Pa Stays Open If Deadline Missed

By Sen. Scott Wagner Pa Stays Open If Deadline Missed

Everyone is under the assumption that the state budget MUST be completed by June 30 or the State of Pennsylvania shuts down.

This is an outright lie that has been used in the past and will be used again to intimidate the citizens of Pennsylvania.

Putting on my private sector business owner hat – every Wednesday our payroll departments electronically transfer the deducted employee state taxes to the PA Department of Revenue.

In addition, every day transactions occur throughout Pennsylvania that generate sales tax and other taxes – so the cash flow to Harrisburg does not stop.

Governor Wolf’s budget does not address any cost cutting, expense controls or efficiency projects  – Governor Wolf’s budget is very simple – RAISE REVENUE THROUGH MORE TAX REVENUE.

It is the goal of the PA State Senate to have a balanced budget without tax increases completed by June 30th to be sent to the Governor.

Let me be clear – Harrisburg does not have a revenue problem – it has a spending problem.

Prevailing wage mandates on public school districts, out of control benefit costs, and zero accountability for money being spent are a few examples.

I will be a NO vote on any tax increases – we MUST address the expense side of Pennsylvania Government first.

Governor Wolf continues to beat his drum that he wants to DUMP (and I use the word DUMP) $1 billion  in the public school system.

I am in total agreement that education for our children is the number one priority – the public school system has many components that need to be fixed, changed or eliminated before a billion dollars is thrown at the problem.

In the private sector, throwing money at a problem without stopping the leak that is causing the problem is called throwing money down a black hole.

Until the structural problems in the public school system are fixed – the $1 billion  that Governor Wolf wants to throw at the problem – the money will disappear – next year and every year to follow there will be some group who will be asking for more money to be DUMPED into the public school system.

Enough is enough !

Sen. Wagner represents Pennsylvania’s 28th District.

Pa Stays Open If Deadline Missed

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