HARRISBURG — The legislature approved, and the governor signed a new state budget , that ends this year’s budget impasse.
GOP and democratic leaders said the budget increases education funding by more than $678 million and includes additional money for special education. There are also more funds for career and technical programs and student-teacher stipends.
As for local reaction…
State senator Lynda Schlegel Culver said the plan is a fiscally responsible agreement that does not impose any new taxes. She said the budget achieves a number of much-needed increases and provides more funding for police and firefighters.”
State house member Michael Stender said the budget isn’t perfect, but is a fair deal for the people in the state.
State representative Joe Kerwin of upper Dauphin County said the good news is, the plan will not raise taxes or use the Commonwealth’s Rainy Day Fund.
House member Jamie Flick of Lycoming and Union County said he decided to vote ‘yes’ only because house republicans spent months negotiating for significant improvements.
But one state house member is unimpressed. State house member Robert Leadbeter of Berwick voted against the new state budget, calling it a ‘faulty, gimmicky’ budget. He says the plan relies on accounting maneuvers, delays billions of dollars in payments and pushes current obligations onto future taxpayers.
He says rural areas are being left behind and he says the plan fails to provide the fiscal discipline, economic growth and support for farmers, businesses, law enforcement and veterans. Rep. Leadbeter criticized the budget for not increasing EITC scholarships and directing nearly $900 million to Philadelphia.
