North Lancaster News

Senate Majority Whip Ryan Aument (R-36) has expressed concerns about the proposed increase in state spending in Governor Josh Shapiro's 2024-2025 state budget. Aument argues that the $3.2 billion increase in spending is excessive and unrealistic, and will ultimately lead to substantial tax increases, negatively impacting struggling families.

Aument highlights the financial difficulties faced by Pennsylvanians, who are already grappling with the rising cost of everyday expenses. He criticizes the governor for making grandiose budget proposals without considering the financial realities faced by the working class. Aument states, "His proposal might sound nice, but we can't pay for it without tax increases, and it ignores the reality many Pennsylvanians face every day to make ends meet during this period of historic inflation."

Shapiro's budget includes a 7.1% increase in overall state spending, which Aument argues is unsustainable without significant tax hikes. The governor's plan also includes new taxes on the legalization and regulation of adult-use cannabis and skill games, known as "sin taxes." Additionally, the budget allocates a $1.5 billion increase in K-12 education spending. However, Aument questions the effectiveness of such investments, pointing out that previous funding increases have not led to improvements in student outcomes.

Aument also highlights the governor's plan to merge the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education with the state's community colleges, with a budget allocation of $127.1 million. This proposal aligns with Aument's long-standing support for performance-based funding in education.

One notable omission from the governor's budget proposal is a comprehensive energy roadmap. Aument expresses disappointment that there is no plan to address the impending energy shortage in Pennsylvania, which could lead to restrictions on electricity usage and potential blackouts. He emphasizes the need to prioritize the reliability and affordability of the state's energy grid to ensure uninterrupted access to power for constituents.

Senate Republicans, including Aument, will closely examine Shapiro's budget proposal in the coming months to identify potential efficiencies. The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold budget hearings starting on February 20th to study the proposal in detail.

In response to Governor Shapiro's budget address, Senator Majority Whip Ryan Aument states, "Pennsylvanians are struggling to pay for groceries, gas, housing, utilities, and nearly every other everyday expense, sometimes working two or more jobs just to make sure they can pay their bills... we can't pay for it without tax increases, and it ignores the reality many Pennsylvanians face every day to make ends meet during this period of historic inflation."

Aument also questions the effectiveness of the proposed increase in K-12 education spending, stating, "Every year for the last few years, we've invested hundreds of millions of dollars in public education, and yet math scores are down, reading scores are down, and attendance is down."

Regarding the governor's plan to merge the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education with the state's community colleges, Aument states, "None of us want to deal with restrictions on when and how we can use electricity in our own homes, or worse, be subjected to rolling blackouts... I'm disappointed the Governor didn't prioritize this issue in his budget so that we can work collaboratively to address the reliability and affordability of our energy grid."

Senate Republicans will analyze the budget proposal and search for greater efficiencies in the coming months. The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold budget hearings starting on February 20th.

For more information, please contact Stephanie Applegate.