House Leadership is Blowing up the Budget Agreement!

Call your local legislator now to help fix this!

Yesterday the PA Senate passed a bi-partisan, compromise budget (by a vote of 43-7!) that includes a $350 increase in education funding for schools. The Governor has said he will sign this budget and House Democrats are prepared to agree. They all understand that it is time to end ideology and get a budget done. Only the House Republicans are standing in the way of the budget framework that funds education and human services by a small increase in the sales tax.

The House has scheduled a vote for their own budget, a budget that would provide just $150 million to schools, shortchange social services, and upend the entire budget process in Harrisburg. The vote is scheduled for this afternoon. Lawmakers need to hear from voters now!

Click here to call your state representative to tell him/her to oppose a budget that will derail the budget passed by the Senate.

When you call,  tell your representative:

• Vote NO on the proposed House budget that would cut education funding and upend the compromise budget that the Senate has passed and Governor Wolf has agreed to.
• The budget must include $350 million for education, using the agreed-to hybrid formula (using both the Basic Ed Funding Commission formula and some funds targeted at fixing the inequitable base amount).
• The House proposed budget, which includes just $150 million for education is unacceptable. All districts will do better with the $350 million in the Senate budget.
• No one is getting everything s/he wants in this budget. There is an agreement in place with enough compromise in it to pass the Senate by a bi-partisan vote of 43-7.
• We need House members to concur on the Senate budget. People are suffering and there is no more time for political posturing and political ideologies in Harrisburg.

Click here to contact your legislator now!

Even though the House Republican budget reduces education funding and reduces funding for human services below the agreed framework, it does not have sufficient recurring revenues to be fiscally responsible.  Because it cannot pass the Republican-controlled Senate or avoid Governor Wolf’s veto, it is an exercise in political futility that will prolong the budget impasse and increase human suffering in this period before the holidays.

Sincerely,

Susan Gobreski, Executive Director, Education Voters of PA

PS: If you live in Southeastern PA, your phone calls are especially important. Please share this with your friends on Facebook and Twitter and ask your friends and family to make calls.