Letter: Wolf has a mandate

ISSUE | PA. BUDGET

Wolf has a mandate

Gov. Wolf is entitled to engage in the same level of discourse as his Republican opponents. The Inquirer wrongly suggests that he relinquish his broad mandate against former Gov. Tom Corbett's policies ("Don't point fingers," Sunday), which was not matched by the legislature's mandate in the same election - in which a majority of the voters chose Democrats, but which gerrymandering transformed into a narrow Republican majority.

The editorial also wrongly suggested that Wolf propose even more substantial concessions than he already has made in the face of Republican intransigence. That ought to be an election issue.

|Ben Burrows, Elkins Park

All take, no give

It's astonishing that letter writers accuse Gov. Wolf of failing to compromise on the budget ("It's a matter of dollars and sense," "Hold firm: No more taxes," Friday). He has compromised on the shale-gas extraction tax, pension reform, privatization of liquor sales, and reducing property taxes through increased sales taxes. The only thing that he hasn't compromised on is increased spending on our state's woefully underfunded schools and reduction of the unsustainable and crippling budget deficit.

When it looked as though the sane "leaders" in Harrisburg were about to pass a rational budget, the right-wing ideologues quashed the deal, and it was back to the drawing board, with the governor compromising on his compromises. It seems that the Republican House's idea of compromise is that the other side keeps doing it until the Republicans get everything they wanted at the beginning of the process.

|Dave Koller, Gilbertsville

More money needed

I read several letters in the last few days praising the legislature for its strong stance on Gov. Wolf's budget. Don't the writers understand what services the state is mandated to finance?

The state has to provide money for certain services, and if that means more taxes, so be it. If we are to educate our children, it will take more money. If we are going to fund these legislators' pensions, we need more money.

|Joe Orenstein, Philadelphia, joe4189@verizon.net