Pa. AFL-CIO Joins Thousands of Workers In Calling for a Fair Budget that Protects Pennsylvania's Middle Class

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale and Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder joined with thousands of union workers and friends from all across Pennsylvania, who rallied at the State Capitol today, calling for passage of a responsible state budget that protects middle class working families and ensures that corporations pay their fair share of taxes.

"Today, the working people of Pennsylvania once again stood up as they have been standing up in their communities across the State telling their elected leaders not to balance the budget on the backs of working families, but instead, to pass a responsible budget that includes closing the loopholes that corporations use every year to avoid paying their fair share of taxes," Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale said.

Deep budget cuts proposed by Governor Corbett will result in one of the biggest tax shifts in history to local governments and school districts. If Gov. Corbett's budget is passed it will force school districts and local governments to increase property taxes, cut jobs, programs, and services in order to balance their budgets.

"The working men and women of Pennsylvania have repeatedly demonstrated their support for a fair and responsible budget that closes the loopholes that allow over 70 percent of Pennsylvania corporations to pay no income taxes and enact a severance tax on Marcellus Shale gas drillers. It's time for our elected leaders to listen to the voices of the working people not the lobbyists for the oil companies and big box retailers," Bloomingdale declared.

"The solution to our budget crisis is not fewer school teachers; not fewer police and fire fighters; not fewer transportation and highway workers; and not fewer health care workers," Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder added. "The solution is closing the loopholes that allow Pennsylvania corporations to avoid paying taxes, and enacting a fair severance tax on Marcellus Shale. In reality, Pennsylvanians currently pay severance taxes – to other states, from where we import the majority of the gas we use. It's hypocrisy to fund other states' education, transportation, infrastructure, and social programs, while cutting ours here!" said Snyder.

SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO

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