Brown Votes to Finish the 2015-16 State Budget
HARRISBURG – As Pennsylvania’s schools, hospitals, child advocacy centers and agriculture programs continue to be among those in most urgent need of state funding, Rep. Rosemary M. Brown (R-Monroe/Pike) voted in favor of another budget plan to complete the 2015-16 state budget on Wednesday.
“As I talk with people throughout the area about the ongoing state budget situation, they question how we can possibly start the coming year’s budget process when the current year’s budget isn’t done yet,” Brown explained. “That’s what today’s proposal seeks to do, complete the 2015-16 budget. No responsible debates can occur about next year’s budget until this one is finished.”
House Bill 1801 funds items that were cut by Gov. Tom Wolf as part of his Dec. 29 line-item veto without the broad-based tax increase the governor continues to demand. It notably restores more than $3 billion in funding for basic education vetoed by the governor. The total state investment in basic education increases by $200 million over last year to a record $5.93 billion.
“Today marks the fourth attempt by the House of Representatives to pass a complete state budget,” Brown explained. “I am extremely hopeful the governor accepts this effort so we can finally move forward.”
The plan spends $30.031 billion, which equates to a $872.6 million increase over 2014-15, about a 3 percent increase. It spends $238 million less than
House Bill 1460, the budget plan which the governor vetoed portions of in December. This plan spends within revenues that are available and does not rely on new taxes.
Brown’s video comments are available at
YouTube.com/RepBrown. For more information about this or any state-related issue, contact Brown’s district office in East Stroudsburg located at 143 Seven Bridge Road, by calling 570-420-8301. Information can also be found on online at
RepBrown.com or
Facebook.com/RepRosemaryBrown.
Representative Rosemary M. Brown
189th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Krisinda Corbin
717.705.2032
KCorbin@pahousegop.com
RepBrown.com /
Facebook.com/RepRosemaryBrown