For Immediate Release
6/20/07

CONTACT:

Dave Atkinson
(717) 787-6535

Senator Armstrong - Floor Remarks - Senate Budget Passage

The budget before us well reflects the interests of Pennsylvania taxpayers and the fiscal constraints facing our Commonwealth.

This budget sets state spending at slightly more than $27 billion, a conservative 2.7% increase.  This uncommonly low level of spending erases the prospect of any tax increase this year.  And it prevents creating a deficit that would require a tax increase next year.

To accomplish this, we have taken a tough approach to spending.  This package comes in at 1% lower than what the Governor sought to spend.  Costly new or expanded programs are nowhere to be found.  There are cuts made in selected programs and personnel lines.  This budget forgoes the traditional restoration of items the Governor refused to fund.  And it is absent legislative discretionary money.

But in terms of the core functions of state government, we have in key places directed additional resources.  The story of this budget is what it includes, as much as what it does not.  It includes significant increases for basic and special education.  It includes necessary and deserved COLAs for MH/MR and human services workers.  It includes funding for child welfare.  It includes money to help prevent health-care-related infections.  It is not a heartless budget, by any means.  It is a responsible budget, by every measure.  For veterans, for seniors, for farmers, for families, for children, commitments made in the past are commitments kept under this plan.

If the Governor disagrees with some of the reductions we have made, his suggestions on alternative reductions are welcome.  But there is a cautionary note needed here.  Earlier this year, the Appropriations Committee held a special hearing on the proposed education budget.  The Education Secretary was pushing hard for a series of new programs and spending increases, and he was asked what of the old stuff could be cut to compensate.  The answer quickly came back – not a nickel was dispensable.  No Pennsylvanian believes every single dollar is vital and well spent, in education or any other area of state effort.

Maybe the Governor has a good idea in the Pre-K Counts.  But to pay for it, something else would have to be reduced or eliminated, and there have been no volunteers offered up.  To tap one-time sources, such as the Rainy Day Fund, would set up a deficit and tax increase trap for next year.  We cannot agree to that. 

Protecting every dollar of spending from previous budgets, giving big ticket increases to big programs, and constantly adding new programs, this is the traditional recipe for growing state government and sparking tax increases.  We have approached the business of budgeting differently this year, and we have produced a budget far different from the standard spending-driven state budget.

There are things each of us would like to add to the budget, for our districts or for favorable causes.  But the economic reality does not change – we cannot begin to afford to pack in all the spending wishes out there.  To try would mean increasing taxes, infuriating taxpayers, and knocking another hole in the state economy.  We are pledged not to do that.

I want to acknowledge the terrific cooperation from Republicans and Democrats in the Senate in negotiating and shaping this budget.  The commentators too easily chalk up budget differences to partisanship.  So far, that is simply not true in the state Senate.

This document will not be encouraging to the groups seeking additional state funding for a variety of purposes.  But it will be greatly encouraging to the taxpayers who have long wanted to see fiscal restraint be a reality, not just rhetoric.

By our action today, we keep alive the opportunity for putting a responsible, restrained, and realistic state budget in place by the deadline.