Slowing economy called for fiscal restraint and responsible spending
After months of debate and negotiation, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has adopted a new state budget – a plan that House Republican Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Mario J. Civera, Jr. (R-Upper Darby) has called a “fiscally sound and responsible spending plan.” The budget calls for $28.26 billion in spending that invests in local needs such as education and public safety.
All told, the budget calls for a little more than $1 billion in new spending, which grows the budget at a rate of 3.98 percent. This rate is below the 4.4 percent projected rate of inflation for fiscal year 2008-09.
“There were a lot of tough decisions that needed to be made this year in the budget because of the slowing economy, and I think in the end we finished with a strong product,” Civera said. “Not only were we able to remain fiscally responsible with our spending, but we did it in a manner that ensured we could still provide much-needed funding for priorities like our public schools.”
Civera, who serves as one of the House Republican Caucus’s chief budget negotiators, entered this year’s budget process with three fundamental goals in mind: control spending growth, support necessary programs and prevent tax increases. All three were met successfully.
One of the key issues Civera and his colleagues fought for in the budget was assurance that the state’s Rainy Day Fund would not be tapped as a revenue source. As the final months of the fiscal year came to a close and state revenues began to decline, many lawmakers wanted to use the state’s emergency savings account to make up for lost revenue. Civera demanded that money not be touched.
“There was talk by many at the budget table of dipping into the Rainy Day Fund to help increase spending,” Civera said. “That was something I could not support, especially considering the state’s uncertain economic future.”
Pennsylvania’s Rainy Day Fund was established to fill significant budget holes in the event of drastic economic downturns. Although the economy has slowed in recent months, the state was not facing the sort of scenario this year that would have justified utilizing the fund.
In fact, the state finished the fiscal year with a $167 million surplus, albeit less than the $427 million that was projected by the governor in February.
“I understand the desire to create new programs and bolster those already in existence,” Civera said. “But I could not justify using emergency dollars to simply increase spending when we were working with a surplus. That is just not responsible budgeting.”
Locally, this budget provides many millions in additional funding for Delaware County schools. The two districts in the 164th Legislative District, which Civera represents, were among the most generously supported in the state.
The Upper Darby School District and the William Penn School District are slated to receive sizable increases in basic education funding. Upper Darby will be afforded a total of $26.9 million, for an increase of $4.9 million or 22.4 percent, and William Penn will receive nearly $18.7 million, for an increase of $2.2 million or 13.7 percent.
“Education was atop my priority list with this budget,” Civera said. “Our local schools do a great job educating the children of this community. They prepare these kids for the future, and I am really pleased we were able to provide them the support they need and deserve.”
Another key point included in the budget was funding for law enforcement efforts to help communities fight crime. More than $40 million will be earmarked this year specifically to address illegal drugs and drug-related crime through an array of efforts ranging from enforcement and prevention, to treatment programs and education.
Also included was a $1.5 million appropriation to the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit, which targets individuals who use the Internet to seek out victims. This program is of special interest to Civera, who several weeks ago introduced legislation to help better protect children from these predators.
Additional information on the 2008-09 Pennsylvania state budget can be found on Civera’s Web site by accessing the House Republican Appropriations Committee link.
Rep. Mario J. Civera, Jr.
164th District
House Appropriations Committee, Chairman
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(610) 853-4115
(717) 787-3850
Communications Coordinator
(717) 787-1711
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 4, 2008