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<p>DRUMS &#8212;Even when Gov. Tom Wolf made a stop at an Internet-based company in Drums as part of his &#8220;Jobs That Pay&#8221; tour, he couldn&#8217;t avoid questions about the state&#8217;s budget.</p><p>During the governor&#8217;s visit to Web.com, a reporter asked if he had a message for citizens concerning the budget. Wolf said Democrats and Republicans have worked together on the budget, and ended up with a compromise and a bipartisan effort.</p><p>In November, Wolf and House and Senate leaders agreed to a budget deal that revolved around a 6 percent spending increase and a $1 billion-plus tax increase. But House Republicans revolted against the size of the tax and spending bills.</p><p>Democrats and moderate Republicans upended House GOP majority leaders on Dec. 22, winning a series of close votes that signaled a potential breakthrough in Pennsylvania&#8217;s six-month-old budget stalemate.</p><p>&#8220;I think you need to talk to some of the leaders in the Republican side of the House to find out exactly what happened here,&#8221; Wolf said. &#8220;We had, I think, what would have been a historic, and maybe still will be, a historic budget for Pennsylvania.&#8221;</p><p>Pennsylvania GOP, however, fired a shot of its own in an email Friday.</p><p>&#8220;Governor Tom Wolf&#8217;s reckless veto of critical funds for our schools and social services last June forced thousands of Pennsylvanians to fear for their jobs,&#8221; said Megan Sweeney, communications director for PA GOP. &#8220;If Tom Wolf was truly committed to creating jobs in Pennsylvania, he&#8217;d join with Republicans in finalizing a state budget that puts the needs of citizens above special interests.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Wolf&#8217;s tour</strong></p><p>Wolf&#8217;s visit came over a week after Web.com announced it will bring<a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/501546/governors-office-says-web-com-expansion-in-drums-will-create-74-jobs" target="_blank"> more than 70 jobs</a> to the region as part of a major reshoring and expansion. The move will create 74 new jobs at the company&#8217;s Drums location, bringing the total number of workers at the facility to about 350.</p><p>&#8220;We want these jobs to be here in Pennsylvania,&#8221; Wolf said. He added the idea of bringing jobs back to the commonwealth is a growing trend.</p><p>&#8220;What I think people have found &#8230; anybody who&#8217;s looking to go overseas at this point because of labor rates is missing a real bet,&#8221; Wolf said.</p><p>Wolf was given a brief presentation about the company by Jeff Kimmel, vice president of customer service for Web.com. He was then given a tour of the facility where he met several employees in the facility&#8217;s call center.</p><p>During Kimmel&#8217;s presentation, he explained jobs are currently based in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The company conducted an analysis to determine where those jobs would relocate.</p><p>Wolf stressed the importance of a partnership between the state and the private sector to make the reshoring happen.</p><p>Web.com received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development that includes $148,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits, a $40,000 Pennsylvania First Program grant and $25,650 in WEDnetPA funding for employee training.</p><p>Rep. Tarah Toohil was among those in attendance during the governor&#8217;s tour. She said she was &#8220;extremely excited&#8221; about jobs coming back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, especially after a time when so many had been sent overseas.</p><p>She added that, despite the state&#8217;s budget difficulties, the fact that jobs are returning to Pennsylvania and the local region is a point of optimism.</p><p>&#8220;For Pennsylvania to be moving forward in this way is really important, so it&#8217;s something we want to see more of,&#8221; she said.</p><p><em>The Associated Press contributed to this report.</em></p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce President Mary Malone, left, greets Gov. Tom Wolf at Web.com in Drums on Friday morning during his &#8216;Jobs That Pay&#8217; tour. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL011616WolfVisit_1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce President Mary Malone, left, greets Gov. Tom Wolf at Web.com in Drums on Friday morning during his &#8216;Jobs That Pay&#8217; tour. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL011616WolfVisit_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Vice President of Customer Service Jeff Kimmel, left, gives a briefing at Web.com in Drums for Gov. Tom Wolf, state Reps. Tarah Toohil and Gerald Mullery, and other local business and community leaders Friday morning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL011616WolfVisit_3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Vice President of Customer Service Jeff Kimmel, left, gives a briefing at Web.com in Drums for Gov. Tom Wolf, state Reps. Tarah Toohil and Gerald Mullery, and other local business and community leaders Friday morning. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL011616WolfVisit_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Gov. Tom Wolf, right, asks a question during a briefing before going on a tour at Web.com in Drums as state Rep. Tarah Toohil looks on Friday morning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL011616WolfVisit_2.jpg</photo2><caption2>Gov. Tom Wolf, right, asks a question during a briefing before going on a tour at Web.com in Drums as state Rep. Tarah Toohil looks on Friday morning. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Travis Kellar</p><p>tkellar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @TLNews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Gov. Tom Wolf fields budget questions at tour of Web.com in Drums