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PMA Special Statement on Tom Wolf Commercial

August 08, 2014

STATEMENT BY THE PENNSYLVANIA MANUFACTURERS’ ASSOCIATION ON SECRETARY TOM WOLF’S TELEVISON COMMERCIAL “IT CAN WORK”

“Manufacturing is the engine that drives Pennsylvania’s economy,” said David N. Taylor, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association. “Unfortunately, on the issues that matter most to Pennsylvania’s competitiveness, Secretary Tom Wolf and his political allies are completely wrong. To improve Pennsylvania’s job growth, manufacturers need fiscal discipline in Harrisburg, pro-growth business tax relief, limits on lawsuit abuse, and cost-effective regulations based on best practices and sound science. In all of these areas, as proved by the performance of the previous administration in which he served, Secretary Wolf is the inferior candidate,” Taylor said.

“Let’s look at the two most important issues facing Pennsylvania’s manufacturers today: maximizing domestic energy production and controlling spending by state government. First, rather than optimizing Pennsylvania manufacturing for growth by fully developing the natural gas industry, Secretary Tom Wolf wants to impose new, additional taxes to plunder that industry and expand state spending. Because energy is the main cost input for most manufacturers, Pennsylvania’s improved competitive position from natural gas production depends on stopping Secretary Tom Wolf’s plan to snuff out future expansion of our energy economy. Second, Secretary Tom Wolf denies the reality of Pennsylvania’s $50 billion public pension liability and has no plan to address this crisis, which worsens by $10 million per day. The bureaucrat unions like PSEA, PFT, AFSCME, and SEIU are the main funders of Secretary Tom Wolf’s campaign, so Pennsylvania taxpayers – both businesses and individuals – will helplessly watch the Commonwealth plunge headlong toward bankruptcy if Wolf prevails in November.

“Just as President Obama has waged war on Pennsylvania coal, Secretary Tom Wolf and his coalition of trial lawyers, radical environmentalists, bureaucrats, and free-spending politicians will cripple Pennsylvania manufacturing and kill off the good-paying jobs Pennsylvania’s working families need,” Taylor said.

Founded in 1909 by Bucks County industrialist Joseph Grundy, the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association is the statewide nonprofit trade organization representing the manufacturing sector in Pennsylvania’s public policy process. Based in Harrisburg, PMA is the official Pennsylvania partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. A confidant and advisor to many Pennsylvania governors, U.S. Senators, and state legislative leaders, PMA President and CEO Frederick W. Anton III recently celebrated fifty years of service with the association. PMA Executive Director David N. Taylor, who is beginning his 18th year with the trade group, was a member of the Governor’s Manufacturing Advisory Council in 2012 and is the representative for the northeastern United States on the Board of Directors of the Council of State Manufacturing Associations. Learn more about the association and its work at www.pamanufacturers.org