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Vince Hughes: A Brave Man
In March, Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled a massive tax increase of $12 billion over the next two years. Sen. Vince Hughes offered this tax plan—or 97 percent of it, as the natural gas tax would be separate legislation—as SB 117.
This bill can never become law—revenue bills cannot begin in the Senate under the state constitution, but must originate in the House of Representatives. Yet, no one in the House has yet introduced this legislation.
In fact, when Wolf's plan was voted on in the House as an amendment to another tax bill offered by Republicans, it received zero votes in support, and 193 in opposition—including from members of Wolf's own party. Similarly, SB 117 has no cosponsors.
That is to say, Sen. Vince Hughes is the only Pennsylvania lawmaker willing to endorse Gov. Wolf's tax plan.
Why is Gov. Wolf's tax increase so unpopular with lawmakers, even fellow Democrats? As we've noted before, this proposal:
- Represents the largest tax increase in America, larger than all 49 other states combined
- Would impose a net tax increase of $1,400 per family of four
- Would raise taxes on families in every income group
- Would tax seniors on their nursing care and home health care, college students on their meal plans and textbooks, parents on their diapers and day care costs, and bereaved families on funeral expenses—among dozens of other new taxes.
It takes a lot of bravery for Sen. Hughes to stand alone in support of Gov. Wolf's tax increases that would devastate working families across Pennsylvania.