Keystone Today

Pennsylvania House Republicans criticized Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed income tax hike saying it is unconstitutional and would only devastate families trying to make ends meet.

The governor is proposing to reduce taxes on lower-income households and increase them on those who have higher incomes.

“For one thing, when you go to file your taxes every year, you have to pay the same exact rate as I do,' Gov. Wolf said. "We’re going to stop asking working families to pay the same tax rate my family does. I want to help working families get ahead by reducing their taxes. If you’re married with two kids, and you earn less than $84,000 a year, I suggest we give you a tax cut.”

Republicans argued this would be unlawful as the state constitution requires a flat income tax rate, rather than a graduated rate.

“The Governor's $7 billion personal income tax increase would contain 100 different effective tax rates. It violates the uniformity clause in PA's Constitution: all taxes shall be uniform, upon the same class of subjects,” the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Majority Appropriations Committee posted on Twitter.

“When you propose a $3 billion tax increase just this fiscal year, and then next year it becomes $7 billion, it’s outrageous,” Rep. Stan Saylor, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said.