Budget Addresses Commonwealth’s Top Priorities, Toepel Says
HARRISBURG – Rep. Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery) joined the bipartisan majority of her colleagues in voting for a $31.55 billion 2016-17 state budget that would dedicate greater funding to the Commonwealth’s education needs and address its structural deficit, absent any broad-based taxes.
“With the bipartisan vote supporting the budget, we are one step closer to enacting a plan that would work to close the Commonwealth’s structural deficit and increase education funding,” Toepel said. “Both of these achievements would be more impressive because they would not partner with broad-based taxes.”
Pennsylvania’s structural deficit – the amount of money owed as a result of the difference between income and expenditures that remains even when the economy is doing well – is currently more than $1 billion.
The $245 million education funding increase includes $200 million for basic education, $25 million for Pre-K Counts and $20 million for special education. The Public School Employees’ Retirement System will also receive an increase of $345 million, which is the state’s actuarial required contribution, to avoid adding to the structural deficit.
Locally, school districts in the 147th District would receive an increase in excess of $1.4 million for the benefit of Montgomery County students.
“While this is certainly not a perfect budget, it attacks two key issues: the financial need of our students and Pennsylvania’s structural deficit that, left alone, threatens to foist many consequences on our taxpayers,” Toepel added. “By addressing these issues, we are better positioning Pennsylvania for the future, and I believe this is the best outcome that we can expect given our divided government.”
Representative Marcy Toepel
147th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Alison Evans
717.260.6206
aevans@pahousegop.com
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