Westmoreland Review

Rep. Eric Davanzo of Westmoreland County issued a statement in response to Governor Josh Shapiro's state budget proposal presented on Tuesday.

Davanzo expressed concerns about the financial implications of the proposed budget, likening it to childhood Christmas lists created without regard for cost or income. "Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal today reminded me of when my brother and I created our Christmas lists," he stated, highlighting a lack of perspective on expenses and revenue.

Davanzo criticized the governor's plan to fund new government programs by using reserves from the Commonwealth’s budgetary savings and Rainy Day Fund, which were built through careful budgeting over the past decade. He warned that this approach could lead to tax increases in future years: "Everything Gov. Shapiro is asking for...is funded by raiding the Commonwealth’s budgetary reserves and Rainy Day Fund...a tax increase in the coming years is almost a certainty."

Additionally, Davanzo addressed concerns about funding tied to potential new tax revenue from legalizing recreational cannabis. He expressed worries about its impact on children in Pennsylvania and cautioned against relying on such "sin tax" revenues: "A portion of Gov. Shapiro’s new funding is dependent on new tax revenue from the legalization of recreational cannabis...Pennsylvania knows it should not count on ‘sin tax’ revenue to fully cure a problem."

He concluded by stressing that expanding government beyond its financial means is irresponsible, emphasizing core services like education, public safety, and senior care as priorities while opposing any budget that burdens taxpayers further.