Harper Urges Governor to Release Emergency Funds for Human Services, Schools, PHEAA Grants
HARRISBURG – In another attempt to get state funding out to the agencies and organizations that need it to continue serving taxpayers, Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) today voted in favor of legislation providing emergency state funds through the end of October.
She called on Gov. Tom Wolf to release these funds by signing the bills into law as soon as possible.
Click Here to watch Rep. Harper’s comments.
“The legislation passed today would get emergency funding out to the people who need it the most,” Harper said. “This includes parents of children in nonpublic schools waiting for textbooks, rape crisis centers and those who take care of people with intellectual disabilities. The treasury has the money. All we are talking about is releasing some of the money now so that these agencies that do important work and these schools are not hurt by the budget negotiations.”
The measures passed by the House on Thursday would provide approximately one-third of the fiscal year’s funding to various agencies, departments and organizations. The emergency funding bill also would allow $24.3 billion in federal dollars to reach their intended recipients, and higher education grants and county child welfare would receive 50 percent of their anticipated funding for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
“There is absolutely no logical reason the governor should veto this emergency funding, although he has threatened to do so,” Harper said. “We all know we need to get a full budget done, but in the meantime, no one should be holding these people hostage. Many schools, agencies and organizations are facing a real emergency. They need this funding now.”
The state has been without a budget since June 30, when Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the balanced, no-tax-increase plan approved by the General Assembly. In August, Harper and fellow Republicans attempted to override the governor’s veto of several individual line items to deliver funding to schools and human service agencies, but the efforts failed along party lines.
The governor is continuing to push a proposal that would increase state spending and taxes by nearly $5 billion this fiscal year and more than $12 billion over the next two years. His plan would impose a 20 percent increase in the state income tax, as well as a 10 percent increase in the sales tax rate. He also plans to apply the sales tax to hundreds of additional products and services, including everything from diapers to caskets and day care to long-term care. Additionally, the tax would apply to fees paid by people living in continuing care retirement communities in the area.
“What the governor is proposing would amount to the largest tax increase in the Commonwealth’s history,” Harper said. “That’s not a good direction for our state or our taxpayers. We have to adopt a budget that is affordable and respectful to the people who pay for it."
Representative Kate Harper
61st District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Rep. Harper’s Blue Bell Office
610.277.3230
KateHarper.net /
Facebook.com/RepKateHarper
kharper@pahousegop.com