|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
State
Rep. Deberah Kula |
|
Kula issues statement on House Democratic budget plan
HARRISBURG, July 17 – State Rep. Deberah Kula, D-Fayette/Westmoreland, today released the following statement regarding her vote for the House Democratic budget plan, H.B. 1416:
"The constituents in the 52nd District struggle with issues unique to rural Pennsylvania. More rural Pennsylvanians live without steady employment, and without health insurance, putting greater strain on our local health systems. And more rural Pennsylvanians have consistently lower incomes. I voted for the House Democratic budget plan because it bolsters state funds for the local services our counties are mandated to provide and that many rural Pennsylvanians rely on to survive.
"A plan offered by House Republicans would have ignored those mandates, hanging many programs and services for the unemployed, uninsured and disabled out to dry. I voted against that proposal because of that reason, and because it would have cut basic education funding, forcing local school districts to raise property taxes.
"I strongly support expanding access to home- and community-based services for seniors. Older Pennsylvanians want to remain at home for as long as possible, and – despite this challenging economic climate – we must continue to offer them sufficient programs and services that enable them to do that. The House Democratic plan expands funding for several programs vital to our senior population and the disabled, including Attendant Care, Services to Persons with Disabilities, Community Mental Retardation Waiver Programs and Autism Services.
"Our plan would also provide sufficient funding for the Aging Waiver Program. This program is eligible for federal stimulus money if the state keeps up its end of the bargain to match those dollars with state dollars. Not doing so, which we saw in the House Republican budget plan, would have jeopardized the federal funding entirely due to the cuts it made to the program. We cannot afford to gamble with money we desperately need, and our seniors and people living with disabilities deserve.
"What I find to be most alarming about the proposals offered by the House and Senate Republicans is that by underfunding many of the services I mentioned, the plans would directly contribute to job losses. It would be completely irresponsible to put anyone out of work during the worst economic downturn our country has experienced since the Great Depression. That is why my colleagues and I in the Democratic Caucus made sure our proposal maintained funding for state services and programs that help to create jobs.
"As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have spent weeks upon weeks poring over dollar figures and line items in the various budget proposals that have been offered, trying to close a $3.3 billion budget deficit no one can ignore. The House Democratic plan is the only solution I have seen that embodies the interests of the people living in my district. It provides steady sources of funding without relying on one-time fixes that won't be available in the future, as in the House Republican plan. Most importantly, it does not rely largely on federal stimulus dollars, rather, it matches them in areas where they are needed the most.
"It would be naïve to assume the version of the budget we passed today will be the one that ultimately goes to the governor for his signature. But I do hope that as negotiations continue, lawmakers in both the House and Senate will take a good, long look at our proposal for what it is: a sensible solution to Pennsylvania's budget needs."
###