Westmoreland Review

In response to Governor Josh Shapiro's budget proposal, Representative Eric Davanzo (R-Westmoreland) expressed his concerns about the potential consequences of the plan. He likened the budget proposal to a Christmas list created by children who have no concept of cost or their family's income. Davanzo stated, "We had no idea what anything cost and had no perspective of our family’s income. We just knew what we wanted."

Davanzo criticized the Governor's reliance on raiding the Commonwealth's budgetary reserves and Rainy Day Fund to fund new government programs. He argued that this approach would inevitably lead to a tax increase in the future. He stated, "Everything Gov. Shapiro is asking for, including his additional $282 million gift to public transit, is funded by raiding the Commonwealth’s budgetary reserves and Rainy Day Fund, which were accrued by responsible budgeting over the last decade. But because he is using that money to fund new government programs, when those dollars are gone, a tax increase in the coming years is almost a certainty."

The Representative also raised concerns about the proposal's dependency on new tax revenue from the legalization of recreational cannabis. He expressed doubts about relying on "sin tax" revenue to solve budgetary issues, citing previous examples such as slots and table games that fell short of their promised benefits. Davanzo stated, "A portion of Gov. Shapiro’s new funding is dependent on new tax revenue from the legalization of recreational cannabis. But not only do I have concerns with how that impacts Pennsylvania children, I also believe that Pennsylvania knows it should not count on 'sin tax' revenue to fully cure a problem."

Davanzo emphasized the importance of responsible budgeting and expressed his opposition to expanding government beyond its means. He acknowledged the need to deliver core services such as education, public safety, and care for seniors but argued that taxpayers are already burdened and cannot afford further tax increases. He concluded, "Growing government beyond its means is willfully irresponsible. We have core services that Harrisburg must deliver on, especially in terms of education, public safety and care for seniors. But the taxpayers who fund these services are tapped out and I have no intent to support a budget that invades their incomes."

In light of Representative Davanzo's concerns, it remains to be seen how Governor Shapiro's budget proposal will be received and whether any adjustments will be made to address the issues raised.