It's time for Pennsylvania to enact the real cure

I am not surprised the PG thinks "most Pennsylvanians would opt for the governor's broad-based solution" regarding Ed Rendell's plan to balance the state budget that includes a 16 percent increase to the personal income tax ("Taxing Times," June 18 editorial). After all, it's easier to treat the symptom than focus on the cure.

The real cure involves addressing a traditionally bloated state government and its programs filled with fat and duplications. Since there is no way that will happen in time for this budget, do what businesses do in tough times: Determine the amount of spending that must be cut and do it. And, please, don't buy into Gov. Rendell's rhetoric that this means vital services such as police and education will be the first to go. His parading of school district superintendents in front of the microphone crying about raising property taxes is a charade and meant as a political scare tactic. And, by the way, where is all that casino money first-term Rendell promised that was going to relieve property taxes?

As a start I would encourage the PG editors to reread Brian O'Neill's column from June 18 ("Tax Hikes? How About Paring the Legislature?"). Once past this budget process, let's all get behind the effort to correct this disgrace. Although it's small potatoes in the larger financial picture, it will take nothing short of a taxpayer revolt to slaughter that pig.

GRIER KUEHN
Green Tree