Pity those of you who own businesses in Pennsylvania. For your elected officials have no pity, and just days before Christmas put lumps of coal in your stockings.
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (D) vetoed a package of business tax cuts last Friday. Rendell claimed that the tax cuts would have cost Pennsylvania over $1 billion in lost revenue. Proponents of the tax cuts noted that, “If our citizens have good jobs, they don’t need government programs. Proponents vow an attempt at overriding the veto during the 2006 legislative session.
Earlier, the mayor of Philadelphia, John Street, announced that he would veto a cut in the city’s business privilege tax. The measure, which had just passed the city council on a 9 to 6 vote, would have cut the net profits portion of the tax from 6.5% to 6.3125% and cut the gross receipts portion from 0.19% to 0.11875%. Both of these cuts would have been effective in 2010.
Pennsylvania in general and Philadelphia in particular is definitely not the spot I’d choose for my next business.
Coverage:
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Philadelphia: Philadelphia Business Journal