Jun. 28, 2019
HARRISBURG – House Appropriations Vice Chairman Rep. George Dunbar (R-Westmoreland) confirmed today that the final 2018-19 state budget package that the Legislature advanced to the governor’s desk is once again a direct reflection of the thriving national economy, record low unemployment, nearly five years of maintaining consistent fiscal restraint on state spending and holding the line against raising taxes on hard-working Pennsylvanians.
“During the past several years, we have fought hard against repeated attempts to raise taxes and overspending, and that fiscal restraint is paying off in this year’s $33.9 billion state budget—most notably with an estimated surplus of $250 million which will be used to restore the Commonwealth’s depleted Rainy Day Fund,” said Dunbar. “Now that the national economy is flourishing and state revenues are rebounding, we were able to further capitalize by making additional historic investments in education, public safety and transportation.”
Watch Rep. Dunbar’s additional state budget comments below.
Dunbar is especially pleased that his original legislation to reenact the elimination of the fraud-ridden, General Assistance Cash Benefit program (House Bill 33) has been included in this year’s welfare code.
“Every dollar we save through the elimination of this program, which costs no less than $150 million annually, can be re-prioritized to proven programs that actually help our most vulnerable citizens,” said Dunbar. “We must continue to remove any existing barriers such as cash assistance that proliferate fraud and government dependence, rather than empowering individuals to achieve economic independence. Even with including House Bill 33 this budget is still not perfect, but the final product represents our commitment to standing up for taxpayers, making smart investments and better management of every dollar spent by state government.”
Representative George Dunbar
56th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Ty McCauslin
717.772.9979
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