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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Bill Kortz |
  
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Kortz reports on new state budget passed on Independence Day
HARRISBURG, July 4 – State Rep. Bill Kortz, D-Allegheny, voted today for a balanced budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year that makes investments in a number of statewide initiatives without increasing taxes .
"This year's budget forced some tough decisions, but reductions and cuts in the Keystone State won't cause the heartache other states' cuts have imposed on their residents," Kortz said. "The budget comes in below the current 4.2 percent rate of inflation and is $545 million less than the $28.3 billion spending plan proposed in February."
Kortz said this budget means good news for the 38th Legislative District in areas like education, health care, fixing the state's crumbling infrastructure, business tax cuts and energy independence.
"This year's education budget is quite innovative," Kortz said. "Thanks to a brand new funding formula, our state's 501 school districts -- including West Mifflin, McKeesport, South Allegheny, Baldwin-Whitehall and West Jefferson Hills -- will see billions of dollars in funding over the next six years.
"This includes ample funding for Pennsylvania's Pre-K programs, which are an investment in helping school children across the state prepare early for academic success through high school and beyond.
"When it comes to health care, Pennsylvania's senior citizens, especially, can rest assured we are maintaining their health-care coverage," Kortz said. "Those on PACE and PACENET don't have to worry about losing their prescription coverage due cost-of-living increases."
Kortz said the 2008-09 budget also bolsters the state's economic climate by refueling programs that fix Pennsylvania's infrastructure while boosting job creation.
"We've secured $350 million to repair more than 400 of the state’s worst bridges, as well as $800 million for waterway and sewer infrastructure improvements," Kortz said. "Roads and bridges, water systems and dams, airports and railways across the Commonwealth will finally get the attention they need.
"And by their very nature, infrastructure jobs can't be outsourced, so the Rebuild PA component of the budget assures improvements to our infrastructure and helps create thousands of good-paying jobs."
Additionally, the General Assembly kept its commitment to the scheduled reduction in the Capital Stock and Franchise tax that will benefit the business community to the tune of a $200 million tax reduction this fiscal year.
Our energy strategy will move us toward independence, with investments in and incentives for in-state generated alternative fuels and energy.
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