Both the House and the Senate are scheduled to return to session at the Capitol on Monday afternoon to discuss a possible revenue deal for the long overdue PA budget. Several sources indicate that the plan relies on borrowing and gambling expansion—but abandons the long-discussed push to impose a new tax on gas drillers. The potential plan is rumored to include:

·     $200-$300 million of special fund transfers (potentially including previous allocated funds for  local  transportation, parks,  public transit,  environmental stewardship,  historic preservation, industrial site cleanup, recycling, and infrastructure.)

·     Borrowing additional funds

·     Expansion of gambling and gaming devices 

·     the full list of schemes can be viewed here

Call to Action!

10,000 Friends strongly opposes this fiscal plan as it still raids various legally-dedicated Funds to remove previously-allocated funding for specific purposes critical to making great communities for Pennsylvanians.  To be willing to raid legally-dedicated funding is to not understand that balances "identified" from previous years are largely already committed, announced, and contracted to hundreds of projects in our communities-- which may be cancelled.  Further, the recapture of money from specific funds, preventing their use for a legally-dedicated purpose, is not good government. This effort to avoid using transportation and environmental funds for their stated purposes amounts to a patchwork, short-lasting quick fix that will reduce services for the tax payers and needed programs for our communities.

This has long gone past the point of normal partisan politics;  Pennsylvnaia is beset by fiscally unsustainable ideas. Pennsylvania’s credit rating has already been downgraded by this budget impasse.

It is a critically important time for all state legislators to hear NOW  from their constituents and community leaders -- a responsible revenue plan does not rob from Peter to give to Paul, but instead must include real, recurring revenue producing a Constitutionally-mandated balanced budget.

Email or call your State Representative and State Senator to oppose Raiding Special Dedicated Funds for our communities and support a balanced budget with Real Recurring Revenue.