Causer Offers Update on PA Budget
HARRISBURG – The state House has approved a proposed 2016-17 state budget and sent it on to the Senate for consideration, Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) said today.
The $31.55 billion spending plan is the result of bipartisan budget negotiations among House and Senate Republicans and Democrats, as well as the governor’s office.
“Although I am concerned about the increased level of spending this proposal represents, it spends nearly $2 billion LESS than what the governor proposed back in February. For the second year in a row, we have been able to stop the governor’s extreme spending proposals and his efforts to significantly hike both income and sales taxes, and that is good news for the people I represent,” Causer said.
“After last year’s prolonged budget process, which negatively impacted schools and human services providers across the state, we are working hard to get a plan in place that all parties can support. I would like a budget that spends less, and many others would like a budget that spends more. The proposal passed by the House today represents a reasonable compromise, and I encourage the Senate and the administration to support it,” he added.
As passed by the House, the proposed budget would provide:
• $250 million more in funding for schools including a $200 million increase in Basic Education Funding, $20 million more for special education, $25 million more for Pre-K programs and $5 million more for Head Start.
• $15 million for the state’s fight against opioid abuse.
• Nearly $7 million for Critical Access Hospitals to support access to health care in rural areas.
• $2.5 million for the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
Senate Bill 1073 passed the House by a vote of 132-68 and now heads to the Senate.
Representative Martin T. Causer
67th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Patricia A. Hippler
phippler@pahousegop.com
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