Jun. 30, 2016
HARRISBURG – The primary piece of the 2016-17 state budget package is headed to the desk of Gov. Tom Wolf despite the entire York County House Republican delegation’s opposition to its excessive spending and questionable accounting practices.
Senate Bill 1073, which passed the House Thursday with bipartisan support, calls for a more than $1.6 billion increase over the 2015-16 fiscal year.
State Reps. Keith Gillespie (R-Hellam), Seth Grove (R-Dover), Kate Klunk (R-Hanover), Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York Township), Mike Regan (R-Dillsburg) and Stan Saylor (R-Red Lion), issued this statement following the vote:
“Responsible Pennsylvanians spend only what they have in living within their means and expect the same from their state government. This budget fails to do that. We should be implementing cost reductions and finding revenues that don’t involve taking more money from taxpayers. The consequences of this budget may not be felt immediately, but ultimately, this level of excess spending only hurts the taxpayers.
“Senate Bill 1073, which is only a portion of the package of budget legislation, also relies on yet-to-be-determined revenue sources. That fact should concern every Pennsylvanian.
“Pennsylvania has decades of deep-rooted fiscal problems that cannot be solved by simply throwing more money at them. In addition to increasing spending to unsustainable levels, this budget fails to address cost drivers that will come roaring back in 2017-18. We must turn away from the failed budgetary practices of the past and hold government accountable to the taxpayers who foot our bills.
“Government must be held accountable to the people who pay the bills and cannot continue to grow excessively while taxpayers continue to struggle. Defeating this legislation would likely have resulted in not passing an on-time budget; however, we were not willing to throw hard-working taxpayers under the bus simply to meet a deadline. It is wrong for government to spend money it doesn’t have and then require its citizens to make up the difference.”
York County House Republican Delegation
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Scott Little
slittle@pahousegop.com