Budget Negotiations Continue

With state tax revenues down considerably this year, the Legislature and Governor’s Office are debating how best to fund the budget for 2014-2015. No numbers are being discussed publically, but with a $1.2 billion revenue shortfall expected, it is clear that legislators will need to either make cuts, find new revenue, or create a combination of the two in order to have a balanced budget.

Here are some of the revenue proposals that are floating around the Legislature:

• Approving Medicaid Expansion in Pennsylvania
• Enacting a 5% severance tax on natural gas extraction
• Creating a tax on smokeless tobacco and/or raising the cigarette tax

Without increasing revenue in some form, programs will likely see across the board cuts, and some line items that were originally promised additional funding in the Governor’s budget (such as domestic violence services) will probably lose the new money AND possibly see less money than they received last year.

To take action: Decide what you want your legislators to do. Use the script below to call Governor Corbett (717-787-2500) and your legislators (http://bit.ly/PALegislator2014)

• My name is                                                 .
• I am a constituent and am calling you regarding the state budget. I would like you to (raise new revenue/cut funding for programs) because                                                                           .
• Here is what I think you should (cut/do to raise revenue):                                                       .