HARRISBURG — As 2011 draws to close, Governor Corbett’s Administration produced a series of tremendous successes for Pennsylvania working families and taxpayers.
YEAR ONE: A Record of Achievement
Governor Corbett kept his promises by balancing the budget with no new taxes, passing legal reform, proposing a jobs friendly plan for Marcellus Shale, advocating for comprehensive education reform, and showing steady leadership crisis after crisis. Here are just a few of the highlights from year one:
A year of “calm leadership” that has been described as “solid” and a “good start.” Despite the toughest of times, Governor Corbett has shown the willingness to make the tough decisions to put Pennsylvania back on the track to prosperity. From hurricanes to floods, the Governor demonstrated his ability to be in command during a crisis and show steady and strong leadership under pressure.
A “historic” budget that keeps the Governor’s campaign promises. While Democrats clamored for tax increases on Pennsylvania’s working families and reckless spending, the Governor choose to keep his word to the people of Pennsylvania and delivered a budget that eliminates waste, protects taxpayers, and is the first on time budget in 8 years.
A legal reform law that protects small business. >While Democrats wanted to protect the special interest groups that donate to their campaigns, Governor Corbett took the necessary steps to make Pennsylvania more business and jobs friendly by signing legislation that will curb frivolous lawsuits which have hurt small business and job creators.
Education Reform: A proposal that “will revolutionize education in Pennsylvania, making our children the education system’s first priority,” While Democrats kowtow to the disingenuous special interest groups that fill their campaign coffers, Governor Corbett proposed an innovative education reform package that’s puts students first, allowing poor families to have a say in their children’s educations. Additionally, Governor Corbett passed legislation that protects taxpayers and restored state spending on education to its highest levels ever.
Governor Corbett’s Energy Agenda: the “right” plan for safely developing the Marcellus Shale natural gas reserve. It’s a simple equation: energy=jobs. But the Democrats would rather tax this emerging industry into another state, causing increased unemployment in the areas of Pennsylvania that are currently growing. It’s this kind of backwards thinking that drives small businesses and job creators out of our state.
Chairman Rob Gleason concluded, “While Governor Corbett, Lt. Governor Cawley and our Republican legislature advanced an agenda that put Pennsylvania back on the right fiscal track, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and its allies in the General Assembly spent 2011 doing nothing but engaging in reckless class warfare. Their Democratic agenda calls for higher taxes on Pennsylvania working families, spending more than we can afford, protecting the status quo in failing public schools, and punishing job creators.
“That is a recipe for failure and an agenda Pennsylvanians do not need.”
###