Area Lawmakers React to House Passing the State Budget

Patch Staff Report

Whether Tuesday's vote in the state House of Representatives to approve the $27.3-billion state budget plan is viewed as "prioritized spending … responsible spending" or as inflicting "excruciating pain" on the commonwealth's "most vulnerable citizens" seems split clearly along party lines.

The budget passed the House by a vote of 109-92. The bill now goes to the state Senate, which is expected to restore some of the cuts made by the House. The budget is required by law to be adopted by June 30.

The House Democrats stood firm against the Republican budget, which they say would include $976 million in cuts to basic education funding, nearly $300 million in cuts to higher education and about $500 million in cuts to health care and human service programs for women, children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and the chronically ill. They claim the state is sitting on unexpected tax revenues of more than $1 billion.

Republicans, who control both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly by large margins, as well as the Governor's office, have a different viewpoint.

House Majority Leader Mike Turzai said that the budget, which includes no tax increase, represents a 3-percent reduction in spending compared to the current budget that was supplemented by nearly $3 billion in federal stimulus dollars. The House budget restores more than a half-billion dollars to basic and higher education, which was reduced in Gov. Tom Corbett's budget plan, Turzai said.

State Rep. John Maher, R-Upper St. Clair Township, was one of the Republicans who voted in favor of the budget bill.

Here is what area legislators who represent some of the communities covered by local Patch sites have to say about Tuesday's vote:

, D-, 38th District (includes parts of Baldwin Borough)

State Rep. William C. Kortz II voted against the House Republican-proposed budget bill, H.B. 1485, citing drastic cuts to local school districts, the University of Pittsburgh and services for children, women and seniors.

"Corbett's original proposal to cut education by $1.6 billion was shocking to say the least, and while this amended version reinstates some funding for K-12 education, this proposal will still devastate our schools," Kortz said. "The House majority Republican budget plan would cut public-school funding by $976 million, including $159 million, or 61 percent, for Accountability Block Grants, which helps schools offer full-day kindergarten and other early education programs."

Corbett said that higher education is also facing a drastic cut in the House Republican budget. Funding for the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University would be slashed by 25 percent. State support for California University, Slippery Rock University, Clarion University and all 14 schools in the state higher-education system would be cut by $245 million. Students at state schools could face a $600 tuition increase to make up for the loss in state funding.

"These cuts are absolutely devastating and will still result in school program cuts, layoffs, increased property taxes and increased tuition bills," Kortz said. "Attacking the budget crisis by slashing the education of our children and putting their future in peril is callous, shocking and simply unacceptable."

"House Bill 1485 is a step backwards for Pennsylvania," Kortz said. "Our children will become the collateral damage from these draconian cuts to education."  

Further, Kortz said that the governor and House Republicans refuse to tap available revenue streams that would prevent these looming education cuts, layoffs, tuition increases, property tax increases and forced school closures.

Included in that is the $506 million in unexpected revenue, which is expected to grow to $1 billion in the next budget year.

"Additionally, between the governor's new $2 billion Liberty Loan Program WAM fund, a refusal to consider a tax on Marcellus Shale gas drilling and a refusal to close monstrous tax loopholes, this budget is just a big break to big business on the backs of working Pennsylvanians and children," Kortz said. "This budget hurts children. It is very bad policy and just plain wrong."

, D-Brookline (Pittsburgh), 22nd District (includes and parts of )

"As Pennsylvania families and seniors work to dig out of the recession, the worst since the Great Depression, these irresponsible actions by the leadership in Harrisburg are going to knock taxpayers back down," state Rep. Chelsa Wagner said. "This budget could cause irreversible damage to local taxpayers and local governments for years to come.

"I take that job very seriously, and that is why I could not vote for a budget that hurts working families, balancing the budget on their backs, while, at the same time, giving a free ride to natural-gas drillers," she said.

Wagner said that funding for Pittsburgh Public Schools has been cut by $26.6 million, or 14.7 percent; the has been cut by $1.2 million, or 12.4 percent; and the Keystone Oaks School District has been cut by $630,082, or 12 percent.

Wagner said that it is irresponsible of both Corbett and the House Republicans to ignore $1 billion in unexpected tax revenues, which should be providing relief to Pennsylvania families.

"We would be wise to use the surplus dollars to restore funding to our public schools, public universities (and) health care and human-services programs so we can avoid local tax increases," Wagner said.

