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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. John Hornaman |
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Hornaman opposes budget, drastic education cuts
HARRISBURG, July 1 – State Rep. John Hornaman, D-Erie, said he voted against the Corbett-Republican 2011-12 state budget this week. He released the following statement:
"This budget, created and backed by Governor Corbett and the Republican majority, is unnecessarily harsh. We currently have $752 million in surpluses, some of which could have been used to restore the painful cuts to basic and higher education, social services, veterans programs and other programs that aid our most vulnerable citizens. There is no rational reason for choosing to make Pennsylvania's seniors and working, middle-class families suffer when we can avoid much of the pain in this budget.
"This Corbett-Republican budget slashes funding to our public schools by more than $1 billion -- an unprecedented attack on public education that will hurt kids, cause thousands of job losses, and harm Pennsylvania’s economic competitiveness.
"And, the end result of this anti-education budget? Public schools all across Pennsylvania are being forced to eliminate programs, classes and activities, limiting the educational opportunities available to Pennsylvania children in public schools. Additionally, about 11,000 teachers and school staff will lose their jobs – and school boards will be forced to raise school property taxes.
"Furthermore, the harm done to people with disabilities is unconscionable. These individuals will be robbed of the ability to hold a job and be productive tax-paying citizens because their safety net will likely be removed. Because of this they will become tenants of nursing homes. From both an economic as well as a social responsibility point of view, it doesn’t make sense.
"Republicans are calling this a 'no-tax' increase budget, but it's simply not true. It is a tax-shift budget, with middle-class homeowners and seniors being forced to pick up the tab through higher local property tax hikes. About three-quarters of Pennsylvania school districts have already announced that they'll be forced to raise taxes next year, thanks to failure of the state government to properly fund public education.
"Think of this: while we remain the only major natural gas producing state without a severance tax, this budget cuts funding to every school district in the state. This budget protects big corporations and big oil and natural gas companies from having to pay their fare share while forcing working, middle-class families to pay higher taxes."
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