Feb. 05, 2019
HARRISBURG – Following the governor’s budget address for the 2019-20 fiscal year to the Pennsylvania General Assembly this morning, Reps. Fred Keller (R-Snyder/Union), Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-Northumberland/Snyder), and Kurt Masser (R-Northumberland/Columbia/Montour) offered their thoughts:
“This is just the first step in the annual budget process, and there is a long road ahead,” said Keller, who serves as secretary of the House Appropriations Committee. “The governor’s presentation was short on details, and we all know the details are what’s important when you’re talking about how we spend our taxpayers’ money. This budget proposal appears to hike spending by at least 4 percent over the current year’s budget and pays for it with one-time revenues and unproven assumptions. That approach is both unwise and unsustainable.”
“Investing in Pennsylvania seemed to be the main theme of the governor’s speech, from workforce development to early childhood education and school safety, as well as combatting the opioid epidemic, and investing in and supporting farmers and agriculture,” said Culver. “He also talked about streamlining our government to make it work more efficiently and offered a hopeful, positive message by promising no new taxes. However, I’m eager to work with my colleagues and the governor over the next few months to ensure this budget, which is the largest ever proposed, spends within our means.”
“I’m pleased the governor did not propose any broad-based tax increases,” said Masser. “I’m also happy to hear that he is interested in programs we have been talking about for a while. Workforce development, career and technical education, and career readiness are issues we agree should deserve attention. We have work to do to ensure taxpayer money is spent wisely to promote a robust economy that leads to family-sustaining jobs.”
You can listen to more reaction from the Republican caucus by visiting
pahousegop.com/budget2019.
Representative Lynda Schlegel Culver
108th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
LyndaCulver.com /
Facebook.com/RepCulver
Representative Kurt Masser
107th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
RepMasser.com /
Facebook.com/RepMasser
Representative Fred Keller
85th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
RepFredKeller.com
Media Contact: House Republican Communications Department
717.787.3993