The Families Impacted by Gov. Wolf’s Budget

“Whether your kid can go to tee ball or even preschool,” Micah Dunn said choking back tears. “We’ve had to make those decisions before, this [tax increase] hits pretty hard.”

Micah and Abby Dunn started a family chiropractic business in 2013. Last month at a press conference hosted by CF, Micah explained that with three boys under the age of six, both the Dunn family budget and small business would be hit hard by Gov. Wolf’s $4.5 billion tax scheme.

“Gov. Wolf’s income tax increase would require me to see five new patients a month, rather than four, just to break even,” said Micah. “This doesn’t include the additional costs his sales tax will impose—from buying diapers for my kids to purchasing supplies and services for my small business operations…We’re not talking about having to scale down our summer vacation—what’s a vacation? It’s more like figuring out how to keep the electric on. If passed, Gov. Wolf’s tax increases would take us backwards, not forwards.”

Kermit Bell is concerned about the cost of care that his elderly mother depends on. “My mom—and I suspect most of the others in her home—simply cannot afford this unprecedented tax on senior citizens in the twilight years of their lives. My mom has severe dementia and will not, thankfully, remember this day when Mr. Wolf decided to raise taxes on her and her friends.”

Kermit Bell explained that paying additional sales tax would drain about $3,000 a year on the funding his mother has left from the sale of her home and Social Security check.

Kermit and Micah stood next to $1,400 worth of groceries and household items when they spoke, the goods representing what a family of four could purchase for their family, but will instead be paying in new taxes under Gov. Wolf’s plan. Here’s what that looks like:

What would the Wolf budget mean for your family or your business? Share your story.