Gov. Tom Wolf released highlights of his agenda for 2021 on Thursday, ranging from his focus on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic to his hopes to help our residents by increasing the minimum wage to $12 an hour and proposed legalization of adult-use cannabis. The agenda drew mixed reactions from legislators Thursday.
Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, spoke to Era staff via phone on Thursday. He noted that many of the items on the agenda have been mentioned by the governor before. Their relevance in light of the current coronavirus pandemic, however, is questionable.
“I think the top priority right now needs to be economic recovery, trying to get our economy moving again, trying to get people back to work safely, trying to get businesses working again that will strengthen our economy,” Causer said. “Along with vaccine distribution. If we can have a good system of vaccine distribution with plentiful supply, then we can really get the economy moving again. I think that should be the top priority.”
Causer noted that the governor’s list included a number of goals that have been mentioned previously.
“The governor spoke about a lot of different things, but many of them are not new. Many of them are things he has talked about for quite some time. Many of them, I feel, are misguided,” Causer said.
A common topic of late has been increasing minimum wage. President Joe Biden has proposed raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, while Wolf’s proposal involves an increase from the current $7.25 per hour to $12 per hour as of July 1 of this year, with plans to continue raising it by $0.50 increments each year until it reaches $15 per hour on July 1, 2027.
“I am very concerned about increasing wages and the impact on businesses that are really struggling to keep their doors open,” Causer said. “The governor’s executive orders have really had a damaging effect on business across the state, and this could very well be the final nail in the coffin for many businesses or it could push them to eliminate positions. Many businesses right here in our area are just hanging on, trying to survive.”
The questionable nature of the timing of this proposed increase is one that crossed the mind of another legislator as well.
“I am not opposed to an eventual increase in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage. My simple questions to Gov. Wolf would be, ‘Why now?’ and ‘How does a business that has fewer customers and less revenue coming through its doors (due to COVID-19) pay a higher wage to the relative few employees it can manage to keep on staff?’” said Rep. Mike Armanini, R-DuBois, when contacted via email Thursday.
Causer noted he is also not in favor of the idea of legalization of recreational marijuana use, which Wolf stated would bring in revenue that could potentially help businesses recover from the economic crisis at hand, thereby strengthening the economy.
“We’ve been struggling with the opioid crisis, still struggling with the pandemic, I think that would be misguided,” he said.
Armanini responded in a similar manner, noting that he has heard similar opinions from those he represents.
“I am personally against legalizing recreational use of marijuana, and while I am in the first months of my first term in office, I feel I’ve spoken to enough constituents to know the majority of the people I represent feel the same way,” Armanini said.
Likewise, the proposal of an additional tax on the natural gas industry did not find favor with Causer.
“The governor is once again advocating for a natural gas severance tax. We do not need another energy tax. To be honest, the natural gas industry is more important now than ever because they are actually producing the materials to manufacture the PPE supplies that have allowed us to respond to the pandemic. And the byproducts that are fueling the manufacturing, the storage and distribution of the vaccine,” Causer said. “I think this would be a tax on our pandemic recovery. One of my colleagues said that recently.”
This proposal also caught the attention of Armanini, who expressed doubt at the potential success of such a measure.
“I know this is not the governor’s first request for imposition of a severance tax. Any piece of legislation needs 102 votes in the House and 26 votes in the Senate to get to his desk. I’m not sure his proposal has the necessary legislative support,” Armanini stated. “We also already have an impact ‘tax’ — which was mistakenly labeled a ‘fee’ — as part of Act 13 of 2012, and I’m always concerned when I hear a government entity telling someone that they aren’t contributing enough money and then say they know how much their ‘fair share’ should be.”
House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, shared frustration with the split focus of the agenda.
“The governor and his administration should have no other top priority than getting Pennsylvanians vaccinated. Pennsylvania ranks near the bottom of the country in terms of vaccine deployment efficiency, and the confusing and short-sighted guidance from the administration has caused significant public angst,” Benninghoff said. “Getting vaccines into the arms of Pennsylvanians is the most significant key to getting Pennsylvania back to normal and beginning to solve many of the problems the governor outlined (Thursday).”
Benninghoff did not stop there, however. His statement shared ongoing disillusionment from the governor’s actions.
“Otherwise, this announcement was as disappointing as it was unsurprising. (Thursday), Gov. Wolf outlined the continuation of his tax and spend pattern of picking winners and losers and targeting Pennsylvania growth industries,” Benninghoff stated. “Over the next several months, the House Republican Caucus will work toward advancing our priorities of economic recovery, protecting families, and creating a government Pennsylvanians can be proud of. I implore the administration and our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to work constructively with us for the betterment of Pennsylvania.”
Wolf plans to hold his annual budget address on Feb. 2.
