Feb. 08, 2022
HARRISBURG – Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter) issued the following statement in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s final state budget proposal outlined Tuesday before a joint session of the General Assembly:
“The governor has recently claimed credit for ‘a historic improvement of the state’s finances,’ but one look at today’s record-high budget proposal and it’s abundantly clear he has no clue about what fiscal responsibility really is. The only reason the state’s finances are in better shape than they were seven years ago is because House Republicans, year after year, stood firm against his plans to increase existing taxes, create new taxes and spend far beyond our means.
“Budgeting is not about spending every dollar available but looking to the future and being responsible with the taxpayers’ money. The governor and his supporters want to spend every dollar from the federal rescue funds received as a result of the pandemic, and they are banking on the continuation of inflated revenues brought about by the influx of federal funds. While the governor claims he will still be leaving a surplus for this successor, estimates by the nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office say otherwise.
“This budget proposal is not based in reality.”
The governor’s spending plan unveiled Tuesday is at $43.7 billion, the highest rate of spending ever proposed for the Commonwealth and an increase of $6.2 billion, or 16.6%, over the current year.
Representative Martin T. Causer
House Majority Policy Committee Chairman
67th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives