Liberal Groups Want PA to Spend More in Budget

A liberal coalition against Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget plan told lawmakers that plugging loopholes and tax breaks would “grow the pie” of state government, but economists and business groups said Pennsylvania should grow the private sector.

Better Choices for Pennsylvania distributed pies in the state Capitol in an effort to get lawmakers to increase revenue and spending by more than $1 billion in this year’s budget. They said the state should pursue policies that would create a larger “fiscal pie,” so bigger slices of tax dollars could be used for welfare, education and health care.

The group of liberal organizations said Pennsylvania should close corporate tax loopholes, end a planned phaseout of a business tax and add taxes to cigars and smokeless tobacco, among other proposals.

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