Evans: Public supports tax increases to revive public education HARRISBURG, June 24 – State Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Phila., today called for state tax increases to stop the destruction of public education, citing a survey showing that a majority of voters believe raising taxes to protect schools and schoolchildren is warranted. "Voters are saying two things: Education is the number one issue and, secondly, they are willing to pay for it," Evans said. "This is the critical week for the state budget, and education funding is THE critical issue." Evans said the survey released today by Lake Research Partners found: ● A majority of voters surveyed – 55 percent -- support a proposal that would include a small, quarter-point, sales-tax increase, combined with delaying a planned corporate tax cut, to raise $1 billion to fund public schools. ● A nearly similar majority – 54 percent – support increasing the state’s personal income tax to 3.3 percent from 3.07 percent to restore almost $1 billion in state cuts to public education. ● More than half of those surveyed agreed that schools are facing a crisis and action must be taken to stop layoffs of education personnel, increased class sizes and the unrelenting climb in property or other local school taxes. "Even after hearing arguments from the no-tax-increase crowd, voters still came down on the side of investing responsibly in education with tax increases," Evans said. "Members of the legislature are elected to represent their constituents, and their constituents clearly have had enough of education cuts that have left schools and local taxpayers across the state reeling." Evans pointed to his recent commentary in which he said Pennsylvania’s miserly record of supporting public education -- only nine states contribute a lower percentage of state education funding than Pennsylvania – hurts far more than biting the bullet and investing responsibly in education. "Either we accept public education as one of democracy’s greatest gifts to the world or continue with the Harrisburg Syndrome – manifest in the budget before the legislature this week -- of expecting dividends from something that some refuse to invest in responsibly with state revenues." The telephone survey of 604 likely voters polled on behalf of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center and Public Citizens for Children and Youth is available on their websites, pennbpc.org/education and pccy.org, respectively. Evans’ commentary, "Deathly ill public ed needs state meds," is available on his website -- pahouse/Evans -- under Stay Informed/columns. CONTACT: Matthew Maciorkoski, House Democratic Communications Office Phone: 717-787-7895; Email: [email protected]
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 20:00:00 +0000
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