Feb. 05, 2019
HARRISBURG – Members of the Adams-York House Republican delegation - Reps. Torren Ecker (R-Abbottstown), Keith Gillespie (R-Hellam), Seth Grove (R-Dover), Mike Jones (R-York Township), Dawn Keefer (R-Dillsburg), Kate Klunk (R-Hanover) and Dan Moul (R-Gettysburg) – issued this statement in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2019-20 budget proposal, which calls for $1.4 billion in increased spending:
“As always, a Pennsylvania governor’s budget address is a wish list for the upcoming fiscal year. It is a starting point in budget negotiations, which will continue next week as the House Appropriations Committee - led by our colleague, Majority Chairman Stan Saylor of York County – begins a deeper dive into Gov. Wolf’s proposal.
“We appreciate the governor recognizing the need to further invest in career and technical training, expanding opportunities for our youth.
“Each of us considers regulatory and tax reforms a must if we are to grow Pennsylvania’s economy, and we agree with his proposal to reduce the Corporate Net Income Tax. Agriculture is big business in Adams and York counties, and his new ag initiatives are welcome news to our farmers.
“However, the question of how to pay for these proposals should always be asked. The governor wants to increase spending by 4.2 percent and is relying heavily on borrowing and debt to accomplish this goal. We are also concerned by the extreme shift of funding outside of the General Fund and the impact that will have on transparency and accountability. Furthermore, the governor’s desire to increase the minimum wage goes against an Independent Fiscal Office report that says doing so would result in the loss of 33,000 jobs.
“The upcoming Appropriations Committee hearings will examine the fiscal viability of his proposal. Pennsylvania has begun to turn around its economic ‘ship,’ and our policies must not allow us to stray from that course.”
York County Republican Delegation
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Scott Little
717.260.6137
slittle@pahousegop.com