Feb 8, 2024 4 min read

By Brad Hundt

Staff writer

bhundt@observer-reporter.com

Gov. Josh Shapiro said Tuesday that his 2024-25 budget proposal is “ambitious” and would “build a more competitive Pennsylvania,” but many lawmakers in the region insisted the plan is unrealistic and would lead to too much spending.

State Rep. Tim O’Neal, the Washington-area Republican, denounced the proposal as “more of the same – a long list of wants and dreams, light on details and fiscally bankrupting. It’s a tax and spending agenda that brings California politics to Pennsylvania. This is no way to run the commonwealth.”

In addition, O’Neal claimed that Shapiro, a Democrat, has “presidential campaign ambitions” that are reflected in the $48.3 billion budget, which would boost spending for public schools, public transportation, higher education and invest money to lure high-tech and industrial projects to the state. Shapiro is also proposing a significant increase to the minimum wage, raising it from $7.25 to $15, and legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

In his address in the Capitol Rotunda, Shapiro said his budget was “bold” and that “some will be reflexively opposed, saying ‘we can’t afford that.'”

Bud Cook, the Republican who represents the 50th Legislative District, which includes part of the Mon Valley and Greene County, said Shapiro’s budget would increase state spending by 8% and would deplete its reserves in three to four years.

“This is not responsible budgeting and sets us up for a significant tax increase in the near future, which is something our individuals, families and employees simply cannot afford,” Cook said.

State Rep. Ryan Warner, a Republican who represents a portion of Fayette County, dismissed Shapiro’s budget as “nothing more than the governor’s wish list.” Warner pointed out he serves on the House Appropriations Committee, which will soon conduct budget hearings, “and, I hope, come to an agreement on a budget that responsibly meets the needs of the commonwealth today and in the future.”

State Rep. Josh Kail, whose district includes parts of Washington and Beaver counties, said “the governor has no clothes” and the plan is “all talk and no action.” Kail’s fellow Republican, Rep. Jason Oritay, who represents northern parts of Washington County and South Fayette Township in Allegheny County, said, “I look forward to working toward an on-time budget that works for the taxpayers of Pennsylvania.”

Right now, Democrats have a one-seat majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, while Republicans enjoy a six-seat majority in the Senate. State Sen. Pat Stefano, a Republican from Fayette County, said, “The new level of spending could result in rising inflation on top of what we’re all already struggling with. We wouldn’t encourage one of our neighbors to spend beyond their means, and the expectation for government should be no different.”

He also characterized Shapiro’s plan as “ambitious,” but that without details it “lacks substance.”

State Sen. Camera Bartolotta, a Republican from Carroll Township in Washington County, said Shapiro did not specify how he will pay for increases in state spending “beyond the legalization of adult-use cannabis.”

The state’s teacher’s union, however, was more positive about the governor’s budget proposal. Aaron Chapin, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said Shapiro’s budget “is a historic first step toward delivering what our public schools need to provide the public education that our Constitution requires.”

Luke Bernstein, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, said in a statement, “We appreciate Gov. Josh Shapiro’s focus on competitiveness and improving Pennsylvania’s business climate. We must become more competitive, and we have significant work to do to achieve these shared goals.”

The address also touched on health care. Antoinette Kraus, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, said her organization was “very pleased” that the proposal “highlighted serious health care affordability and access issues. … including medical debt, prescription drug prices, hospital closures, and the cost of health insurance.”