HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday issued his budget address for the 2017-18 fiscal year to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The governor’s presentation of his proposed $32.34 billion spending plan is the first step in the state’s budgeting process.
State Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) released the following statement in response to the governor’s proposal:
“I am very glad that we have the opportunity to open a conversation with our colleagues in the Legislature and Gov. Wolf to determine the right path forward for Pennsylvania’s budget.
“In his address, the governor gave us a good point from which to begin the negotiation process. We will now have the opportunity to analyze his proposals and offer our own suggestions for ways to better manage the size and price tag associated with state government.
“I applaud Gov. Wolf for not proposing broad-based tax hikes on hard-working Pennsylvanians through the Personal Income and Sales taxes. There are, however, some troublesome items included in his plan that are a cause for concern, such as the 6.5 percent energy tax proposal that will increase unemployment in our area and is simply not a dependable source of revenue as our economy cannot support it.
“The upcoming House Appropriations Committee hearings will hopefully result in the discovery of additional cost-saving measures we can use to balance the 2017-18 budget. I’m looking forward to bringing positive ideas to the table and having a hand in crafting a spending plan that moves Pennsylvania forward and grows our economy, not the size and scope of state government.”
Questions about this subject or any state-related matter may be directed to Gabler’s DuBois office at 814-375-4688, his St. Marys office at 814-781-6301 or Clearfield office at 814-765-0593.
