Pam Iovino can’t stop talking about cutting jobs, raising taxes

Radical Democrat Pam Iovino, who is running in the 37th Senatorial District special election, can’t seem to get out of her own way.

In every media appearance she has made, including two in the last week, Iovino can’t stop talking about her desire to support policies that would cut jobs and raise taxes.

Talking with Pittsburgh’s WESA last week, Iovino touted her support for a $15 minimum wage:

“I’m in concurrence that a $15 minimum wage is what it should be, and I agree with the governor in trying to do that, and getting Pennsylvania caught up.’

What Iovino might not have known, however, is that raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour is something that the state’s Independent Fiscal Office said would “cause significant labor market disruptions” and cost the commonwealth over 30,000 jobs.

In addition, talking later with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Iovino continued her anti-growth, pro-tax message by doubling-down on a natural gas severance tax, which would hinder southwestern Pennsylvania’s major growth industry.

“[Iovino] also supports a severance tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling, asserting that the state is leaving a big revenue stream on the table that could be used to help fund schools and infrastructure, among other things.”

What Iovino misses here is that Pennsylvania already has a revenue stream from natural gas drillers in the form of an impact fee, which has generated more than $1.7 billion for communities impacted by natural gas drilling. That’s in addition to the more than $3 billion already paid by the natural gas industry in regular business taxes.

In addition, while consumers have enjoyed lower energy costs as a result of home-grown natural gas being produced and consumed in Pennsylvania, increasing taxes on the industry will be passed on to in-state consumers, even at a higher degree as more Pennsylvania-produced natural gas is consumed in state.

Also in the Post-Gazette article, Iovino has thrown herself into the camp with liberals like socialist Lt. Governor John Fetterman for advocating for the legalization of recreational marijuana and advocating for a statewide ban on assault weapons.

Finally, when asked in her interview with WESA about what is at stake in the April 2nd election Iovino did not say the future of southwestern Pennsylvania or creating jobs, but rather in getting a political win for Democrats so America’s most liberal Governor, Tom Wolf, has another ally in government.

“I think one of the things at stake is flipping the seat, and maybe even ultimately having the opportunity to flip the state Senate in 2020. [That] would give the governor another branch of government to work with him, and not oppose him. I think that distinguishes the two candidates very starkly.”

In addition, Republican Party of Pennsylvania Communications Director Jason Gottesman, made the following statement:

“Pam Iovino might be trying to run the Conor Lamb playbook, but can’t get out of the way of her own radical positions.

“Instead of advocating for more jobs and economic growth, Pam Iovino instead continues talk about supporting positions that would cut jobs and increase taxes.

“At the end of the day, Pam Iovino seems to care more about scoring political points for Democrats than getting policy wins for southwestern Pennsylvania.”

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