Representatives serving counties in the Endless Mountains weighing in the budget the House delivered to Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday feel the $32 million proposal is a fair and conservative compromise to Wolf’s version of the budget proposed in March. Mostly importantly, Reps. Boback (above), Fritz, and Pickett were united in their commitment to fiscal responsibility and investment in education.
Rep. Tina Pickett (Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna) feels that the new 2017-18 state budget funds the state’s core functions while also keeping government spending under control. “This budget is far from perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
“We worked relentlessly to limit the increases in spending,” Rep. Jonathan Fritz (Susquehanna/Wayne) concurs. “We are putting forward a bill that does not include any broad-based tax increases while responsibly investing in education, restoring cuts to the school district transportation fund and properly accommodates our counties.”
In total, more than $11.86 billion is set aside for education, including the restoration of money for student transportation, which was to have been eliminated in the Wolf proposal. The latter was extremely important to schools in rural areas, notes Pickett’s camp. The commitment to education targets prekindergarten through 12th-grade levels, as well as higher education.
“I supported this budget because it is reasonable and requires us to live within our means,” adds Rep. Karen Boback (Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming). “Funding for education programs was increased, and we met our fiduciary responsibility with regard to prison, welfare and pension funding.”
Pickett noted that the budget is within the cost of inflation, ensures important agriculture and health care programs are funded, and begins to reinvent the way in which state government operates.
“This budget represents a new way of thinking in state government,” announces Pickett (above). “We know that duplicative programs, services and processes exist across the bureaucracy, and this budget – along with related legislation – seeks to streamline those redundancies by consolidating several state agencies – Health and Human Services, along with Corrections and the Board of Probation and Parole.”
“This budget bill represents compromise and restraint on the part of both legislative bodies, as well as the administration,” says Fritz (below). “House Bill 218 is a reflection of our state’s priorities under lower-than-predicted revenues. This is a responsible budget that respects the taxpayer and Pennsylvania’s families.”
“While the revenue package is still being determined, we arrived at a fair budget without a broad-based tax increase, and I was pleased to see substantial bipartisan support for the budget plan passed by the Legislature on Friday,” notes Boback.
“Today’s vote is just one step of many in reaching a complete budget package,” Pickett relates. “Over the next few days, negotiations will continue to put the finishing touches on many of the concepts and cost-savings we’re including in our overall budget. We anticipate being able to develop a revenue plan without the need for broad-based taxes.”