Lancaster County House Republican Delegation Responds to Gov. Wolf’s Budget Proposal
HARRISBURG – Today, the Lancaster County House Republican Delegation was present for a joint session of the General Assembly as Gov. Tom Wolf delivered his budget address for 2019-20. The $34.15 billion spending plan is an increase of $927 million over the current enacted budget.
The Lancaster County Republican Delegation – House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Peach Bottom), Mindy Fee (R-Manheim), Keith J. Greiner (R-Upper Leacock), Dave Hickernell (R-West Donegal), Brett Miller (R-East Hempfield), Steve Mentzer (R-Lititz) and Dave Zimmerman (R-East Earl) – issued the following statement on Wolf’s budget proposal:
“We were pleased to hear the governor mention agriculture in this budget address. Our state budget should contain items that properly recognize agriculture as the state’s No. 1 economic driver. This is especially important for Lancaster County.
“We were also encouraged to hear the governor is now joining us in supporting workforce development with career and technical education (CTE). Improving the business climate to create good-paying jobs and training workers to fill those positions will increase tax receipts far more than straining small business with a minimum wage increase. Last year, Wolf vetoed a bill to make it easier for CTE programs to open, so we hope he has had a change of heart on this.
“Another area Wolf talked about was education. We have no problem supporting our students, but any new money must get to the students, not special interest lobbying efforts. Again, this is an area in which the General Assembly has taken the lead.
“In the first three years of the Wolf Administration, we added $1.57 billion in PreK-12 education, and last year alone we added $466 million. In fact, since the people elected us to the majority in 2011, we have added $3.4 billion to education.
“Today, the governor officially started the budget process. Gov. Wolf laid out his vision for the Commonwealth and now the House must get to work putting together a plan that can pass both chambers of the General Assembly.”
Lancaster County House Republican Delegation
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Charles Lardner
717.260.6443
[email protected]