LEHIGH VALLEY MORNING CALL: For more than a century, governors and lawmakers have tried to change the state’s uniform personal income tax, which makes most workers pay the same rate regardless of income…
The full Legislature has refused to vote on bills that would base income taxes on salary levels. Courts have struck down similar proposals. And voters have rejected the concept in referendums, which are required to alter Article 8, Section 1 of the state Constitution. It states: “All taxes shall be uniform, upon the same class of subjects … and shall be levied and collected under general laws.”
But Tom Wolf, the Democratic candidate for governor, says he has a multi-pronged tax plan that will defy history by changing the personal income tax code — if he gets the chance to propose it by beating Republican Gov. Tom Corbett in November… (more)
This strikes me as an incredibly stupid idea for several reasons.
1. It will allow Corbett to say Wolf will raise taxes.
2. The PA flat income tax is basically very simple to calculate and not polluted with special interest loopholes and deductions. Although it has gotten worse in the past few years. I spend hours filing my federal taxes and only minutes filing my PA taxes.
3. PA’s budget problems are on the spending side, not the revenue side, and Corbett has the high ground in that argument.
If Wolf wants more income, perhaps he should consider taxing pensions. It’s very unfair that pensions are not taxed, but other retirement savings such as 401K investments are.