The Revenue Department reported recently that through 10 months of the current fiscal year, the state has collected $506 million more than the original estimate, compared to Corbett's estimated year-end figure of $78 million.

Wagner said that not only is that $506 million available for use in the budget now being prepared, but the increase in revenue collection this year establishes a higher base to use in projecting state revenue for the next budget year. In effect, the "unexpected" revenue that comes in this year becomes "expected" revenue for next year.

She said that she also opposed this budget because it did not establish a severance tax on gas drillers in Pennsylvania, an immense untapped source of revenue that could fully support many of the programs currently on the chopping block. 

"I have strongly advocated for a responsible severance tax to be levied on the drilling industry," Wagner said. "We cannot continue to grant these drilling companies a free ride in Pennsylvania when a severance tax would provide much-needed revenue for the Commonwealth, not only to support the communities where drilling is most prevalent but to support programs for residents all across the state."

Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods Borough, 28th District

"It is prioritized spending, it is responsible spending, and it does not increase taxes, it does not borrow and it will be done on time," Turzai said.

"Under the House budget, K-12 (basic) education would receive a $210 million net funding increase when compared to the governor's budget," he said. “The proposal would allot $100 million for the Accountability Block Grant program that provides school districts with flexible funding often used for pre-kindergarten, full-day kindergarten and tutoring programs. The House budget also gives an historic investment of state dollars to the Basic Education Funding line item, as it redirects an additional $100 million back into the fund.

"The House budget also restores substantial funding for higher education—an additional $387 million. The House budget invests $4.2 billion for medical assistance benefits, $1.3 billion for programs serving children and $2.1 billion for mental health and mental retardation services. 

"The House budget identifies savings within (the Department of Public Welfare) by instituting co-pays for transportation programs and adjusting child care program co-payments, increased use of generic drugs, and the implementation of new welfare reform legislation that will reduce fraud and abuse in medical assistance programs."

Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont Borough, 33rd District

"This Republican budget is driven by ideology and is a direct assault on middle-class families," said Democratic House leader Frank Dermody. "It will inflict excruciating pain on women, children, the elderly, the disabled and the chronically ill. And it will shift the burden to local property taxpayers, many of whom are already just scraping by to keep their homes."

Joe Markosek, D-Monroeville, 25th District

"When we have $1 billion available, there is no rational reason for choosing to make Pennsylvania's working and middle-class families suffer when we can avoid much of the pain in this Republican budget," said Joe Markosek, Democratic chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. "This is a crystal-clear example of extreme ideology run amok, and it's an embarrassment to the people of this commonwealth."

Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry Township, 12th District

On the "Metcalfe Minute" video featured earlier this week on his website, state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe said that he was in favor of the budget, which was proposed by the House Republican majority.

While the plan maintains Corbett's bottom line, it shifts money earmarked for public welfare programs to public education. In his "Metcalfe Minute," Metcalfe said that he applauded Corbett's spending projections because of its reduction to government spending.

"Our budget stays within those same spending limits the governor had set in his proposal, although it re-prioritizes the spending," he said in the video.

Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane Township, 48th District

State Rep. Brandon Neuman said that he voted "no" to the budget bill on Tuesday in part because of the steep cuts in education funding. Neuman said that he hopes that the state Senate will "see this bill can do more harm than help."

"I voted no mostly because the budget puts an unnecessary burden on schools, local property owners and even our youth," he said. "I believe we should be investing in our future, which is our kids. Instead, the budget calls for cuts in education with no goal to make education better. If education is our top priority, then we should have a goal to make it better."

Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, 42nd District

"I rejected the House GOP budget because decreased education investment and unsubstantiated claims of savings will harm a generation of Pennsylvania's children while taking no real measure toward fiscal responsibility," said state Rep. Matt Smith.

"The House Republican budget is constructed on a faulty foundation. Their estimated $460 million in unsubstantiated savings have been questioned by Corbett's Republican (Department of Public Welfare) Secretary Gary Alexander and Budget Secretary Charles Zogby. Rather than hoarding the 2010-11 tax revenue that exceeds previous projections, we need to use the funds to fully invest in pre-K, full-day kindergarten, basic education and higher education. Research consistently demonstrates that investments in education represent one of the best returns on that investment for taxpayers."

