Category: Commentary/Editorial || By Submitted Reports

Mon-Yough legislators react to Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed 2013-14 budget:

State Sen. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport:

I am encouraged by the governor's interest in providing $90 million more state dollars to our public schools. I believe this renewed commitment is a healthy sign that he now recognizes that his previous two budgets shortchanged schools by $900 million and spurred steep property tax hikes across the state.

While I am pleased that the governor is trying to make amends and wants to more adequately fund schools, I am disappointed that he is proposing that some of the additional funding be contingent upon legislative approval of his liquor privatization and pension funding schemes. The education of our children is too important to be used as a bargaining chip.

Since the governor took office, test scores have fallen, 80 percent of school districts have raised local taxes and 15,500 jobs have been lost. Our children are our greatest resource and they deserve to receive the best education available, which is contingent upon fully-funded budgets.

While I was pleased with some of the ideas in today's budget proposal, I hope we can provide additional support to schools and make a greater investment in our infrastructure, proven economic development and job creation programs.

As we were able to do the past two years, I look forward to working with my fellow lawmakers --- both Democrats and Republicans --- in the months ahead to improve on the governor's budget proposal and restore dollars to numerous important programs and services.

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State Rep. Mark Gergely, D-White Oak:

Republican Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana said his party needs to stop being the party of 'stupid ideas.' I guess our governor didn't get that message.

Again, the governor wants regular people to open their wallets to pay for massive tax cuts for big businesses. Under this governor, state budget cuts have forced millions of residents to pay more local taxes. Now he wants to give more tax breaks to his corporate friends.

Pennsylvania should be investing in the education of young people and growing our economy to create jobs. Instead the governor is fighting to end the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax and cut other businesses taxes that would force more of the burden on to struggling middle-class families.

Parents and property taxpayers are still reeling from the $1 billion in state funding cuts for public schools under this governor that have forced property tax hikes, larger class sizes and program cuts. He's ignoring the state's broken school funding formula that puts poorer school districts like Duquesne at a disadvantage.

The Pittsburgh region has the highest rate of problem bridges in the country. We need the governor to join us to fix the problem, not more Band-Aids. Building modern roads and bridges and adequately supporting the Port Authority would create thousands of construction jobs and show the world that Pennsylvania is open for business.

The governor's budget has more trap doors than a vaudeville stage. This budget continues the governor's reckless schemes of cutting education, giving away the state lottery and state liquor stores while giving huge tax cuts to big businesses and failing to close the Delaware loophole which allows 85 percent of corporations doing business in the state to pay less income tax than a family earning $36,000.

The rich get richer while the students, seniors, and working class take it on the chin once more. Governor Corbett is a believer in the 47 percent claim by Governor Romney and his budget proves this. His scheme of "close your eyes and privatize" is flawed.

This governor has again proven his indifference to providing a good education for our young students. His proposal to add $90 million to basic education amounts to only one-tenth of the state funding he slashed from public schools two years ago. Contrary to the governor's 'spin' his education cuts of $1 billion from two years ago are locked in. Governor Corbett's budget leaves all children behind. These cuts have hurt school districts and communities. Governor, you either educate or incarcerate.

His transportation plan is weak, almost two years late, and billions of dollars short. We need at least $3.5 billion to fix our crumbling roads, bridges and mass transit, but the governor is committed to only about half the job. We have nearly 5,000 structurally deficient bridges in this state and 100 currently shut down. Every day the governor waits to seriously address the problem, the cost to fix our transportation problem goes up.

He is the guardian of the Delaware loophole allowing businesses to escape from paying their fair share of taxes in this state. Governor Corbett has put his pledge to national Republican power elite like Grover Norquist over his pledge to the people of Pennsylvania.

Over the last two years, this Republican governor cut $63 million in child care. This budget prevents 500,000 people from getting health care coverage. That's morally irresponsible.