READING EAGLE / AP:
TAXES
Corbett, formerly the state’s elected attorney general, thinks taxes should be minimized as much as possible. Wolf views taxes as tools for shaping public policy…
EDUCATION FUNDING
…In keeping with his tax-shifting approach, Wolf proposes to increase the state’s share of public school spending from the current one-third to one-half — a jump of several billion dollars a year — in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar reduction in property taxes levied by the state’s 500 school districts. Wolf has said the additional state money would come primarily from the revamped income tax and a new tax he proposes on gas drilling. Wolf also proposes creating a state agency to scrutinize finances and academics at charter schools and cybercharters while leaving charter school approval authority with the school…
GAS DRILLING
…Wolf proposes levying a 5 percent extraction tax on gas production that is expected to generate about $1 billion, most of which would be available for public education and other programs. Pennsylvania is the only major gas-producing state without such a tax… (more)
