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TABOR ALERT The Senate Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, June 6 to consider two TABOR bills. Senate Bill 7 (Regola) is the constitutional amendment bill, SB 707 (Folmer) would place statutory limits on state spending. To download a summary of the bills click here. The Senate Majority Policy Committee recently concluded hearings on the bills, during which a stream of pro-TABOR groups, including Americans for Tax Reform (the Grover Norquist group), the Commonwealth Foundation, National Federation of Independent Business and a string of small business owners. Sharon Ward of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center was the only TABOR opponent included in the line-up (download her testimony here). The public relations effort around these bills is smart and well-financed. The Commonwealth Foundation launched a slick new website last week to promote spending limits. The website offers ways for the Commonwealth to shed billions of dollars in spending. The bills are unlikely to fare well in the House and the Governor would likely veto the statutory change (the constitutional amendment does not require the Governor’s signature). Several House R’s voted against TABOR when it came up last session. Nonetheless, the message that state spending is too high, spending on services is bad for the economy, and legislators can not be trusted to craft a responsible budget could catch on with new House members. This session legislators have expressed a remarkable unwillingness to find revenues to support initiatives in education, pre-k, energy and health care. That unwillingness will continue and grow deeper if the steady, if misleading, drumbeat about overspending and overtaxation continues. TABOR is a threat to us all. What you can do: Call members of the Senate Finance Committee and urge them to oppose SB 7 and SB 707. Call your Senator to voice opposition to TABOR. The bill could go to the floor and be voted soon. Send a letter or add your name to the sign on letter that will be circulating later today. Information about TABOR and its impact on services in Pennsylvania, the Colorado TABOR experience and the successful efforts to defeat TABOR ballot initiatives in Maine, Nebraska and Oregon in 2006 can be found at www.pennbpc.org or www.cbpp.org. Senate Finance Committee Members Pat Browne: Chair- 717-787-1349 If you are willing to help, want to receive a copy of the sign on letter, or need further information, please email ward@pennbpc.org.
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