Feb. 08, 2022
HARRISBURG – Rep. Leslie Rossi (R-Westmoreland/Somerset) issued the following statement today regarding Gov. Tom Wolf’s $43.7 billion 2022-23 state budget proposal, which features a $6.2 billion (16.6%) spending increase over last year’s budget:
“Gov. Tom Wolf has failed miserably in offering any solutions that actually lead to the draining of Harrisburg’s swamp or advancing Pennsylvania’s economy beyond his Orwellian pandemic dictates.
“Once again, this lame duck governor is seeking to cement his extreme, Far-Left legacy by clinging to his out of touch, wealth redistribution schemes to punitively increase taxes on individuals and small businesses; and imposing his unconstitutional, job-killing carbon emissions tax on energy producers, working families and seniors already living on fixed incomes.
“Budgeting is all about setting realistic, responsible and forward-focused economic priorities. Again, what is desperately lacking from the governor’s latest fake fantasy-driven budget proposal is any consideration for the working men and women who bear the full burden of excessive taxation and rampant deficit spending across this Commonwealth.
“Moving forward when it comes to delivering a final state budget that actually puts Pennsylvania taxpayers first and adequately funds core government functions, the people’s House of Representatives must continue to reject the reckless, unsustainable demands of the outgoing Wolf regime to spend all available revenue with no fiscal restraint.
“Neither the people of Pennsylvania, nor the majority of the Legislature, will stand for a return to massive tax and spending increases, or worst of all, borrowing against future generations.
“All things considered, the governor’s $43.7 billion spending proposal is a horrible, non-starting point for upcoming budget negotiations and another devastating path to economic ruin that must be locked down by the Legislature.”