Rapp Votes to Override Budget Veto Withholding Money from Schools, Human Services Agencies
HARRISBURG – Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren/Crawford/Forest) today voted with the majority of her Republican colleagues to override vital portions of the state budget vetoed by the governor that would deliver needed funding to schools and human services agencies. Unfortunately, a two-thirds supermajority, which is needed in order to override the governor’s veto, was not attained.
“We are just about two months into the new fiscal year with no budget adopted,” said Rapp. “Many of our human service agencies, including those that provide rape crisis and domestic violence services, cancer screening services, services to children with special needs, and community-based health services, are operating on fumes at this point with some reducing services and taking out loans in order to meet their clients’ needs. Thousands of citizens across the state could be negatively impacted by this lack of funding and we are simply trying to make sure no one who needs help is turned away or shortchanged due the current budget impasse.”
Gov. Tom Wolf chose to veto the entire state budget at the end of June after receiving a balanced, on-time budget approved by both the state House and Senate. Approximately two-thirds of the budget presented to the governor contained the same funding allocations he proposed in his budget, yet he vetoed the entire package.
“The overrides we attempted today were for the lines in the budget that both the General Assembly and the governor agreed upon,” said Rapp. “I do not understand why our Democrat colleagues in the House actively stood in the way of approving funding for children with special needs when we agree with the amount we want to provide them. Today’s actions were disappointing to say the least.”
Rapp also noted that many school districts need funding to provide transportation and food services for students, in addition to non-public schools in need of money to purchase textbooks for students to start school. Without the override veto, all these schools are put in a precarious position.
“The fact is we are continuing to try and negotiate with the governor to come to a budget compromise on the handful of items where there is wide disagreement,” said Rapp. “However, in the meantime, we have vital human services agencies and schools in need of funding to continue operations. Our most vulnerable citizens deserve better than to be used as pawns in a political game. They deserve to be taken care of with the funding we all agree they should have.”
Representative Kathy Rapp
65th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Ty McCauslin
tmccausl@pahousegop.com
RepRapp.com