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For Immediate Release
May 6, 2009
Contact: Sally Kohr
(717) 787-4651

Senator Alloway OP-ED: Senate Budget Proposal Faces Economic Reality 

As many families struggle through the recession, the state budget has been strained by an unprecedented decline in revenue. By the end of the state’s fiscal year in June, the budget deficit is projected to grow to an astonishing $3 billion. There are only two ways to deal with this crisis – raise taxes or cut government spending. Because a massive tax increase would cause a great deal of pain for families and businesses and likely prolong the recession, I strongly believe that the only honest and responsible alternative to deal with this shortfall is to cut government spending. 

I joined my colleagues today to vote for Senate Bill 850, a budget framework that recognizes the economic reality we face by forcing government to live within its means. The need for fiscal responsibility has never been greater, and the Senate Republican plan would balance the budget without the need for crippling tax increases on Pennsylvania families and businesses that could stunt job growth during a recovery. 

The responsibility to restrain spending begins in the General Assembly. The budget would cut spending in the House and Senate by 10 percent, and it would transfer $100 million in legislative reserves to the General Fund to help fund vital government programs and services. The budget plan would also reduce funding for the judicial branch by 10 percent and cut an additional five percent from the governor’s proposed funding for the state’s row offices.  

For the first time in decades, the state would spend less money than the previous year under Senate Bill 850. While state spending would be reduced by more than $400 million, all of the programs that are vital to public health and safety have been preserved in this spending plan, and federal stimulus funds would ensure that public education would be funded at the same level as 2008-09. This is a significant accomplishment in such a harsh budget year. I am hopeful that we can restore many of the other cuts to worthwhile programs in the future, but right now, we simply cannot afford to spend money we don’t have. 

When hardworking Pennsylvanians are faced with serious economic hardships, they have to make tough choices. They have to deal with changing circumstances in the present with an eye toward planning for the future. We cannot afford to put these tough choices off for another year. The longer we wait to deal with this problem, the more serious it becomes. With our state facing dire economic circumstances, the time has come for us to make those tough choices by approving short-term sacrifices to help reap long-term rewards.