As a small-business owner, I must be able to predict future costs and adjust my business plan accordingly so I know if I should buy equipment, expand or hire new employees. Getting overextended or not paying my bills is not an option if I want to stay in business.

The state government should follow those same good business practices, but that’s not happening in Harrisburg right now.

Pennsylvania has a $53 billion debt due to an overly generous state employee and teacher pension system that’s growing by leaps and bounds every year. Every Pennsylvanian should be concerned because it will come back to haunt each of us soon — when we get hit with huge tax increases.

Gov. Tom Wolf should not have vetoed the pension reform bill recently sent to him by the Legislature. It would have begun to improve the situation by moving new employees to a partial 401(K) type plan, as the private sector did years ago when employers realized defined benefit plans weren’t sustainable.

Many Pennsylvanians don’t get too worried when they hear the state has a pension crisis. But every taxpayer will be furious if it’s not solved and a giant tax bill shows up in their mailbox.

Every parent should worry that their school district will end up with much less money for classrooms and children because much more has to go to teacher pensions. And business people like myself worry because the new governor isn’t doing what it takes to fix the pension problem — and putting every taxpayer on the hook for a bailout.