Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Marcel Groen had strong words about the state House GOP’s budget proposal during a press call.
“They presented a budget that is immoral and nonsensical in every sense of the word,” Groen said during the call.
Groen focused his message on the cuts contained within the GOP’s budget and the effects it would have on Pennsylvania.
“These cuts are wrong and an absolute blow to the safety of our citizens and the health and wellbeing of our citizens, law enforcement community, and veterans,” Groen said in a statement after the call.
The cuts the Democrats are focusing on are to veterans outreach programs, programs fighting the opioid epidemic, the Inspector General’s office, and law enforcement programs.
“This budget will be a significant issue during next year’s election,” Groen said during the call.
Groen pushed for Governor Tom Wolf’s proposals to increase revenue, including his push for a severance tax.
The House GOP pushed back, pointing to the need to rearrange funding because of the shortfall of tax revenues.
“While we accepted the governor’s proposed cuts to programs and agencies, we looked to reinvent PA and didn’t want to fund the bureaucracy in Harrisburg at the expense of program dollars in communities. So we remained cognizant of shifting money from Harrisburg to our communities in need,” House Republican spokesman Stephen Miskin said in an email.
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10 Responses
Governor Wolf you have satiated the State Democrat Party with your re-election staff being paid by the state party funds. This staff does nothing but work on your re-election campaign. Is that backdoor bypassing State and Federal Election laws? Geez never mind we all know you backdoor all kinds of laws and special friend deals. Wolf is a rat.
Budgets that fail to create a viable climate for people to exist and prosper must be a priority for Democrats. This is because the Republican elite are a party of pretentious posturing about individual rights while their policies strip the communities of jobs and hope and the bare essentials to reverse their decline.
Some Republicans (too many) profess to be a business party while at the same time doing little to spur job training or creating businesses by investment in infrastructure or a great statewide school system, both of these would create a business friendly environment. To build new business taxes are less important than a ready work force, proper roads and infrastructure support for new ventures.
The Republican bottom line is the less people in PA the less they have to pay taxes to help. This is counter productive to commerce but gives the appearance of protecting the wealth of those have it. It is more about those who no longer deem investment and growth as important.
The falsity is that business fairs better when government cannot operate and has to borrow and pay the bills later. Republicans let our pensions be unfunded.
If PA cannot raise taxes (their credo) then it is OK to make others leave their homes and move to other states. In this process we are also dooming our own children and those who retire here to second class budgeting based on electing sloganeering cartoon characters instead of solid legislative people to many of our legislative districts.
It’s frustrating that these redneck GOPers from “Flyover PA” hold the rest of the state hostage. They are so ugly.
Flyover GOP voters want the same thing as Seneca, to hurt people who don’t look or vote the same color as them.
Republicans are not used to playing defense and are lousy at it. There are plenty of people in Pennsylvania’s “fly over” country who would hate to see their check go away.
“This budget will be a significant issue during next year’s election.” Definitely, Mr. Groen. In Pennsylvania’s “flyover country” people this will certainly be something legislators can cite in re-election. Of course, in this case their constituents approve, and would even approve further cuts. And while people in the Democrats’ urban strongholds might be energized by budget rhetoric, they are actually driven by what their politicians can get out of state government. In this case, they aren’t getting what they wished, and legislators for these areas, mostly Democrats, are worried that the unhappiness in their base will translate into disapproval at the polls.
Chris-
Fortunately, there are efforts underway to sidestep the HDCC and state party to find and fund candidates for the house seats that are often unopposed.
Elf on a Shelf-
Yep.
gulag-
Translation: We don’t want to tax the frackers who donate to our campaigns.
Is spending thousands of dollars on uber also immoral?
Marcel’s right. Unfortunately, the state party’s solution as always will involve being overly selective and financially assisting only those candidates deemed “viable” in competitive districts. I.e., they won’t help the candidates who need additional fundraising and they’ll win a nominal number of seats, if any.
GOP explanation is a hoot, as no money is being shifted and GOP has no track record of reinventing anything. Look at the asinine monstrosity that came from their effort to reinvent Obamacare. GOP spokesman sounds like a poor man’s Sean Spicer comedy routine.