Sep. 24, 2015
HARRISBURG – To ensure Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens who depend on imperative services to get the imperative funding they need, Rep. Harry Lewis Jr. (R-Chester) today voted to provide emergency state funding to social service providers and school districts as budget negotiations proceed.
The funding includes state appropriations amounting to $11 billion, retroactively to July 1 and carrying through to Oct. 31. In addition to four months (or 33.3 percent) of state aid based on House Bill 1192’s levels (which are higher than the 2014-15 state budget), the emergency funding bill allows $24.3 billion in federal dollars to reach their intended recipients, and PHEAA grants and county child welfare funding will be disbursed at 50 percent.
“There can be no excuses when directing this funding to our students, seniors, victims of crime and others who depend on these services. As this funding continues to sit unused in state accounts, our citizens are pointlessly suffering,” Lewis said. “All we need to help them is the governor’s signature.”
The emergency state funding package is based on recommended line items included in the original budget the General Assembly presented to the governor on June 30, with no new or increased taxes and appropriations higher than last fiscal year in many cases.
“Pennsylvania school districts are putting plans in place for their possible closure, and many organizations are making difficult decisions about how to provide services without any state funding,” Lewis said.
The General Assembly passed a balanced budget plan on June 30. Within the same hour, the governor vetoed the entire plan, even though 274 out of 401 line items were greater than or equal to what he requested. In August, the House attempted to override some of the governor’s vetoes – only including line items all parties agreed on – but the House Democrats blocked the votes.
Representative Harry Lewis
74th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Alison Evans
717.260.6206
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