Apr. 04, 2017
HARRISBURG - The state House today took the latest step in passing a spending plan for the 2017-18 fiscal year by approving
House Bill 218, the General Fund appropriations portion of the state budget. The bill may now be taken up by the state Senate.
Members of the Adams and York County House Republican delegation, state Reps. Seth Grove (R-Dover), Dawn Keefer (R-Dillsburg), Kate Klunk (R-Hanover), Dan Moul
(R-Gettysburg), Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York Township) and Will Tallman (R-Abbottstown), issued the following statement upon passage of the legislation:
“Harrisburg must change its way of thinking and conducting business, and this key piece of legislation is the result of this new mindset. We applaud our York County colleague, House Appropriations Committee Majority Chairman Stan Saylor, for leading the way with his approach to the recently completed budget hearings, which contributed greatly to the product we endorsed today.
“House Bill 218 reflects a much-needed slimming down of state government by spending less than both its 2016-17 counterpart and the 2017-18 budget proposal of Gov. Tom Wolf. It is not dependent on tax increases or issuance of additional debt. The legislation also sets yet another record in the amount of money sent to our public schools through use of a funding formula for which we fought – one that continues to make amends for years of underfunding of schools in southcentral Pennsylvania.
“We agree with the approach taken in dealing with specific departments and agencies of state government. In particular, we approve of the proposal to cut in half support for the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. To say this group has overstepped its bounds is an understatement. The commission’s irresponsible conduct has put severe pressure on the budgets of our municipalities and their residents. Slashing their funding source is just the start of what we have planned for the commission.
“The lack of support House Bill 218 received from our Democrat colleagues is surprising, considering Gov. Wolf is the source of many of the concepts that were used to reduce spending. That being said, we hope our Senate colleagues will act quickly on this legislation and move it to the governor’s desk for his signature.
“Granted, this step in the process usually occurs in the latter days of June. Today, we are continuing a new way of doing business in the General Assembly and hope our Senate colleagues will follow suit.”
York County House Republican Delegation
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Scott Little
717.260.6137
slittle@pahousegop.com