Jesse White, D-, 46th District

State Rep. Jesse White said that a budget bill that passed the House on Tuesday contains cuts that will raise local taxes and disproportionally hurt middle-class Pennsylvanians.

White said that he voted against the budget bill, which cuts funding for public education by nearly $1 billion and has forced nearly every school in his legislative district to cut critical programs and raise school property taxes. He said that the Legislature should use an estimated $1 billion in surplus tax revenue for the 2011-12 budget to restore public education cuts and help avoid local tax increases.

"Pennsylvanians do not want their hard-earned tax dollars stashed away in reserves for a later day. It is beyond comprehension why we are not giving this money back to the taxpayers and using it to avoid property tax increases. I understand we have to spend within our means and we have to cut the fat, but we can't expect working families, seniors and children to bear the brunt of this burden alone, which is what will happen if these cuts are not restored," White said.

"What does it say about our priorities when education is cut across the board, yet the governor allocates more increases for the Department of Corrections and Public Welfare?" White asked. "It's absolutely mind-boggling that the governor and House Republicans refuse to use the $1 billion surplus or close tax loopholes for large corporations. Yet, they feel no shame in cutting programs that middle-class families and seniors rely upon every day."

Tony DeLuca, D-Penn Hills, 32nd District

"I find this budget very offensive to the working middle-class men and women, and children," state Rep. Tony DeLuca said. "I understand we need to make cuts and need to be responsible, but I think they're trying to balance this budget on the most vulnerable citizens."

DeLuca is concerned that the budget cuts early intervention education programs, leaving school districts to either raise taxes or to cut programs, and includes a $5.9-million cut to autism services and other cuts to trauma services and medical assistance. At the same time, he said that there are "tremendous" tax breaks for businesses.

"We'll be the only state in the country that doesn't tax Marcellus Shale (drilling)," DeLuca said, noting polls that say that 75 percent of citizens favor such a tax.

Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills Borough, 43rd Senatorial District

State Sen. Jay Costa, Senate Democratic floor leader, said in a statement on Tuesday night that the "real work" can begin now that the vote is done.

"The House Republican budget is just a toned-down version of Corbett's slash-and-burn budget," Costa said. "I look forward to working with Republicans in the Senate to make significant changes to bring about a final state budget which reflects responsible spending without neglecting our responsibility to those Pennsylvanians who rely on us to be their voice in the legislature."

Costa went on to say that House Republicans began to "back away" from their own legislation earlier in the week before a vote was taken. Costa also reflected that during floor debate in the House, Rep. Turzai urged those who disagreed with the GOP plan to propose an alternative.

"Republicans have acknowledged that key Democratic sticking points deserve further attention, and it is time to act by making substantial restorations to education funding, using a portion of this year's revenue surplus to restore critical programs, implementing a fair Marcellus Shale revenue plan and protecting and preserving the Tobacco Settlement Fund for the purpose it was intended," Costa said.

"The sensible budget alternatives, which we have outlined in our $1.14-billion savings plan, along with our PA Works plan to make significant investments in job creation and training, will not only save money; they will allow the commonwealth to proceed on a course toward growth and progress."

Costa said that those plans would strengthen the economy and help the state to emerge from a current recession.

"We want Pennsylvania to be at the head of the pack when measured against other states," he said. "We will not allow a budget which undermines our investments in education and economic growth. We will not let a short-sighted approach set us back."

Rep. Nick Kotik, D-Robinson Township, 45th District

State Rep. Nick Kotik is especially concerned about the future of some of the poorer school districts in his area. Kotik thinks that districts such as Sto-Rox and Carlynton will be forced into impossible decisions that will negatively affect their students.

"It's much more than just party lines," Kotik said. "They really hurt a lot of the poor school districts in my area, and they're going to go belly up. And none of the other districts are going to take these kids, so what's going to happen to them?"

He thinks that, if some of them are not able to cut costs or to merge with other districts, they will be forced to go into distress, forcing a state-takeover that will prompt higher taxes and massive layoffs. His only hope is that the Republican-controlled Senate will take a "more even-handed approach" and put the brakes on some of the most painful school cuts.

"We have a lot of hopes that the Senate is going to change a lot of things. I think the Senate is going to make adjustments because what the House Republicans did was take it out of public welfare under the guise of waste and abuse."