Metzgar Votes to Restore Agriculture Funding and Keep Schools Open
HARRISBURG – Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar (R-Somerset/Bedford) today voted to support House Bill 1801, legislation that restores $6 billion in cuts to schools, corrections, agriculture and other programs made by Gov. Tom Wolf when he line-item vetoed
House Bill 1460 in December. House Bill 1801 restores funding to agriculture, education and more, all without increasing taxes.
“This is a responsible vote that comes following four previous efforts to get a complete spending plan passed,” said Metzgar. “Last December, the governor used the line-item veto to cut funding to schools, agricultural research and extension programs to create so-called ‘leverage’ for tax increases. I call on the governor to do the right thing by the hard-working taxpayers in Pennsylvania and sign this supplemental budget to release the hostages and give Pennsylvanians the government services they have already paid for.”
House Bill 1801 includes a 7.8 percent increase in agricultural programs, notably in the areas of ag research, the Agricultural Land Scrip Fund, University of Pennsylvania veterinary activities and the Penn Center for Infectious Disease.
In addition, Metzgar said the supplemental budget contains an increase of $200 million in basic education and a 5 percent increase in higher education for an overall spending plan of $30.031 billion. This critical funding, when released, will enable school districts to remain open. Absent this funding, some school districts have stated that they will be forced to close before the end of the school year.
“The actions of the governor have jeopardized programs that serve our children, our farmers and all Pennsylvanians. The Legislature has been responsible in passing budget after budget to aid local and statewide social services and health programs. The time for stalling tactics from the governor’s office must end now,” said Metzgar.
The bill now goes to the governor’s desk for further action.
Representative Carl Walker Metzgar
69th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Raymond Smith
717.705.1834
rsmith@pahousegop.com
RepMetzgar.com