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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Chris King |
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King says legislature should return unused funds
HARRISBURG, May 14 – State Rep. Chris King, D-Bucks, has introduced legislation (H.B. 2538) that would require the General Assembly to return to the state treasury all unspent appropriations at the end of every fiscal year, excluding 25 percent of its annual operating expenses for the most recent fiscal year.
The extra revenue would be added to a property tax relief fund.
"Every agency and branch of state government returns its unspent tax dollars except the General Assembly," King said. "It's time for that preferential treatment to end. My bill will send a message to taxpayers that we intend to follow the same rules that apply to all other aspects of state government."
King said the 25 percent reserve outlined in his legislation, which is equal to three months of operating expenses, is reasonable and would allow the legislature to continue to operate should the fiscal year end on June 30 without the passage of a budget.
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