Dec. 23, 2015
HARRISBURG - State Rep. Warren Kampf (R-Montgomery/Chester) today released the following statement upon the Senate’s 33-17 bipartisan passage of House Bill 1460, a $30.2 billion spending proposal that would provide an immediate end to the state budget impasse.
House Bill 1460 includes a $405 million increase for PreK-12 education while protecting taxpayers from the massive tax increases proposed by Gov. Tom Wolf:
“I commend the Senate for agreeing to send this responsible, taxpayer-friendly budget to the governor’s desk to provide an immediate end to this budget impasse. This is a fiscally responsible bill that ensures sustainable spending without the need for massive increases in the income or sales taxes paid by hard-working Pennsylvanians.
“House Bill 1460 provides historic investments in our education system, as well as full and immediate funding for our social services that have been devastated by the governor’s unprecedented full budget veto earlier this year.
“Further, with the governor unable to marshal his allies behind agreed-to public pension reforms that were a cornerstone of the ‘framework’ he touted, and with so many interests across our large and diverse state able to reach consensus, this budget is achievable today with his signature.”
“It is now up to Gov. Wolf to decide whether he wants to inflict further pain on schools and social services in our state by vetoing this bill, or whether he stands with all Pennsylvanians who are ready to move forward in a positive direction. I call on him to sign this bill before he causes unnecessary school closures and wreaks further havoc on vulnerable Pennsylvanians.
“I remain committed to promoting vital public pension reform, supporting new job creation, and improving schools, but the first step must be passage of this responsible, bipartisan budget,” Kampf said.
Included in the increased education funding is a $100 million increase for Basic Education funding; a $50 million increase for Ready-to-Learn Block Grant; a $25 million increase for Pre-K Counts; a $5 million increase for Headstart; and a $30 million increase for special education. The bill also includes an Accelerated School Construction Investment Program to expedite the disbursement of $2.5 billion in bond funds to schools for construction projects.
Representative Warren Kampf
157th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives