Reed Offers Statement on Passage of State Budget
Rep. Dave Reed (R-Indiana) issued the following statement upon passage of a $27.8 billion state budget in the General Assembly:
“I think we are all relieved that Pennsylvania will finally have a budget in place. Our local human service providers, day care facilities, and other state-supported programs will begin to receive their payments from the Commonwealth; however, there are certainly many disappointing aspects to both the budget and the process at which it was arrived.
“The cuts to important services like our public libraries, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the State System of Higher Education; in addition to the over half a billion dollars in tax increases are just some examples of the shortcomings of this budget. We missed a golden opportunity to preserve the funding for these important programs while minimizing tax increases when this budget failed to enact the suggestions of Democratic Auditor General Jack Wagner, who pointed out more than $300 million in welfare fraud that is easily preventable.
“More than anything else, this year’s budget process exemplifies the need for real reforms and meaningful deadlines for future budgets. We must bring an end to the era where just a few individuals can hold the budget for the entire state hostage.
“Government must live within its means and this budget, regrettably, does not.”
Rep. Dave Reed
62nd District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(717) 705-7173
Contact: Dan Massing
House Republican Public Relations
(717) 772-9845