Local Republican State Representatives Tina Pickett (above, left) and Jonathan Fritz (right) weighed in on today’s disclosure of HB 218, the House compromise of Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
House Bill 218 is the legislative vehicle for the 2017-18 state budget, which spends $31.52 billion, about $815 million less than the governor’s plan. It does not include any new taxes or borrowing but responsibly funds core functions of government, namely education, infrastructure, human services and public safety.
The budget proposal passed today takes into consideration the consolidation of four state agencies that could save on administrative overhead while also streamlining services; reassignment and elimination of duplicative state functions, such as information technology services; the closure of a problem-plagued state prison in Pittsburgh; and the creation of an endowment fund that could generate money to pay future costs.
Calling it a sustainable, responsible plan, Rep. Tina Pickett (Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna) today supported a state budget that does not include new or increased taxes but also invests in the core functions of government.
“Pennsylvania residents fully expect a state budget that meets their needs and does so responsibly, but they’ve also told us that change is needed and we cannot continue down the same path of funding line items just because they’ve always been there,” Pickett said. “While the proposal we passed today may not be the final product that lands on the governor’s desk, it sets the right tone and new direction. We need to be looking at ways to reinvent state government and that includes the way in which we budget and fund our priorities.”
“I am enthused by the recognition that we must pass a budget that is realistic and begins to place the Commonwealth on the right track,” Rep. Jonathan Fritz (Susquehanna/Wayne) stated. “Our goal and focus is to present a budget that is on-time, spends less than last year and begins to chip away at the unfunded liability that weighs on this Commonwealth in a major way. “
“While we continue to look at ways to reinvent state government, we are in need of some additional revenue to address rising expenses, and for the past several months, we have been exploring ways to make up the shortfall,” Pickett added. “But we refuse to pass that burden onto our hard-working taxpayers, families and senior citizens. We need to be creative and that’s why we’re taking this approach before the end of the fiscal year.”
Additional details about the proposal is available at www.pahousegop.com/statebudget1718.aspx.