Tom Corbett Talks About His Plan To Revitalize Pennsylvania's Economy at Specialty Foods Company in Lebanon County

Press Release

Says it is time to decrease the tax burden on businesses across the state

Republican Gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett spoke about the importance of turning around Pennsylvania's economy and improving the jobs market as he toured ASK Foods, Inc. in Palmyra. The recent economy has taken a toll on many of Pennsylvania's businesses. It's a fact that hasn't been lost on Tom Corbett and it's something he plans to change as governor.

"The unemployment rate in Pennsylvania is at 9.2 percent, the highest since the early 1980's," said Corbett. "We are near the bottom in the nation in job creation and near the top in taxes. I have a vision and a plan to turn around our economy. It unleashes the power of the private sector, with companies like ASK Foods, Inc. leading the way."

Pennsylvania has one of the worst tax burdens for job creators in the nation. Corbett plans to change that by working with public and economic leaders to build bipartisan, strategic policies today that will secure our future for tomorrow.

"It takes a leader to identify the problem, to develop a plan, execute that plan and then have the courage to persevere and overcome obstacles and roadblocks," said Corbett. "The foundation of our plan is three simple principles, fiscal discipline, limited government and free enterprise."

Three primary points of Corbett's plan improve the business climate and economy include:

*Tax Reform: Reducing the Corporate Net Income Tax, which is currently the second highest in the nation; repealing the "Death Tax" so small business owners and farmers don't face the high tax burden of passing along the family business; removing the Net Operating Loss Cap. Pennsylvania is one of only 2 states to have caps on NOLs. Removing this would save companies from paying much higher tax rates than our competitor states.

*Regulatory Reform: Pennsylvania businesses have too much red tape to cut through inhibiting growth and limiting their potential. Corbett will eliminate the permit backlog at state agencies; require effective communication between state agencies so businesses are better served by the state as a whole; require compliance assistance, making sure regulatory agencies detail and publish the most frequent violations and compliance rates for each state program; implement a Paperwork Reduction Act cutting down on the overwhelming amount of paperwork required by businesses just to operate year to year.

*Legal Reform: Excessive and frivolous lawsuits must stop. Corbett will pass the "Fair Share Act" so a company, person or government agency isn't responsible for 100% of legal damages despite their limited role in the incident; Corbett will also work to protect "innocent sellers," people who sell a product and are sued, even though they had nothing to do with the creation of the product later claimed to be defective.

Pennsylvania's businesses are an integral part of the state's economy. Tom Corbett has been personally visiting companies like ASK Foods, Inc. to learn firsthand the concerns of business owners. He has discussed with business leaders and employees the importance of keeping jobs in Pennsylvania and making sure we see growth in our jobs market.

"I believe it is time to restore the commonwealth's rightful position in the global marketplace by partnering with business leaders to build job creation policies that will secure Pennsylvania's future," said Corbett.

ASK Foods, Inc is a specialty foods company that makes all natural deli salads, desserts, soups, entrees and side dishes. It employs over 200 people and distributes its products to 25 states.

To learn more about Tom Corbett's plan to revitalize Pennsylvania's economy and jobs climate visit www.tomcorbettforgovernor.com.

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