Northhampton News

On Friday, Rep. Zach Mako (R-Lehigh/Northampton) and the House Republican Policy Committee, led by Chairman Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington), convened the second in a series of hearings to discuss ways to foster economic growth in Pennsylvania through business-related tax reform.

The hearing, titled “Job-Creating Tax Reform,” featured testimonies from Neal Lesher, director of government affairs at the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and Melissa Morgan, assistant state director at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

“The current tax code in Pennsylvania is stifling growth and preventing the Commonwealth from living up to its full potential,” said Mako. “We need to reduce the Corporate Net Income Tax and uncap the net operating loss carryforward deduction so that our Main Street businesses have opportunities to grow. Let’s make the Pennsylvania business environment competitive. Let’s make Pennsylvania the place to do business.”

The Pennsylvania tax code is complicated and burdensome, negatively impacting businesses large and small. Both testifiers agreed that legislative changes to the Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) and net operating loss (NOL) deduction would empower small businesses and make entrepreneurs less hesitant about establishing businesses in Pennsylvania. As Morgan stated, the current NOL carryforward deduction is a “startup penalty.”

“My family came to the United States to chase the American dream, and I want future generations to have hope that they, too, can achieve the American dream. We must reform business taxes so that businesses can thrive. Because when businesses thrive, they create jobs. And that’s what this is all about – opportunity for family-sustaining jobs,” said Kail.

The next hearing will be hosted by Rep. Tom Jones on Thursday, April 18, at 10 a.m., at East Donegal Township Building, 190 Rock Point Road, Marietta.