|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
CONTACT: |
State |
|
id="_x0000_i1026" |
|
|
|
|
Wagner responds to flaws and strengths of new state budget
HARRISBURG, July 17 – State Rep. Chelsa Wagner, D-Allegheny, applauded the investments being made on behalf of all Pennsylvanians in the 2007-08 state budget package, which she mostly supported with her votes in the House today. Wagner provided the following statement to explain her votes:
“With only one exception, I voted to support the entire budget package passed today in the House. As always, I am concerned about ensuring a transparent legislative process; my constituents want the same and sent me here with that kind of reform in mind. Unfortunately, when a good transportation bill went to the Senate, it was amended to include a 10 percent drink tax and rental car tax that would only apply to Allegheny County. Those taxes run counter to the interests I was elected to protect, both in terms of transparency in our lawmaking process and the financial interests of the hard-working people of Allegheny County.
“I felt it was necessary to safeguard the interests of my county against a tax that would put us at a competitive disadvantage with neighboring regions. The drink tax, as added by the Senate to apply only to Allegheny County, should not be part of this transportation bill at all.
“While I support the statewide enhancements for transportation funding made under this legislation, as I have demonstrated with my votes on this floor, in committee and through my advocacy in my district, I will not support a drink tax that hurts the residents of Allegheny County.
“As I’ve said before, my constituents also sent me here to ensure a greater level of transparency in our lawmaking process. I voted for this bill when it was passed out of the House several weeks ago, but again, the Senate lumped on a drink tax that has not received appropriate public scrutiny.”
Despite her negative vote on the transportation portion of the budget package, Wagner hailed the 2007-08 budget for supporting Pennsylvania’s children and schools, with significant new money targeted at expanding access to pre- and full-day kindergarten programs as well as laptop technology in every high school.
“Each and every dollar that we can commit today in proven strategies such as early childhood education is truly an investment in the next several decades. We must always put our schools and children at the forefront of all any plan to keep the state strong and vibrant; we’ve accomplished a great deal toward that end through this budget,” Wagner said.
The budget package also provides necessary funding for the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey arena, a valuable piece of the region’s economy that brings jobs and significant revenues.
Wagner also pointed out that the budget deal includes an agreement that her legislation to enact the Jonas Salk Legacy Fund will be considered by the Senate after the summer break. The House passed the Salk Fund earlier this summer as part of the state budget package, but the bill waited in the Senate in order to focus on budget-specific negotiations. Wagner’s proposal (H.B. 1142) would establish a significant state investment in Pennsylvania’s ability to develop and discover new medical cures, procedures and technology.
The budget legislation will now be sent to the governor’s desk for signature.
###mds/2007/mjh
l:\print\releases\budgetreaction.022