Dec. 23, 2015
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Curt Sonney (R-Harborcreek) issued this statement following Senate passage of
House Bill 1460, a general appropriations bill for the 2015-16 fiscal year:
“This afternoon, the state Senate sent to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk a budget proposal that can finally bring an end to the nearly six-month state budget impasse.
“You may have heard media reports of the impasse possibly ending earlier today. Those reports were based on the belief that the governor had sealed an agreement on the necessary votes for final passage. It is obvious that agreement, which was also predicated on an agreed-to pension bill, did not exist.
“Since this governor proposed his budget in March, the votes necessary to pass the tax increases he wants and needs have not been there. Today’s budget breakdown drives home that point.
“We all knew pensions were part of the framework agreement. It is now obvious the House Democrats did not support the governor and the budget framework last week when every one of them voted against the pension bill.
“The only option the House had today was to pass a spending bill without a revenue bill to back it up. The bottom line is you can’t spend what you don’t have.
“The only option the Senate had today was to vote House Bill 1460, a no-tax-increase budget, and send it to the governor’s desk.
“One thing is clear – the tax increases on which the governor continues to insist upon do not have the necessary House or Senate votes. He needs to move off that platform and get money to schools and social service providers that are depending on it.”
Representative Curt Sonney
4th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Scott Little
717.260.6137
slittle@pahousegop.com
RepSonney.com