Interesting point of view

From: Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center <info@pennbpc.org>
Date: December 19, 2015 at 4:18:41 PM EST
To: jfbard@parss.org
Subject: Press Release - PBPC Exec. Dir. Marc Stier's statement on failure of pensions, budget deal
Reply-To:info@pennbpc.org

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MEDIA CONTACT Marc Stier, 215-880-6142  stier@pennbpc.org December 19, 2015 (Harrisburg) Marc Stier, director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center made the following statement in response to failure of the pension reform bill and Rep. Reed’s announcement that the House of Representatives will vote tomorrow on a stop gap budget. “Pensions are one thing, and a responsible budget is another. Passing a pension reform bill, especially one that has serious problems, should never have been a prerequisite for resolution of the 5-month long budget impasse. It does not produce any savings for the Commonwealth this year, and very little savings over the long term.  So, the defeat of the pension bill is no reason for House leadership to fail to bring appropriations and tax bills to the floor that carry out the bipartisan budget agreement. The Senate-passed appropriations bill provides much needed funding for education and human services. The House should pass it. The tax bill under discussion in the House would provide the revenues needed to pay for that funding. It’s time for the House to pass it and send it to the Senate.  A stop gap budget will only prolong this unacceptable stalemate and freeze funding for education and human services at inadequate levels. House leaders should stop this nonsense tomorrow and do what they keep promising to do - pass a responsible budget and tax plan. ###

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