Sen. Jay Costa Reacts to State Budget

Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, issued the following statement after passage of the $27.15 billion state budget which all Democrats voted against.

“We have been calling for a state budget that reflects shared sacrifice and fairness to all Pennsylvanians since March,” he said. “It is now clear that our consistent calls fell on deaf ears. This budget disproportionately affects our middle class while jeopardizing the quality and affordability of our education system at all levels, pre-K through college.”

The state budget contains a cut of more than $900 million to basic education, while also reducing state support to community colleges in a 10 percent cut, the state system in an 18 percent cut and state related at a 19 percent cut colleges and universities, according to Costa. It also eliminates the funding for charter school reimbursements which were funded at $224 million last year.  

“This hurts our most economically-challenged districts at the worst possible time,” Costa said. “Not only will this budget force thousands of teachers to lose their jobs, but it also puts our economic recovery at risk.”

In addition to education cuts, the Costa said the budget also fails to dedicate enough funding to the hospital assessment to draw down much-needed federal funds. Hospitals will also be forced to pay for more costs as a result of this budget, he said.

“While there is modest restoration for uncompensated care -- $16.5 million -- it is not nearly what is needed, further crippling hospitals,” Costa said. “We understand there is a need to be fiscally responsible in the current economic climate, but this budget falls far short of being responsible by cutting from those that need it the most.”

Costa went on to say that the state is asking “the poor to sacrifice and suffer, the middle class to make concessions and do all we can to make sure that the rich get richer.”

“This is a Pennsylvania characterized by closed door deals and beholden to big business,” he said. “This is not a path that I want to see our state go down, and this is not a state budget I can support.”