Marc Stier, director of the PA Budget and Policy Center, made the following statement on the current state of PA budget negotiations:
“If news reports are accurate, enough members of the House Republican caucus heard the voices of their constituents who contacted them in the last 24 hours to demand new recurring revenues to balance the budget in a responsible way. With the failure of Speaker Turzai’s irresponsible plan to borrow even more deeply to close the deficit, the way is open for Senate Democrats and Republicans to forge a bipartisan revenue proposal that raises taxes without burdening working people and the middle class. We are hopeful that when the House Republican leadership brings such a plan to the floor, it will secure a bipartisan majority there, as well.
“This is a good day not only for the fiscal health of the Commonwealth but for the future of our democracy.”