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HARRISBURG, PA – The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry today said a state budget that begins to get the Commonwealth’s fiscal house in order is the best way to help working families and individuals.

The comments came after organized labor and education groups showed up at the PA Chamber offices –-- in what Capitol police said was an illegal protest because it blocked traffic – and demanded increased taxes on job creators so that government spending can continue unchecked. The group’s demands ignored facts; showed a lack of understanding about job creators’ tax liability and their contributions to Commonwealth residents, and reflected short-sightedness about how best to create a stronger Pennsylvania.

“Year after year, organized labor and its allies have only one solution for the state budget and that is to raise taxes on businesses and working families in order to support unbridled government spending that has grown beyond the rate of inflation and beyond taxpayers’ ability to pay,” PA Chamber Vice President Gene Barr said.

Barr said this year, the tax of choice is a severance tax on the Marcellus Shale industry. Prior to that, it was higher taxes on personal income and expanded sales taxes on consumer goods and services, to name a few.

“Their professed concerns about working families ring hollow in light of all the tax increases they’ve supported,” he said, pointing out that higher taxes on the business community would ultimately hurt consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services and lost job opportunities.

“Rather than protesting, these groups can help the process by recognizing that government does not have a limitless pot of money at its disposal, and the money it does spend is taxpayer money,” he said. “Adding to the tax burden of taxpayers – be it businesses or individuals – will do nothing to stop the unsustainable growth in government spending that is harming all Pennsylvanians or put our state on more solid ground financially and economically.”

The PA Chamber strongly supports Gov. Tom Corbett’s call for fiscal restraint and no new taxes in the 2011-12 state budget, and trusts that the governor and legislative leaders will determine how to best accomplish this goal.

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The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry is the state’s largest broad-based business association, with thousands of statewide members representing businesses of all sizes and all industry sectors. The PA Chamber is The Statewide Voice of Business™. More information is available on the Chamber’s website at www.pachamber.org.