As Pennsylvanians count down the final year of Gov. Tom Wolf’s eight-year tenure, we’re in the midst of another countdown: the size of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation.
We are losing yet another congressional seat — dropping from 18 to 17 — after a decade of population outmigration. Whatever Pennsylvania has been doing, it isn’t working, as jobs, our kids and our future prosperity flee to more economically hospitable states.
Wolf has had over seven years to work with the Legislature to reverse this trend. Instead, he’s worsened it by pushing policies that hurt families, children, employees and employers and blocking efforts to help.
In his first budget address, Wolf proposed the biggest tax hike in state history, a jaw-dropping $4.6 billion, or $1,400 per family of four. He couldn’t even get any Democrats to vote in favor of his plan. Since then, he’s tried 13 more times to raise taxes. He’s failed all but twice (a $650 million tax hike on things including cigarettes and digital downloads in 2016 and a $113 million tax hike on things including fireworks and online shopping in 2017).
He failed because Republican lawmakers pulled double duty to advance good policies while blocking Wolf’s harmful ones.
Meanwhile, other states are cutting taxes. Last year alone, 11 states enacted laws reducing income tax rates, according to the non-partisan Tax Foundation.
Wolf has also spent the last seven years fighting against empowering parents to choose the best education options for their children.
He vetoed legislation that would have given thousands of students an opportunity to attend a better school, and he tried to cut nearly $230 million in funding from public charter schools. And who can forget when he made schoolchildren a political pawn by withholding tax credit scholarships during a state budget impasse?
Thankfully, Republican lawmakers have pushed back, forcing Wolf’s hand in expanding school choice programs despite his opposition. But other states have gone much further to help kids and empower parents.
EdChoice Director of National Research Michael McShane writes that in 2021, three states (Indiana, New Hampshire and West Virginia) created new education savings accounts programs (ESAs). And two states (Kentucky and Missouri) created first-in-the nation tax credit-funded ESAs. As lawmakers push to establish ESAs in Pennsylvania, Wolf opposes the idea.
Then there’s Wolf battle against Pennsylvania’s energy potential. We are a top natural gas-producing state, behind Texas. But since taking office, Wolf has targeted the natural gas industry with attempts to double- and triple-tax it. Here, too, the Legislature has blocked him.
Job creators have also borne the brunt of Wolf’s governance. His COVID restrictions forced 30% of Pennsylvania businesses to close — the second highest among the 50 states. Notably, states with the strictest COVID restrictions saw the greatest exodus of people.
Here’s another countdown opportunity: This November, voters have a choice. Will we perpetuate the policies that are driving families, businesses and jobs out of Pennsylvania? Or will we chart a new course?
Democrat Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro defended Wolf’s shutdowns in court, targeted the natural gas industry with trumped-up criminal charges, and stands proudly with the government union executives who oppose empowering parents to control their children’s education.
What’s more, under Shapiro’s watch, violent crime in our cities has skyrocketed, with murders hitting a record high in Philadelphia in 2021 — despite Shapiro receiving more ability to protect citizens. Under Shapiro, his party didn’t need to defund the police because the attorney general refused to prosecute the crimes.
It is clear that a Shapiro administration would only be a third term of Wolf’s record of failure.
Drawing people back to Pennsylvania won’t happen overnight. But this election year, we have the chance to reverse Pennsylvania’s decline that Wolf has perpetuated, learn lessons from more attractive states, and create a welcoming climate for people’s lives and livelihoods.
Let’s choose well, so we don’t have to continue counting down not only the number of economic opportunities but also the number of our kids and grandkids living in Pennsylvania.
(Matthew J. Brouillette is president and CEO of Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs.)
