It's Time to Take Action - Commonwealth Foundation

Being a state legislator is just like being Bruce Willis in Die Hard. Or Jennifer Lawrence in Hunger Games. Or Captain America in Avengers.

In other words, they have to take action. Protecting Pennsylvania's future is no passive affair.

Lawmakers in Harrisburg can take action and protect all taxpayers by advancing House Bill 1316 and Senate Bill 116, the Taxpayer Protection Act. Without this change, the Keystone State will continue overspending and hiking taxes, imperiling our kids’ futures.

The fact is, state spending has more than tripled over the last 50 years And the rate of spending growth is accelerating far faster than economic growth.

Had the Taxpayer Protection Act been in place since 2003, Pennsylvania families would have $12,000 more in their bank accounts today. Instead, that money fueled Harrisburg’s spending addiction.

Enough is enough already. Until we curtail our spending, lower our taxes and bring some transparency to our budgeting, the commonwealth will continue to repel innovative businesses and watch young college grads leave.
–Patriot-News / Pennlive editorial endorsing the Taxpayer Protection

The Taxpayer Protection Act doesn’t cut spending. It simply controls spending growth by tying it to indicators of economic health—as measured by inflation plus population growth. This ensures that spending doesn’t grow faster than residents’ ability to pay and prevents the need for future tax hikes.

The Taxpayer Protection Act is a constitutional amendment, so it does not need the signature of the governor to pass. Instead, it is enacted by passing the bill through the House and the Senate in two consecutive legislative sessions and then sending it to a public vote.

Passing the Taxpayer Protection Act is the first step in creating a prosperous Pennsylvania for generations to come. And it has huge bipartisan support. A recent poll found 68% of registered voters, including Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, support the Taxpayer Protection Act.

So tell your lawmakers to saddle up! Catch fire! Assemble!

They can be heroes by taking action on the Taxpayer Protection Act.