RISMEDIA, November 7, 2011–The Pennridge Chamber of Commerce, through the efforts of Tom Skiffington, Chair of their Government Affairs Committee, held an invitation only breakfast meeting for community leaders with PA Revenue Secretary Dan Meuser at the RE/MAX 444 Realty Office on West End Blvd, Quakertown this past Thursday to provide an opportunity to hear about the economic status of Pennsylvania.
State Revenue Secretary Meuser used a power point presentation to share the Corbett Administration’s plan for Advancing Pennsylvania. Revenue Department goals presented include increasing efficiencies; improving customer service to build trust; equitable tax administration, fair enforcement & leveraging technology; employing skilled, motivated employees; and fostering a competitive business/job creation environment by improving business tax structure, thus providing increased revenues. Some of the strategies to be employed would be elimination of capital stock & franchise taxes; reducing corporate net income taxes and corporate tax fraud; addressing e-commerce and the use tax; repeal of the inheritance tax; expansion of R & D tax incentives; continuation of job creation tax credits; improving the tax appeal process; and instituting bonus depreciation.
Secretary Meuser reviewed the role of the Revenue Department in establishing revenue projections, reviewed the Governor’s agenda which has already resulted in a 4.1% reduction in spending, and highlighted the administration’s goal to promote limited, transparent and effective government in Pennsylvania. He noted that the economic outlook for 2011-2012 was “uncertain” & “bleak”, but the Corbett Administration has established a responsible balanced budget with realistic dollar projections with an emphasis on modernizing our infrastructure.
Questions for the Secretary centered on unemployment compensation issues and how the administration would address both the impact on one’s desire to find work and the seemingly unfair extensions of these benefits, again impacting the desire of the unemployed to find work.
