Feb. 04, 2025
HARRISBURG – Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Wyoming) attended a joint session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly today to hear Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Pickett issued the following statement in reaction to the governor’s nearly $51.5 billion spending plan, which is a $3.57 billion (7.5%) increase over the current fiscal year:
“The reality is a lot of things in the governor’s budget proposal sound good. They sound like things we would want to have in place in Pennsylvania. But the fact is, the governor is proposing a 7.5% increase in the state budget with a projected revenue increase of less than 3%. That is simply unsustainable, and it will not work. Obviously, this spending plan has to be adjusted.
“When I talk to people, I hear of their concerns about inflation. Some of the proposals in his budget would just increase inflation further, which is something Pennsylvanians simply do not want and cannot have. They are also concerned about their health care and its accessibility, especially in our rural areas.
“Another concern in our Northern Tier communities is energy. The last thing we need to be doing is taxing our natural gas industry and tamping it down, which is something the governor has actually talked about. We must be certain the Commonwealth remains an energy leader and that we make energy in every form more affordable.
“I look forward to the upcoming budget hearings, as they are vitally important. We all need to be involved in going over the numbers and determining our spending priorities. I really appreciate all the things the governor brought forward in his address, but I do recognize there is a lot of work to be done to bring together an acceptable budget for Pennsylvania.”
Pickett noted that the governor’s address is just the beginning of the annual budget process. The House Appropriations Committee will conduct a series of hearings starting Tuesday, Feb. 18, to examine the details of Shapiro’s plan and how state departments and agencies are spending their funding. The General Assembly and governor face a June 30 deadline to finalize the budget.
To view or download a broadcast-quality video of Pickett’s comments,
click here.
Representative Tina Pickett
110th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Andy Briggs
717-260-6474
abriggs@pahousegop.com
RepPickett.com / Facebook.com/RepPickett