HARRISBURG, PA (June 12, 2013) – Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center Director Sharon Ward issued the following statement on House passage of a 2013-14 budget bill (HB 1437) today:
“We are disappointed with the House budget. It reflects the wrong priorities for Pennsylvania. It chooses tax cuts for profitable corporations over funding for public schools and makes permanent almost 85 percent of the cuts enacted two years ago.
“Some lawmakers continue to blame temporary federal funds for Pennsylvania’s education cuts. The fact is that in 2011 the General Assembly made a choice to restore expiring federal funds for prisons but not for education.
“At a time when our economy is lagging, Pennsylvania should be making investments that move us forward. New tax cuts have cost educational opportunities for our children and jobs in our schools.
“We hope the Senate will make the prudent decision to delay a scheduled corporate tax cut that is unaffordable and can only lead to deeper cuts to education.”