In Pennsylvania, the Corbett-Cawley campaign today drew attention to Secretary Tom Wolf’s ever-evolving excuses as to why he cannot provide the details on his plan to raise the income tax rate by 188 percent. Wolf embraces his inner-Nancy Pelosi in his latest excuse, arguing that the voters are not allowed to see what is in his tax plan until the election is over.
“Tom Wolf needs to come clean and admit that the reason he won’t release the details of his income tax plan is because the voters wouldn't be pleased with a 188 percent tax increase," stated Communications Director Chris Pack.
"Tom Wolf has used so many different excuses on why he cannot release the details of his income tax plan that at this point I don’t think even he knows why he can’t release them. We should not be surprised that Tom Wolf continues in his refusal to be open and transparent since he already stated that releasing information about his campaign platform is ‘a distraction’.”
Below is a timeline of Secretary Tom Wolf’s excuses for not releasing the details of his income tax proposal.
July 22, 2014
According to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wolf stated “I’m still working out the mathematics [of my income tax plan]. I don’t have access to the estimates as to what different rates would provide, given different levels of exemption.”
(Note: Having different levels of exemption is unconstitutional and would require the General Assembly to pass a constitutional amendment in two consecutive sessions, taking a minimum of three years. It would then require a majority of Pennsylvanians to vote in favor of increasing their taxes by 188 percent on a ballot referendum.)
July 24, 2014
The Corbett-Cawley campaign provides Secretary Tom Wolf with, at the time, the latest tax data to come up with the details of his income tax proposal.
September 25, 2014
The Patriot-News reports that Wolf says he still does not have the most recent tax data available to him to provide the details of his income tax plan and that “it wouldn't be fair to throw out numbers when he doesn't have access to the most recent state data needed to nail down where the exemption would be in his plan.”
(Note: Having different levels of exemption is unconstitutional and would require the General Assembly to pass a constitutional amendment in two consecutive sessions, taking a minimum of three years. It would then require a majority of Pennsylvanians to vote in favor of increasing their taxes by 188 percent on a ballot referendum.)
September 26, 2014
Secretary Tom Wolf gets taken to task by The Philadelphia Inquirer for refusing to release the details of his income tax plan.
“It should be noted that Wolf holds a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and used to be the state's revenue secretary. Certainly he has the credentials to make something of the available figures. If he wants to be governor, Wolf should provide some numbers and explain how his plan would work. And if the calculations have to change based on shifts in the state's economy or finances, he should explain that,” stated the Inquirer Editorial Board.
October 6, 2014
The Corbett-Cawley campaign delivers Tom Wolf the latest tax data – data that is the most current complete tax data that will exist until Fall 2015 – and a brand new calculator via hand delivery and overnight mail.
Wolf’s mentor, former Governor Ed Rendell, says that Wolf needs to provide the details of his income tax proposal. As reported in The Washington Times, Rendell said Wolf should explain his income tax plan, stating, “Once he said it, he’s got to stand by it and explain what his goal is…I think he’s got to explain that.”
October 9, 2014
The Commonwealth Foundation does what Tom Wolf says he cannot despite having the most recent tax data and a brand new calculator, noting that Wolf’s income tax plan would amount to a 188% income tax hike on middle class families and small businesses.
October 13, 2014
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Editorial Board takes Secretary Tom Wolf to task for his plan to raise the income tax rate by 188 percent. “But using $80,000 as the income point where taxpayers would pay more, Wolf's education spending would require a $52,500 “universal exemption” — and hiking the personal income tax rate by 188 percent, to 8.85 percent,” stated the Tribune-Review Editorial Board.
October 14, 2014
Tom Wolf continues in his refusal to provide the details of his income tax plan. He now states that he cannot release the details of his income tax plan until he is elected Governor.
According to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wolf stated, “I don't know what everybody pays in taxes and I shouldn't. I'm an outsider, I'm not part of the government. ... I shouldn't have access to that as a candidate. Once I'm in office, it becomes appropriate for me to get that information.”
The only problem for Wolf is that while he thinks he “shouldn’t have access” to the tax data as a candidate, he does have access. It is all publicly available data that can be downloaded from the Department of Revenue website.
For more information on the Corbett-Cawley campaign for a stronger Pennsylvania, visitwww.tomcorbettforgovernor.com.
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