HARRISBURG – In an address to the General Assembly, Gov. Tom Wolf proposed a $45.7 billion 2022-23 state budget that would increase General Fund spending by $4.5 billion, Sen. Devlin Robinson said today.
The new spending includes $2 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Including the expenditure of federal dollars returned to Pennsylvania during the pandemic, the governor’s budget represents a 10.9% increase in spending.
“It is our responsibility as legislators to ensure more money is not taken from the pockets of Pennsylvanians,” Sen. Robinson stated. “These last two years have resulted in higher gas prices, supply chain issues, inflation, child care challenges, and so much more. Demanding increased taxes is unfair and unjust, and I will do everything possible to stop government overreach.”
According to Senate Appropriations Committee budget projections, the governor’s plan will produce a $1.3 billion deficit for the 2023-24 fiscal year and create an even bigger bill for Pennsylvania taxpayers to pay long after the governor leaves office: a $13 billion deficit by 2026-27.
The Senate will hold a series of public hearings in the coming weeks to review the spending plan and produce a more responsible budget proposal that funds essential services while shielding taxpayers from the consequences of reckless overspending.
CONTACT: Elizabeth Weitzel