Rapp votes ‘No’
By LYDIA COTTRELL lcottrell@timesobserver.comAs the state legislature tries to avoid a repeat of last year's budget impasse, Rep. Kathy (R-65) is saying no to Gov. Ed. Rendell's proposed budget.
In a statement released Wednesday, Rapp indicated that she voted against the governor's $29 billion 2010-11 state budget on Tuesday due to more than $1.2 billion in increased spending and raising the state budget deficit. The House passed the budget on a 107-89 vote. The bill moves on to the Senate where Republicans hold the majority.
"Hopefully, the governor 'invests' his own money better than he handles the people of Pennsylvania's," Rapp said. "The only rate of return we have to show for now going on eight fiscally irresponsible and unsustainable state budgets is billions of dollars in increased spending, billions of dollars in increased taxes and billions of dollars of interest-accruing debt that must be paid back by our children and grandchildren. Both the outgoing governor and every state lawmaker that supports this legislation is literally writing a $29 billion blank check that Pennsylvania taxpayers neither asked for, or can afford to cash."
According to Rapp, the Rendell administration has increased state spending by more than $8.6 billion since taking office in 2003. Rapp pointed out that she has opposed every tax increase and what she views as fiscally irresponsible state budget that has come before her on the House floor since taking office in 2005.
Rapp also announced that she will vote against Rendell's proposal to impose the state sales tax on 74 currently tax-free household items and business and consumer services including: basic television, candy and gum, magazines and newspapers, accounting services and funeral services.
"Our Founding Fathers operated under the fundamental principle, that how much any government taxes and spends, is a direct indicator of how good or evil a society or government actually is," said Rapp. "From my reading of history, the governor's justification for each of the individual tax and spending increases listed above 'as an investment of only a few pennies,' is precisely what ignited America's Revolution to overthrow King George III. In any case, taxing every product and service imaginable can in no way be defined as a path to economic recovery. I will continue to stand with the majority of Pennsylvanians in advocating for a fiscally responsible state budget that reins in excessive government spending and does not raise or create new taxes."
In addition to expanding the number of taxable items and services, Rendell's plan would lower the state sales tax from 6 percent to 4 percent.
