Tom Waring, the Wire
Bucks County Commissioners Rob Loughery and Charles Martin were among 22 elected officials from across Pennsylvania who wrote to Katie McGinty, asking her to explain what they say would be the devastating impact her economic policies would have on their counties and cities.
The officials contend McGinty, former chief of staff for Gov. Tom Wolf and onetime head of the state Department of Environmental Protection, will punish the energy industry, tax innovative medical device manufacturers, push for more corporate welfare and raise taxes on all income levels.
The medical device industry supports around 20,000 jobs at more than 600 companies throughout the state. Obamacare taxed the industry. Republicans and Democratic Sens. Bob Casey Jr. and Elizabeth Warren favor repeal of the tax.
“But despite this bipartisan opposition, you have specifically promoted this tax to the detriment of innovative Pennsylvania jobs,” the letter said.
In response, McGinty campaign spokesman Josh Levitt said, “Katie has dedicated her entire career to solving big problems, creating good-paying jobs and protecting the environment. Under her leadership, Pennsylvania attracted $1 billion in renewable energy investments and created 3,000 jobs. Katie will take that same fight to the U.S. Senate to create good-paying jobs, expand opportunities for working people and move toward a clean energy economy.
“Let’s be clear — Pat Toomey’s attacks against Katie are a clear sign of desperation. Toomey has a long record of fighting for Wall Street and China at the expense of Pennsylvania jobs, and is trying anything to change the topic. Toomey is a longtime champion for bad trade deals that have cost Pennsylvania thousands of jobs, and he has voted to protect tax breaks for companies that ship American jobs overseas. Pat Toomey cannot run from his record.
“Pat Toomey should be honest with the people of Pennsylvania about his failure to stand up for Pennsylvania jobs, and then make it clear how he could support a presidential candidate — Donald Trump — who has a long record of outsourcing American jobs.”
