Feb. 06, 2018
HARRISBURG – Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams) said the $33 billion budget, proposed today by Gov. Tom Wolf, would increase state spending by more than $1 billion. While far more modest than the governor’s previous budget proposals, Moul said the governor’s budget could be much higher than it would appear.
“The governor zeroed out funding for several crucial agriculture line items, funding for programs benefitting veterans and Pennsylvanians afflicted with lupus, epilepsy, ALS, Tourette syndrome, hemophilia and other diseases, just to name a few,” said Moul. “He knows these programs cannot go unfunded, and he is counting on the Legislature to restore the funding, which would represent a much higher level of state spending.”
When the budget ran late last summer, Moul assembled a group of his House colleagues who successfully identified millions of dollars in unspent taxpayer money in various state agency accounts.
“It was incredulous that the governor and others could ask Pennsylvania taxpayers to pony up more of their hard-earned tax dollars when there was already enough revenue on hand to more than cover the budget deficit,” said Moul.
“The budget proposal the governor unveiled today would increase state spending by 3.7 percent over the current year’s budget,” said Moul. “Taking into account the revenue estimates from the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) for 2018-19, the next state budget should not exceed $32.1 billion.
“Responsible budgeting means Pennsylvania can spend no more than it brings in,” said Moul. “This strategy, coupled with an improved revenue outlook and the recent federal tax cuts, could even result in a modest surplus at the end of the current fiscal year. I will be working to ensure this budget does not unduly burden our taxpayers.”
Budget hearings begin Feb. 20, after which House and Senate leaders and the governor will begin negotiating a final budget plan ahead of the June 30 deadline.
To hear Moul’s remarks following today’s budget address, visit
RepMoul.com or
facebook.com/RepMoul/.
Representative Dan Moul
91st District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
717.260.6452
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
RepMoul.com