Corbett’s Manufacturing Council Backs Tax Reforms and Training

By Eric Boehm | PA Independent

HARRISBURG —If Pennsylvania reduced its 9.99 percent corporate net income tax — the highest in the nation — the state would see a resurgence in the manufacturing sector.

The governor’s Manufacturing Advisory Council made that recommendation among at least 10 others in its final report released recently to Gov. Tom Corbett. The council consisted of members in the public and private sector appointed by the governor.

Among the suggestions were:

• Advocating for more more tax-free investment accounts
• Pushing for tax credits to aid research and development
• Focusing on job and technical training, as a growing scarcity of skilled employees is the top concern among Pennsylvania manufacturers

“A skilled and talented workforce positions Pennsylvania to be even more competitive in a global economy,” said C. Alan Walker, Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development, in a statement.

A 2011 study by Deloitte, which provides tax services, and The Manufacturing Institute, a nonpartisan advocate for U.S. manufacturers, found 82 percent of manufacturers in the United States reported a serious or moderate skills gap in their employees, he said.

Contact Eric at Eric@PAIndependent.com or follow @PAIndependent on Twitter.