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Protesters Voice Disapproval for Corbett’s Budget

On hand for Governor Tom Corbett’s budget address Tuesday in Harrisburg were several hundred protesters, mostly with the Occupy movement. They went to voi...
budget protest

On hand for Governor Tom Corbett's budget address Tuesday in Harrisburg were several hundred protesters, mostly with the Occupy movement.

They went to voice their disapproval of the Corbett administration and its proposed budget.

Even before the governor's budget address, protesters from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh lined the hallway in the capitol waiting to let members of his administration hear what they have to say.

The protesters confronted budget secretary Charles Zogby with shouts of "Shame" for the cuts the Corbett administration wants to make to higher education and social services.

Then the boos and cat calls resounded in the capitol rotunda while Corbett gave his budget address in front of lawmakers.

"When you make a budget, it's all about values. What are we valuing in the state? We feel they're not valuing education as they should," said Jefferson Pepper of Occupy Harrisburg.

The protesters were not there last year for the governor's address. Since that time the occupy movement has spread and some of its members traveled hours to bring their message to Harrisburg.

Protest or Katie Pettick said Governor Corbett wants to take money from public education instead of taxing the very profitable natural gas industry.

"Taxing Marcellus shale isn't being talked about as an option, and they're talking about not having resources to provide for education. Now they want to put problems on local districts," said Pettick of Occupy Pittsburgh.

For the couple hundred protestors who went to Harrisburg from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and in between. They said it's just the beginning of their fight to have lawmakers hear their pleas for the most vulnerable in the state, saying the governor and posse of Republicans are only looking out for the wealthiest class of one percent.

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