Krieger Votes Against 2009-10 State Government Takeover of Taxpayer Income
Calling it the latest state government takeover of the personal income of every working Pennsylvania citizen, Representative Tim Krieger (R-Westmoreland) issued the following statement today regarding his No vote against the $27.8 billion 2009-10 state budget due to more than $1 billion in new taxes and increased spending.
“Pretending that Pennsylvania’s fiscal situation is fine does not make it so. Despite the declarations of the Governor and the legislative leaders who brokered this unsustainable deal, the revenue projections driving this budget are pure fantasy. Without a doubt, passage of this budget ensures that Pennsylvania will face a significant deficit next year.
“Pennsylvania state government has participated in an unprecedented orgy of state spending during the past several years. While the Governor has been the leader of this fiscal debauchery, legislative leaders in both parties have in various degrees perpetuated the status quo in Harrisburg where unsustainable taxes, spending and borrowing are substituted for real economic growth.
“Even before the 2009-10 state budget is signed into law, state spending under Rendell has increased by 40 percent and interest-accruing state debt has increased from $23 billion to $40 billion in just seven years. Continuing to recklessly accelerate down the same path, this year’s budget utterly fails to address the hundreds of millions of dollars of welfare fraud identified by Auditor General Jack Wagner, contains millions of dollars in special interest discretionary funding or WAMS (Walking Around Money), and increases spending at an unsustainable rate.”
“Pennsylvania cannot tax and spend its way to prosperity. Recession or no recession, each and every dollar state government takes from us in the form of higher taxes is one less dollar that could be used by Pennsylvania taxpayers to pay for their mortgage, food, clothing or otherwise spend or save as they see fit.”
Rep. Tim Krieger
57th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(724) 834-6400
Contact: Ty McCauslin
House Republican Public Relations
(717) 772-9979