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Column/Op-Ed |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Ronald G. Waters |
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(EDITOR: If you need to confirm this op-ed or have questions, please contact Faith Camp at 717-787-7895 or acamp@pahouse.net.)
June 17, 2010
State government must protect most vulnerable in spite of budget crisis
By Rep. Ronald G. Waters
Chairman, Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus
The financial tsunami has left the country hurting for money and it has led to cuts in government funding across the nation. Pennsylvania is no stranger to the pain. The $29 billion budget unveiled for Pennsylvania proposes many cuts, including to education and social programs and services that have a proven track record of benefiting the citizens of our Commonwealth. However, as a state official and chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, I question the wisdom of cutting such crucial services. I am especially concerned of the way these cuts will impact minority communities.
Programs such as LIHEAP are in danger of drastic funding cuts or even elimination. School districts are stressed by financial uncertainty and unsure of their state funding. We need to protect vital services that Pennsylvanians depend on. Nonprofits provide vital services such as job training, drug and alcohol abuse programs that free people from dependency, and turn them into the independent people that all Pennsylvanians want to see them become. Budget cuts will affect funding to hospitals. Money cannot be cut for hospitals as that funding determines whether Pennsylvania receives matching grants from the federal government. We don’t want to see another hospital shut down. We want to keep libraries open and avoid cutting funds to day care and services for parents and children. We must preserve day-care programs, freeing parents to go to work or school or training.
We especially cannot afford to cut state funding to pre-kindergarten programs. This would not be a wise choice. We need to maintain $125.89 million in state funding for pre-kindergarten programs but the budget proposes we decrease the money to $124.6 million. Studies show that pre-K prepares children for entrance into kindergarten and improves social and educational advancement. A recent study from "Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Pennsylvania" found that pre-kindergarten programs for children in poor neighborhoods save money later by keeping them out of prison, which could eventually cut a quarter of the $1.8 billion spent on corrections in Pennsylvania. The report references one study of at-risk children that found 52 percent who did not attend a preschool program were in jail or prison by age 40. Among those who attended a preschool program, the number dropped to 28 percent. Any cuts to pre-K funding are false savings.
What I do not understand is the fact that we are looking at cutting these programs before we have even exhausted other forms of revenue. Some lawmakers don’t want to find more money to fill the deficit shortfall, but the money is there. We should tax smokeless tobacco or even close tax loopholes for businesses that get financial rewards for filing their taxes on time. We are paying money to some of these big businesses for doing what they are supposed to do, while the average citizen bears the financial burden.
Some corporations even use loopholes to set up their headquarters in Delaware, yet base their operations in Pennsylvania and increase profits. They should pay their fair share of taxes.
People in the oil refinery business have spent $342 million to secure land to drill on Pennsylvania soil. If they have that kind of money, why can’t they pay their fair share of taxes?
Pennsylvania is the only state in the union that does not tax smokeless tobacco products. If the choice is between taxing tobacco products or helping children and seniors, the answer is easy.
While Pennsylvanians can understand the need to tighten our belts, taking an axe to many government-funded programs is not the answer. We were elected to serve the people and that entails ensuring the needs of our constituents are met, especially the most vulnerable ones. Where will they turn if they cannot turn to the state for help?
Instead of immediately going to the cutting board, we must all work together as Pennsylvanians to come up with a responsible budget for our state.
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