Lycoming News

HARRISBURG - Sen. Dave Argall (R-Schuylkill/Carbon/Luzerne) has expressed concerns regarding Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed $3.2 billion budget increase. The plan, which represents a 7.1% increase in overall state spending, has raised questions about the sustainability of such a significant spending increase.

Argall pointed out that the governor's spending projections differ greatly from the data provided by the Independent Fiscal Office, further casting doubt on the feasibility of this level of spending. He emphasized the need to consider what taxpayers can afford, stating, "I want to do more to help our students and invest in Pennsylvania's economy – the key question is what can our taxpayers afford?"

Comparing Shapiro's budget proposal to that of former Governor Tom Wolf, Argall highlighted the absence of a detailed explanation of how the proposed spending would be funded. He expressed concern about the potential consequences of reckless spending, citing California and New York as examples. These states, having depleted their reserves, were left with no choice but to either cut important programs or significantly increase taxes. Argall emphasized that Pennsylvania should not make the same mistake.

In light of the discrepancies between the governor's numbers and those provided by the Independent Fiscal Office, Argall called on the Senate and the House to determine which figures are accurate. He stated, "We need to be realistic. We cannot follow California and New York down the path of reckless spending. Their choice, now that they have spent down their reserves, is to slash important programs or dramatically increase taxes. We don't want to make the same mistake here in Pennsylvania. The Senate and the House now need to determine which numbers are real, and which numbers are phony."

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