HARRISBURG — Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) issued the following statement after passage of the $27.15 billion state budget which all Democrats voted against:
“We have been calling for a state budget that reflects shared sacrifice and fairness to all Pennsylvanians since March. It is now clear that our consistent calls fell on deaf ears. This budget disproportionately affects our middle class while jeopardizing the quality and affordability of our education system at all levels, pre-K through college.
The state budget, the product of a closed-door deal crafted by Republicans in the House, Senate, and Governor’s office, contains a cut of more than $900 million to basic education, while also drastically reducing state support to community colleges (10 percent cut), state system (18 percent cut) and state related (19 percent cut) colleges and universities. It eliminates the funding for charter school reimbursements which were funded at $224 million last year. This hurts our most economically-challenged districts at the worst possible time.
Not only will this budget force thousands of teachers to lose their jobs, but it also puts our economic recovery at risk. Cuts to successful job creation initiatives with a proven track record will stall. This budget makes significant funding cuts to business incubators and small business development centers. It will also force these entities, along with Industrial Resource Centers and Industrial Development Agencies to compete for the limited funds. Furthermore, state funding to our academic medical centers will be slashed in half. These research and teaching hospitals are economic engines that not only drive medical and research jobs into our communities, but attract millions in federal grants and private investment. This budget is a blow to medical institutions and the communities, like Pittsburgh, which have thrived and benefitted because of them.
In addition to education cuts, the Republican budget also fails to dedicate enough funding to the hospital assessment to draw down much-needed federal funds. Hospitals will also be forced to pay for more costs as a result of this budget. While there is modest restoration for uncompensated care — $16.5 million — it is not nearly what is needed, further crippling hospitals.
We understand there is a need to be fiscally responsible in the current economic climate, but this budget falls far short of being responsible by cutting from those that need it the most. It is not responsible to make a commitment to big business at the expense of education. It is unfathomable that we are going to pass a budget that will lay off thousands of teachers and leave students in packed classrooms while stashing away hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
It is not responsible to allow natural gas companies to make millions in profits while local communities are left to deal with the consequences and the costs of gas drilling.
It is a new day in Pennsylvania. In this Pennsylvania, we ask the poor to sacrifice and suffer, the middle class to make concessions and do all we can to make sure that the rich get richer. This is a Pennsylvania characterized by closed door deals and beholden to big business. This is not a path that I want to see our state go down, and this is not a state budget I can support.”
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