Dec. 11, 2017
HARRISBURG – The House today passed legislation authored by Rep. Ryan Warner (R-Fayette/Westmoreland) to limit state budget increases through the Taxpayer Protection Act.
“This legislation is another step in the right direction to fixing the Commonwealth’s broken budget process,” Warner said. “I have opposed the past two budgets due to excessive spending increases which were dependent on borrowing and mortgaging our future. This bill will help bring spending under control. Since 1970, total government spending, even when adjusted for inflation, has increased 85 percent.”
House Bill 110 would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to establish spending limits that the Commonwealth must abide by each fiscal year. The proposed constitutional amendment would limit the rate at which the Commonwealth’s spending may increase based on the sum of the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index and population growth each year.
The legislation would need to be approved by the General Assembly in two consecutive sessions and then presented to Pennsylvania voters as a referendum before it could be enacted. Once established, this amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution could only be temporarily suspended at the request of the governor in specific cases of declared emergencies or to fund pension obligations by a 75 percent majority vote of the General Assembly.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
The 52nd Legislative District includes the city of Connellsville; Dawson, Dunbar, Everson, Perryopolis, Seven Springs, South Connellsville and Vanderbilt boroughs; Bullskin, Connellsville, Dunbar, Lower Tyrone, Menallen, North Union, Perry, Saltlick and Upper Tyrone townships in Fayette County, along with Scottdale Borough, and part of East Huntingdon Township in Westmoreland County.
Representative Ryan Warner
52nd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tracy Polovick
tpolovick@pahousegop.com
RepWarner.com /
Facebook.com/RepWarner