Schroder Votes Against Higher Taxes, Decries Return of 'Roman Polanski' Film Tax Credit
Rep. Curt Schroder (R-East Brandywine) voted against a $1 billion tax code bill tonight that is a major part of the state budget proposal put forth by House Democrats.
“For 94 days, Pennsylvania citizens, schools, libraries, social service agencies and others have been waiting for a state budget,” said Schroder. “Governor Ed Rendell created this crisis in order to get what he wants, and tonight, it looks like he’s getting it. I voted against House Bill 1531 because it’s wrong. This is the absolute worst time to be increasing taxes on the citizens of Pennsylvania.”
House Bill 1531 not only raises taxes, but it also imposes new taxes on previously untaxed tobacco products and a severance tax on Marcellus Shale gas drilling.
“As one who has been involved in pipeline issues in my district, I am particularly concerned about citizens who will lose their property to gas and pipeline companies in order to bring natural gas to market,” said Schroder. “In this bill, there are no provisions to compensate people and make them whole when this occurs. Homeowners will face huge legal bills fighting for their property rights against the deep pockets of the gas and pipeline companies. Yet, none of the severance tax money will go to compensate the raid on their property rights.
“Once the Marcellus Shale extraction is taxed, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will be forced to weigh the impact of its permitting decisions against the possible loss of revenue that could result from vigorous environmental protection. The result will be that our streams, watersheds and homeowners will have even less protection,” Schroder said.
“This bill also drains the state’s Rainy Day Fund and the Health Care Provider Retention Account. These are reserve funds that could cushion an expected budget shortfall next year. I stood on the House floor late last year and predicted that the Health Care Provider Retention Account would be raided, and today we witnessed the theft of these funds to satisfy the governor’s ravenous spending habits,” Schroder said.
“Finally, the legislation that was approved today gives tax incentives to Hollywood movie moguls while reducing the Education Improvement Tax Credit, which provides help for the neediest Pennsylvania students,” said Schroder. “This is a stunning example of misplaced priorities for us to take away educational opportunities for children of low-income families while giving our limited resources to the Michael Moores and Roman Polanskis of big Hollywood.”
Rep. Curt Schroder
155th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(610) 524-5595
(717) 783-2520
Contact: Donna M. Pinkham
(717) 260-6452