Rep. Bud Cook, a Republican from Greene/Washington, expressed his opposition to the recently approved state budget proposal driven by Democrats. The House passed House Bill 1330 with a vote of 105 to 97, and it is now sent to the Senate for consideration.
Cook stated, “I voted ‘no’ on the budget proposal because it spends $50.6 billion, and we still don’t know where the money to support those expenditures is coming from.”
He questioned the approval process: “How can we approve a bill when House Democrats and Gov. Josh Shapiro have failed to answer the simple question of how we are going to pay for it?”
According to Cook, this budget plan will significantly reduce state reserves. He said, “This budget proposal represents the Democrats’ plan that slashes into our reserves. When Gov. Shapiro came into office, the state had over $13 billion in reserves. By the time this year ends, that number will be cut in half.”
Cook also criticized certain aspects of the proposal: “If House Democrats were serious about including Republicans in budget negotiations, they would not include harmful energy taxes that would kill jobs in the 50th District and directly tax coal and natural gas power plants, which would force customers into higher energy bills.”
The outcome of this legislation now depends on further deliberations in the Senate.
Media Contact: Andrew Forgotch at 717-772-9905.
