Letter to the editor: Republicans' tax plans

The article “Wolf asks for tax increase on Pa.'s top earners amid pandemic; GOP pans proposal as ‘irresponsible’” (Feb. 3, TribLIVE) illustrates an often repeated phase: “Republicans know how to message, how to campaign, and Democrats know how to govern.”

The comments by our Republican lawmakers were all standard sound bites: “raising taxes and spending more,” “massive 50% tax increase,” “tax hikes will hurt our economy, ” etc. But the article states that only the top one-third of earners will see increased taxes, shifting the tax burden to higher income earners by exemptions that would reduce the tax rate among about 40% of taxpayers. In other words, this budget in a small way would decrease the massive economic inequality we have in our state. Currently, the top 1% of Pennsylvania taxpayers pay the lowest rate, 6%, while the lowest 20% of Pennsylvania taxpayers pay the highest rate, 13.8%, in local and state taxes.

You would think people would be in favor of everyone paying their fair share of taxes. But Republicans seem to want to tax the poor and middle class, but not the wealthy.

Sandy Kremer

Youngwood