Jun. 27, 2015
HARRISBURG – Rep. Tom Quigley (R-Montgomery) today voted to save Pennsylvania taxpayers from any tax increases—including the $4.7 billion in new taxes proposed by the governor—while also increasing education funding at all levels.
Limiting the growth of government, the budget proposal includes sustainable spending with a 3.6 percent increase over last year’s budget.
“With the money we have available, not money that doesn’t exist without taking it from our hard-working citizens’ paychecks, we have prioritized education funding,” Quigley said. “The proposal even restores $2.1 million of funding for mobile science and math education program that the governor eliminated.”
The budget proposal increases funding for basic education, Pre-K Counts, Headstart, special education and higher education. It fully funds the school employee retirement contribution payments.
So school employee retirement contribution payments can continue to be paid in future budgets without financially overwhelming Commonwealth residents, House Republicans are prioritizing pension reform.
Senate Bill 1, which is expected to be voted on within the next couple of days, would establish a hybrid defined contribution/cash balance retirement benefit plan for state and school employees hired on or after July 1, 2016. Legislators would be moved into the new pension system upon re-election while current employees’ benefits will not be adjusted.
“Giving pension reform our attention would help to ensure that Pennsylvania taxpayers can expect budgets without tax increases for years to come,” Quigley said. “With pensions demanding the lion share of education funding, achieving reform would allow us to dedicate more funding to education while avoiding tax increases.”
Representative Tom Quigley
146th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Alison Evans
717.260.6206
aevans@pahousegop.com
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