Mar. 07, 2023
HARRISBURG – Today, Rep. Rob Mercuri (R-Allegheny) shared his own thoughts and issued the following statement on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal for the 2023-24 fiscal year. This year’s budget proposal of $45.8 billion is a 6% increase over the previous budget.
“Throughout this budget there are several commonsense initiatives that I support, including commensurate funding for education, mental health services and health care, as well as keeping taxes low.
“The simple fact of the matter is this Democrat governor’s budget proposal overspends. We must live within our means and save for the future. While I can appreciate some of the proposals I mentioned, there is still concern when it comes to creating a larger structural deficit that may set us back for years to come. Republicans have led the charge in building the balance in the Rainy Day Fund in order to help address any future economic downturns. Unchecked spending of this magnitude during this inflationary period sets us up for a turbulent and risky path ahead.
“As our new governor is settling into the role, I wish him the best as he leads this state forward. I look forward to taking a closer look at the fine print of this proposal and finding some common ground that will benefit the people of my district and the Commonwealth.”
Fortunately, the governor’s address is just the beginning of the annual budgetary process. Starting Tuesday, March 20, the House Appropriations Committee will hold hearings taking a closer look at the precise details of the governor’s plan. For a schedule and live streaming of the hearings, go to
pahousegop.com.
Representative Rob Mercuri
28th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives