Two state representatives from the area issued press releases with opposing viewpoints on the proposed budget. Below are their press releases, listed in alphabetical order according to the representative’s last name.
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HARRISBURG – State Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) voted Wednesday in favor of House Bill 1485, the proposed budget legislation for the 2011-12 fiscal year. He issued the following statement in reaction to the bill being passed by the House to the desk of Gov. Tom Corbett for his signature:
“The spending plan we approved responds to the majority of constituents with whom I corresponded throughout my district. They want us to pass a timely budget that spends responsibly and supports education.
“Family budgets have firm deadlines they must adhere to in order to avoid consequences, and we are expected to do the same in crafting a budget. Unlike all eight years of the previous administration, we have accomplished our mandated task on time, thus avoiding any interruption in services.
“The residents of Pennsylvania are being forced to rein in spending in their households because of an economy that, while showing signs of recovering, still has a long way to go. This budget holds the line by spending less than last year’s plan, an accomplishment which was never achieved under Gov. Ed Rendell and has only happened three times in the last four decades.
“Education needs to be supported if Pennsylvania is to grow and compete on a national and global stage, and this budget offers that support. It sends to our school districts more state funding than any budget in history, and represents a substantial increase in funding for basic education and higher education over Gov. Tom Corbett’s original proposal. However, replacing missing federal stimulus dollars would have required a substantial tax increase that Pennsylvania’s hard-working citizens could not afford and to which I could not agree. I remain committed to ensuring our schools have the resources they need to teach our children and prepare them for a successful future.
“Finally, just as any responsible family resists running their checkbook down to ‘zero,’ this budget takes the responsible route. Some have advocated increasing our spending simply because of a temporary unexpected increase in revenues that is not guaranteed to continue. It is important to remember that we started this year with a $4 billion deficit. Considering this, a half-billion dollar increase in revenues does not constitute a ‘surplus.’
“Those of us who have been elected to serve in state government are charged with being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. For the first time since I’ve been in Harrisburg, I have the opportunity to vote for a budget that sets responsible priorities and is accountable to taxpayers.”
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HARRISBURG – State Rep. Camille “Bud” George, D-74 of Clearfield County, said that the recently passed state budget fails Pennsylvanians and will stifle economic growth.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” George said. “This Republican budget hurts hard-working families, students, and our most vulnerable members of society.”
The state budget, due before the new fiscal year begins July 1, passed the House largely along a party-line vote. The Senate had previously passed the measure, and the bill now heads to Gov. Tom Corbett for his signature.
George said the budget is representative of the lack of compassion in today’s society.
“I was a Depression-baby,” George said. “When I was little, we had to look out for each other. We took care of each other. It wasn’t about, ‘Hooray for me and the heck with you.’ The Republicans and the budget they’ve passed show that we’ve forgotten who we used to be as a society.”
George voted against the budget, citing the cuts to education and social services as the reason for the negative vote. Under the GOP budget, school districts that Rep. George represents would see cuts of $8.6 million.
“The budget cuts are draconian, but the other big education item on the Republicans’ agenda – a school voucher program – also would drive up costs for school districts,” George said. “They all add up to one thing, and that’s higher property taxes.”
While the Commonwealth has already received $700 million more than originally projected, the Republican-led House and Senate refused to restore education cuts with the added money. George said that more of that the money should be used to offset cuts.
George also admonished the House Republicans for budget cuts to the state Department of Environmental Protection and the failure of the majority party to bring up a vote related to environmental measures.
“I’ve spent years fighting for stronger provisions related to Marcellus shale gas drilling,” George said. “We must protect our water. We’ve seen water supplies become contaminated. It’s already been documented. Yet, the House GOP won’t even bring up my bills for a vote. They don’t want to go on the record showing that they are more interested in campaign money from the gas companies than they are about clean water.”
George said that he hopes that the House returns to session later in the summer so that serious talks about environmental protection can be addressed.
“I hope that despite the draconian budget cuts and the lack of environmental provisions in this current session so far, that we can come back and do what’s right for the people of Pennsylvania,” George said.