Local Leaders React to State Budget Bill Leaving the House

UPDATE: Tom Corbett signed the budget bill late Thursday night.

Gov. Tom Corbett is expected to sign a $27.149-billion state budget bill for the 2011-12 fiscal year on Thursday that the Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved late Wednesday night, 109-92, mostly along political party lines.

The 109-92 vote is the same count from the House's last .

State Reps. , who represents the 38th Legislative District of Allegheny County, including parts of ; and , who represents the 22nd District, including and parts of , both voted "nay" on the bill both times.

Wagner issued a statement about Wednesday's vote, saying, "I made the decision to vote 'no' on the state budget because it cuts millions of dollars from vital county government services and programs, shifting the burden to these already-struggling and overburdened agencies, and leaving county governments with dire options: either eliminate the programs completely or increase taxes to make up the revenue.

"With its unprecedented and devastating cuts to higher education—$200 million—this budget shows an incredible lack of foresight into the best interests of Pennsylvania's future and a shocking misplacement of priorities. 

"These historic cuts, including a 19-percent cut to funding for the University of Pittsburgh, could dismantle the framework of public higher education and harm Pennsylvania's economic competitiveness. This simply isn't the place to cut back. These cuts to basic and higher education imperil the economic future of our region.

"These cuts are unnecessarily harsh, especially because we have at least $700 million in surpluses that could be used to restore these painful cuts. It is irresponsible to leave these surplus funds in the state's bank accounts and then turn around and burden students with higher tuition bills and residents with increased local taxes."

Kortz also issued a statement about Wednesday's vote, saying, "This budget includes devastating cuts to our entire educational system, from kindergarten through 12th grade and higher education. With this bill, we are basically burning down our educational house in Pennsylvania as we know it. Our children will be the collateral damage in this war of budget priorities, and that is absolutely unacceptable. As we know, good schools equal good communities ... 

"On top of it, these draconian cuts aren't necessary. We have more than $700 million in surplus revenue that could be used to restore these painful cuts. Instead, funding is slashed for accountability-block grants for full-day kindergarten, charter-school reimbursement and educational-assistance programs. This will devastate my schools. The bottom line is that Gov. Corbett's budget equals all children left behind ... 

"This budget is by no means a no-tax budget as Republicans are claiming. Taxes will be increased because of this budget. This merely shifts the burden to middle-class homeowners and seniors who will be forced to pick up the tab through higher local-property tax hikes."

Kortz spoke on the House floor on Wednesday in opposition of the budget. You can view Kortz's speech in a YouTube video located toward the top of this page.

Click here to see how each representative voted on Wednesday.

The is expecting to receive about $1 million less from the state for 2011-12 than it did for 2010-11 after initially expecting to receive about $1.5 million less when .

"While the district is pleased that it will be receiving more revenue than expected," B-W Superintendent Dr. Lawrence C. Korchnak said, "it is scarcely enough to make up for what the governor took away."

Korchnak said that his district's administration, which already , has not yet decided what it will do with the money that it was not expecting to receive.

"When the budget is finalized," he said, "and we know the exact amount, the decision will be made after deliberations that include input from the (school) board and the (district's) business office."