I read with interest the Spotlight PA article “Here's what outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf will be remembered for” (Jan. 12, TribLIVE).
I noticed the authors mostly sought the opinions of politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, in order to propose Wolf “leaves behind a long list of policy wins.” Except for a reference to “grassroots activists” furious with the governor’s pandemic public orders, the writers did not seem to mention the opinions of the general public.
Please allow me to express my opinion of the Wolf administration.
I was alarmed when one of Wolf’s first proposals was to increase both the sales and state income taxes, the most regressive and harmful of all taxes to Pennsylvania citizens. His failure to increase the taxes was a “win” for residents.
The above-mentioned “grassroot activists” were not the only citizens furious with Wolf’s pandemic response. The damage done to small businesses, working people and public school children by his government edicts led to a majority of Pennsylvania voters approving limits to his emergency powers. I think this is another “win” for residents.
The authors’ mentions of increased education funding as a Wolf win ring hollow without a single mention of any evidence of increased improvement in the performance of Pennsylvania public school students. Current performance decline in our public schools is a defeat for residents.
Finally, Wolf’s desire to allow biologically born boys to compete and dominate in girls’ sports and his efforts to keep abortion legal after 20 weeks of pregnancy are not victories in the opinion of myself and many other Pennsylvania citizens.
Ken Kretschman
Crafton