The Pennsylvania House of Representatives advanced an unagreed-to budget vehicle bill Monday, 14 days beyond the start of the current fiscal year.
In response, House Republican Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Fulton) said more needs to be done to get agreement from all parties while keeping in mind the need for fiscal responsibility and policy that significantly grows Pennsylvania’s economy.
“House Republicans have been consistent from the beginning of this process that this or any future budget will be unsustainable if we do not prioritize economic growth in our policymaking,” Topper said. “While I appreciate the House majority’s desire to move the budget process along, this current spending plan is not agreed to. It spends too much, and it does not do enough to grow our economy. I look forward to working over the coming days and weeks to negotiate an agreed-to budget that couples fiscal responsibility with economic growth so that our Commonwealth’s fiscal future is secured.”
House Republican Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) said the budget passed by the House today lacks the necessary details to be considered a final product.
“Today’s vote on House Bill 1330 as amended represents a step in the right direction toward finalizing the budget, as House Democrats are starting to see the reality that the governor’s proposal simply spends too much,” Struzzi said. “However, there are still many details that need to be worked out, which is why I voted no on House Bill 1330 today. I am hopeful this will eventually lead to a budget compromise that adequately covers our current spending obligations and sets us up for future success.”
