Pa. Gov. Rendell abandons sales-tax overhaul proposal

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Ed Rendell is abandoning his plan to cut the state sales tax rate but increase revenue by extending it to more types of purchases.

The Democrat told reporters at a news briefing today that he now thinks the proposal is too complicated and politically charged to pass in an election year.

In his state budget address in February, Rendell advocated cutting the tax from 6 percent to 4 percent and extending it to dozens of things that are currently exempt, including candy and gum, firewood and personal-hygiene products.

The governor says he’s standing by his other tax proposals, which include plans to impose a severance tax on natural-gas extraction and extend the tobacco tax to cigars and smokeless tobacco.

He says he believes those proposals have strong public support.