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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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Pa. State
Rep. Peter J. Daley |
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Commerce Committee hears budget cuts may slow recovery
How do we stimulate economic development in a recession?
HARRISBURG, June 18 –The Pennsylvania House Commerce Committee on Wednesday heard from the state’s major economic development agencies about the impact budget cuts could have on helping businesses thrive during the recession.
Rep. Peter J. Daley, D-Washington/Fayette, the Commerce Committee's chairman, said the focus of this series of hearings is: How do we stimulate economic development in a recession?
"I am very in tune to the situation at hand regarding the economy and budget, but I am gravely concerned that if we do not find a way to fund these programs, they will continue to be decimated until they can no longer operate," said Daley. "We should not cut funding from programs that will stimulate economic growth, especially given the current circumstances."
Presenters included representatives from the Local Development District Association, Industrial Resource Center Association and Small Business Development Center. All three are major external economic development agencies that receive their base funding from the state’s General Fund.
"This hearing gave us the opportunity to hear from agencies that are on the forefront of implementing economic and community development initiatives and their concerns on the governor’s proposed budget that could cut their programs between 60 and 70 percent," said Daley.
Subsequent hearings will follow throughout the year in other regions of the state. Last month, the committee held its first hearing of the series in the northwest part of the state in Mercer County.
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