Rigby: Governor’s Budget Address is Out of Touch with Majority of Pennsylvanians
HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget address sounded less like a spending plan and more like an attempt to list his alleged accomplishments, according to state Rep. Jim Rigby (R-Johnstown), who issued the following statement on the heels of the governor’s presentation today before the General Assembly:
“The governor spent more time today looking back than looking forward. While the temptation is no doubt great for someone in his final year in office, what he lists as accomplishments are things that happened in spite of him rather than because of his administration. For instance, the revenue surplus we enjoy is the result of consumers spending their stimulus dollars and a funding ‘stream’ that will soon dry up and justifies the need to save for the future. This is also Wolf’s first budget address that has not included a request to raise taxes in some form.
“While not asking for a tax hike, the governor’s $43.7 billion budget plan looks to increase spending in the 2022-23 fiscal year by more than $6 billion, a 16.6% increase. That translates into $17 million per day and more than $1,000 annually in new state spending per working Pennsylvanian. A request of that magnitude demonstrates a disconnect from taxpayers and begs questioning where the money is going to come from. I’m also curious as to why he wants hard-working Pennsylvanians to foot the bill for a $1 billion increase in basic education funding while we have been sitting on at least that much money in American Rescue Plan dollars for nearly a year.
“He also floated the idea of a new childcare program for state employees, which means nothing to working families who take on an extra job just to afford childcare.
“For the eighth consecutive year, it will be the job of House Republicans to hold the fort against an exorbitant request and lead the way with fiscal policy that spends responsibly and funds the core functions of government while keeping the future in mind.”
Representative Jim Rigby
71st Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
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