House Democrats Take Budget Steps Backwards

HARRISBURG - Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) issued the following statement today on the state budget:

"In July, when House Democrats came to the realization that Governor Shapiro's $51.5 billion budget proposal for 2025-26 spent too much money, they sent the Senate a $50.6 billion version that was not agreed-to. Today, they sent yet another unagreed-to budget to the Senate, this one spending $50.25 billion. After months without a state budget, the latest act by the House has taken steps backwards, not forwards. With the state budget being due 100 days ago, it is long past time for Democrats to stop their games and to complete a responsible budget that doesn't seek to spend billions more than we can afford by using one-time dollars.

"Pennsylvanians deserve a functioning government which respects hardworking taxpayers. What Democrats continuously fail to realize is that divided government requires true compromise. This means a final budget agreement cannot simply be a checkbook for their reckless spending but must be a reasonable plan, which also includes Republican policies to support families and foster greater economic growth for Pennsylvania. Ten years ago, the state budget spent just over $30 billion. The substantial budgetary increase over the last decade makes it clear that we must control the growth of our expenditures to prevent a fiscal calamity in the coming years.

"Until Democrats are willing to come to the table with a unified voice and a respect for the differences we have, we will remain at an impasse. The most prudent action for the House to take would be to immediately pass last year's budget as the Senate did back on August 12, to get money flowing today. The only reason anyone who relies on government services and support is feeling negative impacts from the impasse is because of the Democrats' unwillingness to put people above politics."

NOTE: Senate Republican leaders held a press conference about the state budget this afternoon. Video is available here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kate Flessner