Don't be a politician and lie through statistics. To what type of businesses in PA are you referring?

Sorry for not providing a citation in my original post, although please don't think I was trying to be misleading/fabricating. I admit that I was off a bit -- 71% of business in PA paid no corporate net income tax (still a very high percentage) as of 2004. Not sure how this compares to other years:

"In 2004, 71% of all corporations that filed returns paid no net income tax, and only 5.6% of 130,000 filing corporations paid more than $10,000."

PBPC Releases New Roadmap to State and Local Tax Policy | The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center


The only reason I bring it up is because it appears many are too busy scapegoating public unions for our budgeting problems, as opposed to determining a more fair tax policy.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by bnepler

If the dems were in control of the state, I'm sure your opinion would be different. Let those institutions support themselves!

Easy for you to say than for it to be done.

[HappyRider]

Originally Posted by Duderino

Sorry for not providing a citation in my original post, although please don't think I was trying to be misleading/fabricating. I admit that I was off a bit -- 71% of business in PA paid no corporate net income tax (still a very high percentage) as of 2004. Not sure how this compares to other years:

How did they not pay? The link doesn't say. Did they show a loss? What is the problem?