[The] budget address by Gov. Wolf was one of the shortest I’ve heard - short in duration and short on details. Maybe he knows support for the broad-based tax increases he wants doesn’t exist in the General Assembly. I know the majority of taxpayers in the district with whom I’ve spoken want state government to live within its means rather than reach further into their wallets.

He told us why we need to pass a budget but wasn’t upfront with the people of Pennsylvania as to how he thinks we should accomplish that. “The devil is in the details,” which include tax increases that have repeatedly failed to garner the necessary votes and a continued failure to address property tax relief the residents of the Lehigh Valley deserve.

The governor has been given ample time to gather support for his proposals during the current fiscal year and has come up short. Now he wants to retrace those steps, hoping for a different result. He needs to face reality and chart a different course, one that has the votes to pass in the General Assembly.