A group of Republican state House members proposed what they are calling the “Taxpayer’s Budget” to close the state’s $2.2 billion budget gap without increasing taxes.
According to the Patriot News, the plan relies on moving over $1.2 billion from 41 special accounts.
“Until and unless every source of reserve revenue is exhausted, we should not and are not asking more of our taxpayers. We’re simply doing what we should be doing: serving as good stewards of their hard-earned tax dollars,” State Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams) said according to the Patriot News.
The plan will likely peak at 80 to 90 votes in the House, if it comes to a vote, giving the plan a majority of the majority. Some say that having that support could give the plan greater influence going forward in negotiations.
Governor Tom Wolf has come out against the plan.
“This is not complicated. These funds support essential commonwealth programs. If the money is not there, every Pennsylvanian will be negatively impacted,” Wolf’s spokesman J.J. Abbott said in a statement.
2 Responses
Claiming that this won’t affect any state programs reveals anyone who says that either to be completely incompetent, having no understanding of a critical aspect of the workings of state government, or a liar.
Agreed. I am familiar with two of the listed funds and cleaning them out will definitely affect State programs and may result in furloughs. The one account is NOT funded with tax dollars!!