Feb. 04, 2025
HARRISBURG – Rep. Donna Scheuren (R-Montgomery) provided the following statement after Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget address this afternoon:
“Today, we heard both some promising ideas and some concerning proposals from Gov. Josh Shapiro during his budget address. While I support funding that addresses career and technical education programs, our veterans, emergency services and new cadet classes for the Pennsylvania State Police, I heard nothing about addressing or eliminating fraud and wasteful spending.
“My No. 1 concern with the governor's budget proposal is a 7.5% increase in spending compared to last year. Projected revenues do not increase enough to match this spending, nor will his hail Mary of legalizing marijuana get us there either, so Gov. Shapiro has once again proposed to drain our surplus. This time, however, the drain will see our surpluses fully depleted by the end of the 2025-26 fiscal year, putting Pennsylvania in a dire fiscal spot.
“To help alleviate his 7.5% increase, the governor proposes taking $1.6 billion from the Rainy Day Fund, which is only supposed to be touched during major emergencies. Draining this fund doesn’t just put Pennsylvania at the fiscal cliff - it takes us right over it.
“While there are programs and some spending I can support in this budget, the increases are too high, and we still spend too much on programs that do not work. Therefore, in its current form, I cannot support this budget proposal. If Harrisburg attacked fraud and inefficiency with greater vigor, there would be more money for programs everyone wants to support. Unfortunately, we cannot elevate Pennsylvania to new heights simply by spending our savings without creating new revenue.”